The Kornell 2015 Alto Adige Merlot Riserva Vigna Kressfeld is a perfumed and graceful expression that focuses heavily on blue flower with cherry and wild rose. The natural aromas of the grape are beautifully transformed by the fresh and cool growing conditions of the Italian Dolomites. Those perfumes are uplifting and bright. The wine shows some phenolic tightness or bitterness in the mouth that helps to build the intensity of this mid-weight red. It is fermented in oak for 25 days and ages in barrique for up to 18 months. Production is very small, with only 2,500 bottles made, but this corresponds to the tiny size of the Kressfeld vineyard, which measures a little more than half a hectare.