2005 was a troublesome vintage in Santa Barbara County.  Nearly everything that could go wrong, did go wrong; hot and sunny when it should be cool, rain then more rain and heavy smoke from wildfires.  Maybe even an earthquake or two.  Firestone had had a very good vintage in 2004, producing high quality and quantity both. So, since they would have enough juice to get them straight through to their 2006 they made the decision to sell off the majority of their 2005 Merlot.  Even in the poorest of years some good wine can still be produced, so winemaker Kevin Willenborg and I found a couple of their best barrels and they finished off the winemaking process to be sold exclusively at Julio’s Liquors.  The wine turned out far superior to anything that I imagined, not thin and weak, but rich and full flavored with a rich oak influence, seeming more Cabernet than Merlot in style.