Merkin Vineyards Chupacabra Red 2021 (750 ml)

Chupacabra is our Shape Shifter Kitchen sink site Blend from the Buhl Memorial Vineyard, Willcox, in the Kansas Settlement of Cochise County, AZ. The blend changes slightly from year to year depending on where our Alchemistic inclinations lead us but is usually rooted in Grenache, Mourvédre, Syrah, and Petite Sirah. 4300 ft. elevation.

The Al Buhl Memorial Vineyard lies at the eastern edge of Sulfur Springs Valley (alongside the Willcox Playa) in what is known as the Kansas Settlement. The vineyard site is 80 acres with 60 acres planted. The soils are relatively deep loams and clay-loams interspersed with cobbles. The vineyard sits at 4300 feet and experiences up to 50 degree fluctuations in temperature during the growing season. Harvest usually starts in August and can run into early October. From here we source Syrah & Garnacha for PRIMER PASO, Tempranillo and Garnacha for SANCHA, Sangiovese Grosso for KITSUNÉ,  and occasional VSC offerings. The oldest 20 acres of the vineyard were planted in 1982 so some of  the oldest vines here are at least 29 years in age.

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