The commanding concentration of our Napa Valley Merlot is evident from first swirl, as bold aromas of crushed wild blackberries dominate the bouquet. The palate abounds with silky layers—an abundance of ripe black cherry and currant unfurl to earthy, savory notes of leather, camphor, and prosciutto, finishing long with an echo of anise, almond brittle,and tea leaf. Gorgeous structure and mid-palate focus suggest this cellar-worthy wine will evolve beautifully for a decade or more.
Composition
100% Merlot
Vineyards
- Pahlmeyer Estate Vineyard,
- Rancho Chimiles,
- Stagecoach
Critics
97 Points
James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, March 2022
Ripe plums and blueberries with slate, sweet tobacco and bark, Full-bodied, yet very fresh, with firm, layered tannins and a rich finish. Spices at the end. Juicy. Better in two or three years. Try after 2025.
Winemaking
- Alcohol:
- 15.1%
- Harvested:
- September 28 to October 25, 2019
- Bottled:
- March 1, 2021
- Released:
- March 14, 2022
Our high-elevation Merlot blocks were hand harvested at their most expressive moment. At the winery, the clusters were meticulously hand sorted and destemmed — with only the most perfect berries delivered to tank. Fruit was gently and slowly extracted, spending up to 28 days on skins. Free-run juice was then collected overnight and aged separately from press cuts. We aged the wine in 75% new French oak barrels for 18 months. After careful blending of select lots, the wine was bottled in Spring 2021 for additional bottle aging before release.
