Winemaker Notes
The resulting wine is a big, world-class red wine capable of improving with bottle aging for 10 to 15 years in most vintages. Although the wine varies with the vintage, they have a consistent thread of complex aromas of black berry fruits, black stone fruits, chocolate, tobacco, spice and floral notes with a mineral overtone. On the palate the wine has a big silky mouth feel, well balanced, with flavors of berries, fruit, cocoa, cassis, and spice, and a long spicy finish. Fruit tannins in our wines tend to be big, but not harsh and are well integrated with the strong fruit component.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Supple and plush, showing great depth, length and balance. Aromas of red currant, loam and olive lead to ripe flavors of plum, sweet mocha and spice. Drink now through 2016.
-
Connoisseurs' Guide
Deeply fruited, impressively filled with a very keen sense of dark, well-ripened cherries that indelibly marks it as Merlot, Paloma's latest is an especially well-balanced working that is at once very rich, refined and remarkably polished. It does show a streak of fine-grained finishing tannins, but there is nothing so coarse as to raise any worries, and the wine's fruit eases its way past a bit of last-minute astringency. As good Merlot will, this one might tempt early drinking, but it has a long life before it and should evolve for years to come.
As Napa Valley’s third most planted grape, Napa Valley Merlot shows time and time again its potential to produce exceptional results. Napa’s vaunted combination of climate, soil and the human factor of winemaking expertise lead to big, ripe, cellar-worthy and world-class versions.
Whether made by itself in single varietal bottlings or as an important role in Bordeaux Blends, Merlot continues a prominent role in this famous region. While Cabernet typically takes the lead role, Merlot’s contribution—even at 10% to 20% or so—is significant indeed. Often described as “the flesh on Cabernet’s bones,” Merlot lends a soft, round and plush character that beautifully complements Cabernet’s linear, full-throttle structure. Its flavors of plums plus subtle herbs and mint also dovetail nicely with Cabernet’s blackberry and cassis.