Ghost Pines Merlot 2013
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Winemaker Notes
Blend: 94% Merlot, 6%Petite Sirah
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Dark and silky with plum and cassis; rich and balanced with dense texture and lovely spice. 6% Petite Sirah.
Other Vintages
2014-
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Ghost Pines knows no boundaries. Without the restriction of traditional winegrowing boundaries, Ghost Pines wines are sourced solely for quality and flavor from wherever the best fruit can be found. Though sourcing changes from year to year, this philosophy delivers wines of consistent quality with a distinct combination of richness, smoothness and balance that could never be mistaken for ordinary. Ghost Pines embodies the progressive spirit of California winemaking and inspires a sense of individuality.
Named after the Ghost Pines Vineyard in eastern Napa County, here the indigenous grey pines loom mysteriously along the hillsides. Native to California, the Ghost Pine can adapt to a variety of climates and thrives in various soils, much like grapevines. This vineyard has been a primary fruit source since the very first vintage.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.