Ballentine Merlot 1996

Ballentine Vineyards owns 110 acres of vines spread among the Crystal Springs Vineyard at the base of Howell Mountain; Pocai Ranch between the Napa River and the Silverado Trail and the Home Vineyard at the winery. After selling their grapes for many years to wineries; Cabernet Sauvignon to Caymus, Cabernet Franc to Rombauer, Zinfandel to Rosenblum, Ravenswood and Mondavi, Betty and Van decided to revive the Ballentine brand that Van and his dad worked at for many years at Deer Park. They started by having their grapes custom crushed for a small production in 1992. In 1995, they built a winery, behind their 100-year-old farmhouse. They revived the original bonded winery number 3595 issued to his father, John Ballentine in 1933 after prohibition ended. Ballentine Vineyards produces only red wines, which are perfectly suited to the Northern Napa Valley climate and vineyards. Our production is less than 10,000 cases of Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Bordeaux styled blend and with a future release of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah.