Winemaker Notes
The 2022 Napa Valley Merlot is selected from their estates in St. Helena and Yountville. The grapes are night picked, destemmed and cold soaked to extract color and aromas. The wine opens with expressive aromas of hibiscus tea, cranberry, cherry, red currant, cedar, plum skin, brown butter, and whole cardamom. It is so and buttery with a lush entry. Notes of vanilla, baked red fruit, cocao nibs, and red currant lead to a medium long finish with cherry and spicy oak.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Abundant fruit flavors mingle with savory accents of sage, bay leaves and black olives in this mellow, moderately tannic wine. Black cherries and blueberries unfold on the palate, backed by a full body and a generous, mouth-filling texture.
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Wine Spectator
Generous and well-knit, with supple cherry and red currant flavors that take on appealing vanilla and espresso accents as this finishes with fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2032. 9,000 cases made.
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.