Winemaker Notes
With a beautiful deep purple hue in the glass, the 2018 Mitsuko’s Merlot offers aromas of plums with a touch of licorice and anise. Full bodied with plenty of depth, this Merlot delivers copious dark fruit notes of black currants, briar and plum with a juicy mouth feel. Fresh acidity keeps the palate balanced and clean. As the wine opens, more complex notes of bay leaf, clove and cedar start to develop. All this is surrounded by fine grain tannins that drive the finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Concentrated dark plum, cherry tart and blackberry flavors are backed by crisp acidity and fresh tannins in this svelte style. The creamy finish features chocolaty accents, showing hints of dried green herbs.
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.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.