Winemaker Notes
Jenny Wagner, Winemaker
In the Vineyard
I sourced grapes for this vintage from the Emmolo Oak Knoll vineyard located near the city of Napa in a sub-appellation called Oak Knoll. It's ten miles nearer the San Francisco Bay than Rutherford and has a cooler microclimate. The site was strategically
chosen for its soils and moderate climate, which are appropriate for growing Merlot.
Our Merlot flourishes at this site thanks to the cooler weather - a mild climate allows the berries to hang on the vine longer, letting them fully mature. Crop thinning is essential to balance the vines with a low yield of rich, concentrated fruit that's dark in color and has chalky tannins and ripe flavors. This wine is very much an expression of the well-drained, low vigor soil that is light in color in the Oak Knoll appellation. During harvest, the fruit was hand-picked in the early morning hours between October 20th and October 24th.
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Emmolo Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wine each feature a distinct style created by Owner/Winemaker Jenny Wagner, who embraces new techniques in both the vineyard and her winemaking. Emmolo is named for Jenny’s maternal relatives, who came to Napa from Sicily in 1923 and founded a rootstock nursery that supplied many of the region’s growers. Their land still provides many of the grapes for Emmolo.
On the paternal side, Jenny’s roots trace back to 1857, when her third great-grandfather captained a wagon train to Napa Valley, beginning a long history of farming and winemaking. In 1972, Jenny’s father, Chuck Wagner, founded Caymus Vineyards along with her grandparents, Lorna and Charlie Wagner Sr. Jenny feels extremely fortunate to be following in her family’s footsteps and to be putting her own mark on Emmolo wines.
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.