Winemaker Notes
Blend: 79% Merlot, 11.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.9% Petit Verdot, .53% Petite Sirah, .23% Malbec, .14% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A juicy, fruity Merlot, packed with fresh flavors of blackberries, cherries, red currants, licorice and cedar, and totally dry on the finish. The tannins are very fine. Shows lots of lush complexity for the price.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
A full complement of ripe cherry fruit with hints of black cherries and dried berries are joined by a light veneer of creamy oak in the nose of this full and slightly fleshy wine. Fairly open in feel and invitingly ready to enjoy over the next few years, the wine relies on bags of youthful energy for balance.
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.