Winemaker Notes
Rich garnet color with aromas of black cherry, ripe blackberries, cedar and spice, rich. Flavors of ripe fruit, rich, concentrated and smooth.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is concentrated, garnet hued with aromas of black cherry, dark plum, mulled spices, florals, and dried herbs on the nose. The flavors on the palate are ripe red plum, cherry cola, grapefruit rind, maple, cardamom spice intertwined with mocha, mineral, earth and grippy tannins to finish. Pair with Grilled Flank Steak.
Best Buy
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.
The vineyards just inland from the Sacramento River Delta, along the deep banks of the Sacramento River, comprise the Clarksburg AVA. The River Delta channels in cold air and fog from the Pacific Ocean creating a cooling effect in this area. Warm summer days quickly change to chilly evenings and make a great environment for grape growing. While a range of grape varieties grow here, Chenin blanc stands out the most, distinguishing itself in the appellation.
The Clarksburg Wine Growers and Vintners Association, made up of nearly 50 grower members and over a dozen wineries, has been working since the late 1980s to promote the high quality wine of its region.