Hall Napa Valley Merlot 2006 Front Label
Hall Napa Valley Merlot 2006 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

The 2006 vintage of our HALL Napa Valley Merlot is a rich cuveé from two of our premier estate vineyards. HALL's extensive vineyard holdings have allowed us to determine and cultivate the most ideal locations for our Merlot vines. Merlot from our Hardester Vineyard is planted in limiting soils on a hillside enclave to promote intensely concentrated, small berries with great structure and backbone. The cool valley-floor vines at Napa River Ranch allow this Merlot to express generous red fruit and a velvety texture.

Expect an alluring nose of bing cherry, violets, cocoa and baking spice which leads seamlessly on the palate to a rich and elegant mid-palate. Expressive flavors of dark cherry, toasted oak and blackberry jam will continue to evolve for the next 5-7 years.

Here at HALL, we are passionate about environmental responsibility and sustainable stewardship of our land. All of our vineyards have been farmed organically since 2007, to date 355 acres have been Certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). The last of the estate vineyards, known as Hardester Ranch with 145 planted acres, will receive its organic certification on August 18, 2010. Farming organically involves committing to two principals: ecological production and maintaining organic integrity. Production methods must conserve soil, pollute little and promote a healthy ecosystem.

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Hall Wines is located in Napa Valley and employs organic small-vine viticulture, precision winemaking, wild-yeast fermentation and micro-block blending to fully extract the purity and quintessence of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Their estate vineyards encompass more than 300 acres of classic Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. The Halls have a strong respect for the environment and a commitment to cutting edge technology to yield the highest quality grapes. Through meticulous attention to detail in the vineyards, Hall wines are able to express the unique and diverse character of Napa Valley's soils and climate.

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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.

YNG231925_2006 Item# 101378