Winemaker Notes
Blend: 53% Cabernet Franc, 47% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The red wine from Knights Valley, the 2013 Proprietary Red Mekerra, is a blend of 53% Cabernet Franc and 47% Merlot, and is my top wine along with the CJ. This is an estate wine from the Melkas’ 10-acre vineyard planted in Knights Valley. Beautiful, chocolaty floral notes with blackcurrants, graphite and earth are all present in this medium to full-bodied, stunningly pure and multilayered wine – 425 cases aged in 60% new French oak for 20 months and bottled unfiltered. This beauty should drink well for at least 20 years.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
A small and picturesque valley separating Napa Valley on its south border and Alexander Valley to its north, Knights Valley excels in similar varieties as the two aforementioned appellations, namely red Bordeaux varieties and blends, as well as Sauvignon blanc. Originally established by Beringer Vineyards, today several outstanding producers claim acreage here. The circadian cooling effects of the nearby Pacific Ocean create a nighttime respite for vineyards during the hot growing season.