Merryvale Beckstoffer Vineyard Selection 1998 Front Label
Merryvale Beckstoffer Vineyard Selection 1998 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

Outstanding lots of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from small Beckstoffer Vineyard blocks in special sites throughout Napa Valley were selected for this bottling. The grapes were fermented with native yeast and the wine was aged in French oak chateau barrels, 78% of them new. This wine was bottled unfiltered. It is ripe and fleshy and the complex aroma and black cherry fruit flavors lead to a long spicy finish.

BLEND: 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 52% Merlot

Merryvale Vineyards

Merryvale Vineyards

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Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.

Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.

SWC29465_1998 Item# 45212