Merryvale Profile 1997 Front Label
Merryvale Profile 1997 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

Profile is a blend of our best lots of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, chosen for their concentration, depth of flavor and fine tannin structure. This wine was aged in new French oak chateau barrels and bottled unfiltered. It is very dark and opulently structured -- characteristic of this very ripe vintage. In its youth the wine is loaded with flavors reminiscent of dark berries, plums and black cherries, with fragrant notes of vanilla and spice. The wine's mouthfeel is rich, round and seamless.

Professional Ratings

  • 92
    Here’s a rich, solid Cab from a good winery with a proven track record. Made in the Bordeaux style, with 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, it’s got ripe black-currant and plum aromas and flavors and a solid dose of toasty new French oak. Very balanced and complex. The tannins are soft enough to drink it tonight, but it can also age, if you want.
Merryvale Vineyards

Merryvale Vineyards

View all products
Image for  content section
View all products
Image for Napa Valley Red Wine content section
View all products

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.

NDY13841_1997 Item# 13841