Winemaker Notes
The 2019 vintage has a beautiful and complex nose black cherry, boysenberry jam, plum, and fresh cut flowers come through first, then cardamom, nutmeg, and a touch of cocoa and vanilla enter giving the nose depth and intrigue. The palate too has great depth and complexity flavors of red cherries, muddled berries, and dried herbs, with a creamy texture and silky tannin complimented by a fresh, vibrant acidity.
Blend: 97% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A beautiful Merlot, the 2019 from PlumpJack offers everything you could want from this variety with its plump, fleshy, medium to full-bodied profile as well as terrific aromatics of black cherries, darker berries, leafy herbs, spring flowers, and a touch of chocolate. It’s ready to go yet should continue delivering the goods over the coming decade.
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Wine Spectator
Polished and well-knit, this opulent red features red currant, savory spice and licorice flavors that build richness and structure toward refined tannins.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Merlot is a blend of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with herbal wafts over a core of stewed plums and boysenberries, with hints of charcoal, licorice and potpourri. The medium to full-bodied palate is plush and juicy with bags of black fruit flavors and an aniseed kick on the finish.
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.