Winemaker Notes
Fruit is at the forefront of the 2023 Merlot. Brimming with aromas of black cherry and sun-ripened blackberries, the intense fruit gradually ebbs to reveal enticing hints of nutmeg, shaved dark chocolate and fresh summer savory. All the elements combine in a way that suggests homemade blackberry cobbler, cooling on the stove. This is clearly a merlot born in the mountains, so while its structure is elegant and fine textured, there is considerable power folded in owing to our sunshine and moderate nights. The finish is long but balanced by a bright tension that gives this wine its juicy, pleasing nature. While dominated by fruit, the second and third sips reveal lovely notes of cigar box and dried sage. These aromas hint at what is in store as this wine continues to relax into its true self. Enjoy with abandon now, but be sure to save at least a few for the long haul.
Blend: 89% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Wow—this is such a flavour-packed Merlot, generous and full of energy, yet beautifully grounded in its robust, mountain-driven tannic profile. Layers of subtle bay laurel freshness and firm grip give it real character. This is no wimpy wine. If you’re a Cabernet Sauvignon lover, try this. If you’re a wine lover, try this. The freshness factor is off the charts—you won’t be able to get enough of it.
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Vinous
The 2023 Merlot is another terrific wine in this range from Pride. Blackberry, chocolate, licorice, cloves and new leather are all amplified to the maximum. The Merlot is one of the most overt wines in the range, in both its intense fruit and strong torrefaction notes. Even so, it is a total pleasure bomb.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.