Winemaker Notes
Blend: 98% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Italian herbs and soy sauce may sound like the beginning of a favorite recipe, but Winemaker Joe Harden ensured this velvet-lined red was made to pair with a variety of foods. Thanks to its lean acid structure, rich texture, and ripe fruit, this wine scored high with us. While the majority of the fruit hails from the Stags Leap District (42%), a small amount also comes from selected Napa Valley AVAs like Oak Knoll, Yountville, and Rutherford. The palate offers chocolate plum and is dense with spice and gritty new cedar tannins. Blackberry-coffee notes even out the finish.
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James Suckling
An excellent Merlot with blackberry, blueberry and lavender character. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine offers a wealth of big flavor and plush structure within a context of savory oak and firm tannin. Black olive and licorice highlight a nicely composed framework of plum and dark cherry, dotted with fresh tobacco.
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.