2008 Napa Valley Merlot
June 27, 2011 by David
Filed under Blog, Merlot, Winemaker Notes
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Our Estate vineyard, with its well-drained, rocky soil, abundance of sunshine, and breezy afternoons, is the perfect place to grow Merlot grapes. Merlot produces a soft, fruity, and fairly rich wine, making it instantly popular and one of the most commonly planted wine grapes.
Winemaker Notes
Overall, the season was a cool one, allowing for plenty of hangtime, punctuated by a few blasts of heat to bring up the sugars. Rain was about two thirds of a normal year, but the vines reacted as if there was a drought, producing unusually small grapes. The small berry size explains the tremendous intensity of color and flavor in red wines from this vintage year.
Flavor profile: Ripe black cherry, raspberry, cocoa, mocha, cinnamon, all spice, toasty oak.
2008 Vintage: A roller-coaster of a growing season yielding low quantities of high quality fruit.
Drink now and through: 2014
Food Suggestions
Enjoy our Merlot with everything from roast duck and other game birds to prime rib. It pairs well with nuts and medium-hard to hard cheeses like Comté or Aged Gouda. From Colleen’s recipe collectionwe recommend Spring Lamb with Honey-Thyme Root Vegetables.
2007 Napa Valley Merlot
May 20, 2010 by David
Filed under Blog, Merlot, Winemaker Notes
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This is no Cabernet wannabe. With its red fruit, velvety tannins and earthy, slightly herbal note it’s unmistakably Merlot.
This is 100% Merlot, but you can still call it a blend because it brings together rich, ripe flavors from our Yountville Estate and the leaner, earthier character of Carneros-grown fruit. It all adds up to delicious! 2007, perhaps the best vintage we’ve seen since 1997, yielded flavors of ripe cherry, strawberry, turned earth, mocha and a hint of smoke and toasty oak.
Merlot and food: With its soft tannins, Merlot has a long-standing reputation for being versatile at the table. Colleen serves it with everything from poultry to pasta, to a good steak! Give it a try with her recipe for Spring Lamb with Honey-Thyme Root Vegetables.
2006 Napa Valley Merlot
September 25, 2009 by David
Filed under Merlot, Winemaker Notes
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Deep, luscious flavors of black cherry, cranberry, cocoa and vanilla with hints of nutmeg, white blossom and toasty oak.
Pairings: Grilled steak or lamb, roast duck, pork, and slow-cooked dishes.
2005 Napa Valley Merlot
August 27, 2008 by David
Filed under Merlot, Winemaker Notes
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Full, rich flavors with a silky texture, this wine is generous with black cherry, lush boysenberry, toasty oak and a hint of herbs. Pairings: Roast lamb, duck or pork, grilled steak, slow-cooked dishes.
2004 Napa Valley Merlot
February 4, 2007 by David
Filed under Merlot, Winemaker Notes
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“It’s funny how 2004 was the polar opposite of 2003, and yet the quality and consistency of the terroir really comes through in both vintages…” comments Winemaker Geoff Gorsuch. While the 2003 vintage was late to ripen, 2004 got off to a jack-rabbit start with a false summer in March and never let up, ending with one of the earliest harvests in memory. “…yields were down a bit, but the fruit was gorgeous. This has all the richness and elegance I look for in Merlot.”
Winemaker Notes
The Merlot was gently crushed and allowed a few days “cold soak” before the fermentation to increase flavor extraction without picking up excess tannins. Geoff found that adding a bit of Petit Verdot brought a sense of subtle sweetness to the nose and enhanced the luscious, palate- coating mouth feel—the first crop from our estate vineyard since re-planting it a few years ago. Enticing aromas of black cherry, sweet strawberry, mint and spice anticipate lush layers of velvety plum, rich blackberry, a hint of aromatic herbs and toasty oak that linger on the palate.
Food Suggestions
With its silky tannins the Merlot is very versatile at the table. It’s a rich and wonderful partner for the sweetness of roast pork. An herb-stuffed roast chicken or duck will complement the subtle hint of herbs in the wine. Rediscover a classic combination and enjoy our Merlot with lamb. For a special treat, Geoff loves to savor a glass of the Merlot with Colleen’s recipe for Rack of Lamb with Pomegranate Molasses. Give it a try!
2003 Napa Valley Merlot
April 11, 2006 by David
Filed under Merlot, Winemaker Notes
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As always our Merlot is fruit forward and lush on the palate. The vineyard is a little south of the winery on the east side of the valley where the afternoon sun brings out aromas of ripe cherry and raspberry. Elegant and richly textured with flavors of juicy blackberry, vanilla and clove, the wine finishes with subtle, toasty oak and soft, supple tannins.
Read more about this wine here.
2002 Napa Valley Merlot
November 9, 2004 by David
Filed under Merlot, Winemaker Notes
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This full, complex wine blossoms in ripe berry, plum, and cherry on the nose, and boasts a beautiful array of soft spicy oak, bold berry and jammy strawberry flavors, with a hint of clove and a generous mouth-feel. Lingering flavors of oak and berry, highlighted by medium tannins, finish the palate on an elegant frame.
Food Suggestions
Our winemaker suggests pairing this limited release Napa Valley Merlot with grilled steak, short ribs, beef brisket, rack of lamb, roast pork, and grilled pork tenderloin. It will also pair well with Lasagna, penne & sausage, and ravioli. Complements Turkey with rich or heavy sauces. Oh heck… anyone ready for a hamburger and glass of Merlot?
Download Winemaker Notes
