2016 MERLOT, Napa Valley
A flavorful medium-bodied red with excellent depth and balance, with notes of black cherry, cedar, and dark chocolate, with well-integrated tannins and an elegant, lingering finish.
ACCOLADES
90 POINTS - Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
- "The succulent, ripe cherry fruit of good Merlot is on full display here and it is teamed with lots of lovely creme brulee-like oak sweetness. The wine is moderately full-bodied with an invitingly supple texture and so much outgoing richness that it is, even now, a thoroughly enjoyable Merlot, but hasty drinking is by no means demanded, and its overall balance and fine fruity energy ensures anywhere from three to six, and maybe more, years of steady improvement if laid away."
Mix and Match your purchase.
10% CASE (12 btl.) DISCOUNT APPLIED AT CHECKOUT.
Find out more about Merlot in our Blog:
♦ Merlot - A Sideways Glance (Part 1)
♦ Merlot - A Sideways Glance (Part 2)
Featured Recipes:
♦ Flat Iron Steak with Cocoa Nibs & Coffee Rub
♦ Merlot Beef with Broccoli
♦ Bison Burgers with Cabernet Onions
*90 Points - Connoisseurs Guide*
In Stock
Wine Specs
Vintage
2016
Varietal
99% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Napa Valley
Harvest Date
September 24th, 2016 - October 10th, 2016
Acid
6.2 g/L
pH
3.60
Aging
20 months in French oak barrels, 45% new oak
Bottling Date
June 14, 2018
Residual Sugar
DRY
Alcohol %
14.8
Connoisseurs' Guide
90
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
Merlot fruit sourced from select vineyards throughout Napa Valley, including our own estate vineyard surrounding the Castello in the foothills of the Diamond Mountain District.
Winemaker Notes
Following the very small 2015 harvest, it was heartening to see the vines recover and bounce back to produce not only extremely high quality fruit but also some bounty in 2016! Harvest was earlier than expected, and we observed optimum flavor and phenolic development progress as we harvested. Across the board, acids are firm and pH is slightly lower, so the wines should be well-structured with very good aging potential. This is an exciting vintage with a lot to like! - Brooks Painter, Director of Winemaking
Production
3251 Cases
