Bruce Wayne Winery
2011 Napa Valley Reserve Merlot
Merlot
California: Napa Valley
Mission Briefing
They know Merlot
Bruce Wayne Winery is the sister label of one of our most popular boutique wine producers, Starry Night Winery. We’ve been featuring Starry Night for the last 6 years and their wines are always a big hit with our Operatives. When we learned of their Bruce Wayne label, we leapt at the chance to taste through their line-up of wines. They are all fantastic. And budget-priced!
Today’s Bruce Wayne Winery 2011 Napa Valley Reserve Merlot is a rich, delicious and elegant wine. A fantastic foodie wine, this wonderful Merlot is also a great solo sipper.
If you love great Merlot, please do not hesitate to take advantage of this offer on today’s excellent wine.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Translucent garnet with a very slightly opaque core. At the edge, a fine ring of ruby around the wine. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Cherry, strawberry and raspberry are followed by sweet spice, toasty and woodsy notes, blueberry, and pencil shavings. |
| Taste: | Very flavorful but not over-the-top, with plenty of dark berry fruit that is more compote than fresh fruit. Blackberry, raspberry, pomegranate and dusky cherry are followed by hints of toasty oak and a hint of dried herbs. |
| Finish: | Long and very flavorful, with dark berry fruits that dwindle slowly. Blueberry and soft cedar linger the longest. |
| Pairing: | Enjoy this very food-friendly wine with a variety of foods, including a dark beef roast or an herb-roasted chicken. |
What the Winery Says
- 2011 Napa Valley Reserve Merlot
- Our 2011Napa Valley Reserve Merlot comes from barrels selected by our winemaker that exhibited the finest quality from the 2011 harvest. Sourced from an exclusive vineyard inNapa Valley, our Merlot exhibits flavors and aromas of blueberries, red cherries, plums, cocoa and light spice. With smooth tannins and a lingering finish, our Merlot is ready to drink now and will age well for many years to come. Aged for sixteen months in French and American oak barrels we produced only 168 cases of this wine. Our Merlot pairs well with a variety of food including grilled meats,roasts and mushroom based dishes as well as mild cheese.
WINE PROFILE
- Appellation
- Napa Valley
- Harvest
- September 21, 2011
- Brix at Harvest
- 25.9º
- TA
- .587 g/100ml
- pH
- 3.99
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
Aging Combination of New French and American Oak, select 1 year old French and American Oak Barrels
About the Winery
Bruce Wayne Winery - Sister Label of Starry Night Winery
Our primary focus at Starry Night Winery is Zinfandel, which accounts for over 60% of our production. We think Zinfandel, which is uniquely American, is not only a great wine, but also offers a significant value when compared to many other grape varietals. In 2001 we became a member of Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP), which promotes Zinfandel education worldwide. Bruce currently serves as Vice President of ZAP and is a member of ZAP’s Board of Directors.
We are also excited by Rhone varietals, which we believe are making significant gains in popularity. We make a Russian River Syrah, and in 2001 introduced our Adara, which is a blend of wines made from grapes found in the Rhone region of France. Because we love Chardonnay, we also produce a barrel fermented, 100% malolactic, and well balanced Chardonnay.
Viticulture
The vastness of Sonoma County with its diverse climate and topography allows growers to produce grapes for distinct wines from the same grape variety. Various areas are known by Appellations. Appellations reflect unique climate, soil and other conditions which tend to produce wines unique to those areas.
With the best combination of natural resources and climate, Starry Night Winery’s key viticulture philosophy is to maintain a small berry size to more concentrated fruit. Our grapes realize bud break often several weeks earlier than other Sonoma Country Wineries, promoting a longer growing season. The rocky soils, comprised of silt loam on top of broken shifts allow the vineyards to deplete water early in the season so there is greater concentration in the berry by the time of harvest.
Our viticulture practices also reflect our desire to put forth optimal flavor in all of our wines. These practices sophisticated trellising system, over cropping early in the season then thinning later in the season to contribute to pH and acid balance and promote higher skin surface to grape ratio.