W3 - William White Wines
2006 Napa Valley Merlot
Merlot
California: Napa Valley
Mission Briefing
The best gets better... Redux
Special Note: Last month we ran a small quantity of today’s wine. It was all that we could get our hands on at the time, and many of our Operatives missed out. Many of those Operatives that did get some home wanted more, so we sent Agent Red back to beg for another allocation. Here is our original review:
Today’s wine comes to us from one of our most popular wineries, W3 Wines in the Napa Valley. Their W3 (formerly Caymus vineyard) Cabernet Sauvignon is one of our best-selling Cabs of all time, so when Agent Red had the chance to snap up every last bottle of W3’s 2006 W3 Wines Napa Valley Merlot, he wasted no time!
This elegant and extracted Merlot is a true delight that we offer to you with our heartiest recommendation. If you were a fan of the W3 Cab, this wine will delight you just as much. If you are a fan of fantastic Merlot, you’ll be very impressed.
This wine really evolves in the glass; the more you swirl it, the more complexity, richness and character it exudes. This is no wallflower Merlot. Think a Merlot for classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon lovers.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Gorgeous maroon hues through a darker and slightly opaque heart of garnet ink. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Lush and layered with brilliant black cherry, smoky pomegranate, sweet tobacco, sweet brown spice, blackberry and blueberry compote, violet tea and earth. |
| Taste: | Rich and structured with concentrated dark fruit of black cherry, stewed blackberry and braised fig, smoky blueberry, subtle dried herbs, India black tea leaf and dried violets. |
| Finish: | Front of the mouth tannin drives fruits to the far corners of the palate as the wine slowly dries the entire mouth and puckers the lips. |
| Pairing: | Grilled lamb chops with rosemary and lemon, served with a side of red potatoes and pearl onions. |
What the Winery Says
- Winemaker
- William White
- Appellation
- Napa Valley, California
- Fruit Variety
- 95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
- Cooperage
- 16 months in French oak, 33% new
- ABV
- 14.4%