Meadowcroft Wines
2011 Napa Valley Reserve Merlot
Merlot
California: Napa Valley: Carneros
Mission Briefing
Merry Merlot
This wine is loaded with dark fruit that is exuded on the nose and on the palate. The fine structure and integrated tannins give the wine a very elegant feel. Even the heavy bottle belies our low price for this wine. Once they’ve tasted it, your friends will assume that you paid $50 or more for this truly delectable wine. The fruit for the Meadowcroft Napa Merlot is grown in the Carneros section in the lower part of Napa County. The cool Carneros mornings and windy afternoons allow the grapes to ripen slowly, retaining their acidity. The wine was aged in 15% new oak for 14 to 16 months.
Tasting Profile
Look: | Inky and opaque. Dark magenta with fine sanguine edges. |
---|---|
Smell: | Lush and full, with blackberry, bramble, cedar and mixed spice aplenty. |
Taste: | Flavors closely mirror the nose. Add to these some dusty baker’s chocolate, cassis, plum and toasty oak. |
Finish: | Exceptionally long. Fruit and spice tail off very slowly. Eventually the mouth is left with a plush dryness. |
Pairing: | We’ll be enjoying this plush wine with a chopped salad with grilled flank steak and a citrus and fennel dressing. |
What the Winery Says
- Appellation
- Los Carneros, Napa
- Harvest date
- November 6, 2011
- Bottle date
- February 11, 2014
- Release date
- July 18, 2014
- Production
- 800 cases
- Alcohol
- 13.9%
- pH
- 3.63
- Winemaker
- Tom Meadowcroft