Tasting Notes

This is a Cabernet lover’s Merlot! Its bright flavors of strawberries, cherries, licorice and a hint of coffee are wrapped in a velvety texture that make your taste buds ask for more! The wine’s firm tannins and vibrant acidity create the perfect partner with beef tenderloin, rack of lamb, duck and barbecued pork.

Vintage

For the third year in a row, Napa Valley experienced an exceptional vintage, aided by near drought conditions. Budbreak came slightly early, and the modest temperatures through the growing season helped preserve moisture. Julys relatively low temperatures, coupled with high relative humidity, slowed down sugar accumulation to achieve perfect ripeness with lower alcohol. Harvest started and ended about two weeks earlier than normal, producing superb quality.

Vineyard

This cool climate Merlot is grown in our vineyards in southern Napa Valley, within sight of the San Francisco Bay. We blended in a small amount of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from our warmer upper Napa Valley vineyards to craft a complex, balanced wine. Committed to natural winegrowing and sustainability, we farm our estate vineyards without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides and they are certified organic.