We’re so happy to have found some new friends in the folks at the Conduit Wine Co.. Their wines really deliver a great drinking experience - without straining the wallet. Merlot has been scant around here, but today’s redeems us. This juicy wine is rich, food-fabulous, and delicious. With a mile long finish!

This Merlot is a surprisingly bright crimson, with excellent color consistency and lower density. Merlot is making a comeback and this is why! The nose is quintessential Merlot. Big cherry, some blueberry, pipe tobacco, cedar, and some rich earth. Very impressive on the palate with delicious dragonfruit flavor up front, followed by blueberry, plum, cacao, and nice minerality. Most Merlots are known for the short finish - not this one: It’s explosive up front, then tapers gradually to a long finish. This classic wine would be perfect for a traditional meal such as rotisserie chicken with all the fixings.

To true wine lovers, Merlot is one of the finest wine varietals in the world. Today, Merlot continues to sell in record numbers across the US, outpacing all other varietals. Merlot is sincere wine for serious wine drinkers. If you think that Merlot is not for you, forget everything that you think you know about Merlot and embrace this delectably shining example.

Merlot from Napa Carneros is a unique beast, often drawing comparisons with those from the Right Bank of Bordeaux. Today’s delicious, flavor-packed wine exhibits plenty of character without sacrificing any of its charm and friendliness.

If you’d like to learn all about the vineyard where today’s wine was born, read these paragraphs from the good folks at Coplan Vineyards:

“Located on the East side of the town of Sonoma, on the valley floor below the Mayacamas Mountains, less than 3 miles from the edge of San Pablo Bay and close to the Napa border, we are in the Carneros AVA, and at the crossroads of two others - Sonoma Coast and Sonoma Valley. Cool nights, warm days and loamy clay soils are hallmarks of our viticulture area. With the stewardship of our organic-focused vineyard management practices and the grace of Mother Nature, the conditions of our vineyard’s terroir enable us to grow superlative cool-climate grapes. Carneros’ temperatures are typically slightly cooler than areas deeper in the valley during the growing season, which enables our grapes to ripen more slowly, producing a rich balance of restrained ripeness, complexity, and acidity. The land is also a magical location for growing vegetables and olive orchard is growing explosively. We also source fruit from other similarly eco-focussed cool-climate vineyards to make the Coplan Vineyards family of wines. We partner with a dynamic group of winemakers and consultants to grow terrific grapes and make magnificent wines.”

“​Our vineyard management practices are thoughtful, simple and natural. We let the land – the “terroir” drive the grapes. We eschew herbicides and other chemicals that are too widely used by conventional vineyards. Though it may be inconvenient and requires more work, we use mechanical means to remove weeds. We also allow some foliage to grow beneath the vines instead of the barren state that conventionally farmed vineyards enforce. We release ladybugs in the spring to keep vineyard pests in check. After harvest, we reward the vines’ hard work by spreading organic compost and planting a cover crop of mustard, beans and other nitrogen-producing crops that develop into a beautiful winter foliage as the vines are resting during their dormant stage. Pruning, suckering, leaf thinning and harvesting are all done by hand, not a machine. All of this is for the resulting wine that is made from our grapes.”

“We provide grapes to other small, independent wine producers who seek “single vineyard” sources of cool-climate organically grown grapes.”