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2022 Napa Valley Merlot
$40.00
Bottle
Price
$40.00
$480.00
Case
(12)
Price
$480.00
Member Pricing
Tasting Notes
This Merlot opens with an alluring bouquet of dark plum, violet, tea leaf and a delicate touch of dried rosemary. The palate is round and inviting, with glossy tannins and a harmonious blend of mocha and dark fruit flavors that flow seamlessly alongside the layers of boysenberries, blackberries, and mocha. The luscious core of dark berry fruits are complemented by a polished texture that leads to savory notes of sage, Bay Laurel, and black olives, adding depth and complexity to this mouth pleasing and juicy wine. The wine finishes rich and flavorful with notes of espresso, dark chocolate, and crushed stone, providing a depth and refinement, showcasing the intriguing nature of Napa Valley's 2022 vintage.Technical Information
| Varietal | Merlot |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Volume | 750mL |
| Appellation | Napa Valley |
| Blend | 91% Merlot, 5% Petite Sirah and 4% Malbec |
| Alcohol % | 14.4% |
| Enclosure Type | Cork |
Winemaking
The grapes for this Napa Valley Merlot underwent a 2-3 week maceration period designed to extract ideal flavor, color and tannin from the skins. Using traditional winemaking techniques, our winemakers aged this Merlot in high quality French oak barrels (25% new) for 19 months. The new oak imparts structure, ageability, and a slight spice complexity that still allows the fresh fruit flavors to take center stage.Vintage
The first half of the 2022 harvest started calm and early, with healthy vineyards offering fruit with bright acidity, fruit-forward flavors, and strong yields for white varietals and thin-skinned reds, like Pinot Noir. Then, California experienced a historic heat wave in early September that ramped up the pace of ripening, compelling a fast and furious harvest as winemakers worked to pick fruit at its best quality. Fortunately, strong vines and proactive irrigation helped many vineyards survive the heat. The second half was much more predictable with cooler temperatures through October, so that later-ripening red varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, could develop their full flavor and tannin profile.Vineyard
Our Napa Valley Merlot is crafted with grapes from vineyards in the southern part of Napa Valley. Fruit from Oak Knoll makes up most of the blend, with the remainder sourced from the Oakville appellation and our very own Stags Leap District. Merlot can lose its varietal identity when exposed to too much heat, but the grapes from these vineyards exhibit varietal expressions of fresh fruit character, structure, and bright acidity.