Nose
Our 2013 Napa Valley Merlot has dense and luxurious red fruit aromas
with spicy notes.
Palate
The raspberry flavor on the nose continues through the palate with notes of light chocolate and black tea. The bright acidity of pomegranate combined with a hint of dark cocoa are balanced with the fine grained tannins and Madagascar vanilla. Structure and elegance lead to a long finish that reflects the succulence of the Merlot varietal
Growing Conditions
Luna Merlot is sourced from two separate vineyards in the Rutherford
and Oakville appellations, where Merlot grapes thrive in the clay and
rocky soils of the Napa Valley. The 2013 season experienced warm days
and cool nights throughout the valley, producing perfectly balanced
grapes, picked at the peak of ripeness. This vintage will be remembered
in Napa for years to come for producing great Merlot.
Harvest
The Merlot grapes were harvested in late October and fermented for
three weeks to extract maximum fruit flavors and color.
Bottling
This wine bottled in June, 2015.
Aging
The wine was barrel aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak and 50% neutral oak
to create optimal tannin structure. Malbec and Petite Sirah were blended in to uplift the Merlot’s natural tannin structure as well as add complexity.
