Nose
Blackberry, cassis, vanilla, and toffee on the nose.
Palate
Boysenberry, plum, black cherry, cedar, and cocoa powder on the palate.
Growing Conditions
The 2014 Merlot Reserve is our first release of a single varietal Napa
Valley Merlot for our Black Label Collection. This wine is a blend of
grapes from Carneros, Calistoga, and Pope Valley. All three regions
are incredibly unique growing areas and impart unique qualities to
this blend. The northern regions are much warmer and have rockier
soils that produce dense, bold fruit flavors while the southern
Carneros region is cooler and lends more elegant and savory notes.
Overall the 2014 vintage was a refined, elegant vintage making
classic wines that can be nicely consumed in the next three years,
but are strong enough to age for 15 years
Aging
22 months in French oak barrels.
Food Pairing
Bordelaise steak and frites, gourmet burger and aioli.
