Nose
Our 2014 Reserve Selection Merlot
offers aromas of dark plum, cocoa nib and roast coffee.
Palate
This is
a big wine with a nice barrel influence and well-integrated oak.
The chewy texture with good density has notes of savory and
dark chocolate flavors.
Growing Conditions
The grapes for the Napa Valley Merlot were sourced from our
vineyards in Rutherford as well as select growers in Oak Knoll
and across Napa. Our estate vineyards are located on gravelly
alluvial fan soils with good drainage, necessary for growing
excellent quality Merlot. The vineyards are diligently
monitored throughout the growing season to balance the crop
size and quality. Shoot thinning and leaf removal early in the
growing season followed by cluster thinning at veraison, helps
to achieve evenly ripened grapes with concentrated flavors.
The 2014 vintage in Napa Valley was one of the earliest
harvested vintages in years. A warm spring led to early bud
break and created the perfect environment for flowering and
fruit set. With warm days and cool nights, our team was able to
maintain ideal acid levels with optimum, bright fruit flavors.
Winemaking
Our Reserve Selection Napa Valley Merlot was hand sorted
and spent an average of 39 days on the skins.
Aging
aged
for 18 months in 20% new French oak (Demptos, Seguin,
Moreau, Radoux), with the remainder in once and twice-used
French oak. Tightly grained barrels yield their oak
characteristics in a more deliberate fashion for a consistent,
well-rounded aging process.
Appearance
Deep ruby in the glass.
Food Pairing
This wine is immediately enjoyable and
pairs well with slow roasted pork chops or a rich cheese plate.
