Nose
A nice swirl of the glass reveals aromas of sandalwood, currant
and plum.
Palate
Enticing flavors of blueberry,
blackberry and violet. Juicy and robust, our 2012 Reserve
Selection Merlot displays nice structure, firm tannins and a
lengthy finish worthy of the designation of Reserve Selection.
Growing Conditions
The grapes for the Napa Valley Merlot were sourced from our
vineyards in Rutherford as well as select growers in St. Helena
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.
"Classic" and "perfect" are just two accolades being bestowed
upon the 2012 Napa Valley growing season and harvest.
Textbook conditions saw near-ideal spring bud break, steady
flowering, even fruit set, and a lengthy stretch of warm days
and cool nights during the long summer months. Late and light
rains held off until Napa Valley's treasured wine grapes found
optimal ripeness, bringing exceptional quality to the crush pad
and into the cellar.
Winemaking
Our Reserve Selection Napa Valley Merlot was hand sorted
and spent an average of 15 days on the skins. A small amount of
Cabernet Sauvignon was blended to provide structure and
complexity.
Aging
Aged
for 18 months in 20% new French oak, 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.
