2006 Merlot, Napa Valley

Price: $28.00
Qty.  

ORIGIN:  The grapes for this Merlot came entirely from select vineyards situated in the cool southern end of the Napa Valley.  The wine is a traditional Merlot blend, made up of 94% Merlot from Beckstoffer’s Las Amigas Ranch, which is on the Napa County side of Los Carneros, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Bennett Vineyard, which is in the Coombsville area, nestled in the green rolling hills east of the town of Napa.

VINEYARD NOTES:  The 2006 growing season was quite protracted, long and cool, which is exactly the way we like it.  Longer hang time in the vineyard leads to richer, more fully developed flavors in both the grapes and the resulting wine. Yields were low and both varieties matured beautifully, although at very different rates.  The Merlot was harvested by hand on September 25 and 26, but the Cabernet hung out almost a full month longer, finally arriving in perfect condition at the winery door on October 24.

WINEMAKING NOTES:  The fruit was gently destemmed, leaving many uncrushed berries, and fermented in closed-top fermenters.  These were pumped over twice daily during fermentation, and the must was pressed at dryness.  The blend was assembled in March of 2007 and returned to French and American oak barrels, 40% of which were new, for a total of sixteen months of ageing.  The wine was bottled on March 10, 2008.

TASTING NOTES:  Deep garnet color, with dusty red currant and spicy ripe cranberry aromas, and a hint of wood smoke.  Very full bodied and velvety in the mouth, with lots more ripe fruit in evidence.  Serious structure, but still finishes whisper-soft.  A keeper.

This vintage produced 2,478 (750 ml) cases.

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