Nose
The drought brought cherry liquor-like concentration to our 2015 vintage of Merlot. Black
cherry and cassis aromas are layered with hints of vanilla, mint and toasted nuts.
Palate
Elegant and supple on the palate, the juicy plum and cherry fruit flavors are punctuated with cola and black pepper spice. The tannins remain chewy through to the finish.
Growing Conditions
A true Napa Valley blend of vineyards! Our Estate vineyards provide the backbone for the
blend, totaling 50% of this bottling. Merlot from the Oak Knoll District gives sour cherry
character, while the Yountville components provide the classic Bing cherry aromas and flavors
for which our Merlot is known. The jammy notes come from blending in warmer up-valley
fruit. Much care is taken to maximize the ltered light and allow the Merlot to hang freely
within the canopy during harvest. is allows the fruit to mature and color evenly, leaving any
vegetal hints behind.The wines are sent to barrels as individual lots to mature, allowing for
greater understanding of the direct impact our viticultural and fermentation practices have
each vintage. It also allows us to invite our growers to come and taste the fruits of their labor
when they come to visit.
Harvest
With heavy December rainfall, we had hoped for a normal wet month of February. Instead we
saw the earliest bud break on record and an equally long spring of frost protection worries.
However the warm, dry winter brought us our 4th year of drought, freak hail storms and a long, extended bloom in our red varieties. We called the vinte the “hot tub time machine” which behaved much like our 2007 vintage.
Bottling
Bottled: April 2017
Winemaking
100% Stainless Steel Fermented; 10 Days Skin Contact.
Aging
15½ Months Aged in French & American Oak; 32% New Oak Barrels.
