Palate
Rich in boysenberry fruit and resplendent with briary tones
throughout, this vintage will please those looking for
something in which to sink their teeth. Ripe, boysenberry
flavors are lush and layered seamlessly with vanilla, cola and
cocoa powder. The juicy texture compliments the chewy tannin
finish in this young wine.
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 Oak Knoll 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
from Calistoga vineyards. Much care is taken to maximize the
filtered light and allow the Merlot to hang freely within the
canopy during harvest. This 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 of our viticultural and
fermentation practices each vintage.
Harvest
The 2013 growing season was perfect! Below average rainfall,
early spring bud break, even fruit set and a hot summer. All of
us in Napa Valley fast-tracked our summer bottlings to make
room for an early harvest. However the month of August
cooled enough to allow multiple vineyard visits confirming
that our white varietals had above average yields. This in turn
was slowing down their arrival to the winery, meanwhile the
small berry size on our red grapes had them rushing ahead of
schedule. We started crushing Merlot practically from day one.
Fast & furious was the ultimate pace of the vintage from
beginning to end!
Winemaking
11 Days Skin Contact
100% Stainless Steel Fermentation
Aging
12 Months Barrel Aged
27% New Oak
