Palate
We were able to bring incredible fruit into the cellar with beautiful acidity that will maintain the freshness of this wine for many more years. The tannins are very soft and fine grained, demonstrating the texture and complexity of this wine and showcasing the delicate nature of Merlot. Enjoy this wine at release and for the next 5 to 10 years.
Growing Conditions
Sourced mostly from the cooler, southern part of the Napa Valley. Vineyards: Truchard.
Harvest
With the South Napa earthquake and ongoing drought making it a unique agricultural landscape, vintners are using words like “quality”, “depth of flavor” and “excellent” to describe expectations for the 2014 vintage in Napa Valley. Despite the curveballs from Mother Nature, the weather was generally perfect at the right times, leading to an abundant and strong crop.
Bottling
Bottled without fining.
Winemaking
The fruit was hand-picked and hand-sorted before undergoing an extended cold soak, with two weeks on the skins. Primary fermentation and native malolactic fermentation. 2014 offered excellent ripening conditions—perfect temperatures and just the right amount of light to allow the Merlot to ripen slowly.
Aging
Aged for 18 months in French oak (50% new).