Nose
Aromas of black plums, black
currants, sweet aromatic herbs, talcum powder, and tar combine to produce a bouquet that is so evocative of the
Coombsville area in late fall.
Palate
It enters the palate with a thick and sweet sensation, flows evenly to all corners of the
mouth, and then tapers to a clean and polished finish.
Growing Conditions
Merus is handmade in every sense of the word. It is composed primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon from the
Coombsville Viticultural Appellation in the Southeastern corner of the Napa Valley. e individual vineyards
selected for Merus are owned by a handful of serious growers who possess extraordinary terroirs and a willingness
to implement our strict farming and harvesting protocols. Severe pruning, cluster sorting, small-lot
fermentations and careful lot selection combine to create a wine that is dense, concentrated and nuanced.
Vintage 2011 presented numerous challenges because of the cool and damp late-season weather. The bulk of
Merus comes from a single well-chosen Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard site in the Coombsville A.V.A of the Napa
Valley. This is one of the coolest sites in the Napa Valley which allows the vines to remain viable and active into
November. What it also has going for it under challenging conditions is very well-draining soil (volcanic strewn
with river cobble), early morning sunshine due to the gentle eastern aspect, and daily afternoon breezes.
Bottling
Prior to its bottling
in February of 2014, it was given a modest egg-white fining to round out the finish, and it was bottled unfiltered.
Winemaking
Pre-blends for the 2011 Merus were assembled in September of 2012. In spring of 2013, another rigorous barrel
selection was performed which winnowed the total down to 25 barrels. At this stage, the wine was very backward
in its development and needed the inclusion of some of the other varieties and an aerated racking to wake it up.
While the racking brought the wine closer to its final desired balance, we decided to hold the wine over the next
harvest to give it a bit more time in barrel. (This is often required of very cool vintage wines).
The resulting wine is loaded with true varietal flavors and extract and shows of the vintage in the best possible
way. Because of careful selection in the vineyard and cellar over several years, the 2011 Merus has a fruit purity
uncommon for the vintage.
Aging
100% new French oak from selected coopers; 26 months in barrel.
Appearance
The deep red-purple color gives the hint of what follows in the nose and mouth.
