Nose
Intense aromas of blackberry, wild plum and black tea.
Palate
On the palate, the wine is full bodied with balanced acidity and integrated tannins. This Merlot is approachable now, but has the characteristics to develop and improve for decades.
Growing Conditions
O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery sits at 1,800 feet on the heralded Howell Mountain appellation in the beautiful Napa Valley. Founded in 1996, the estate encompasses one hundred and twenty acres. O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery uses modern equipment to produce non-interventionist wines that are naturally fermented and bottled unfined and unfiltered. These techniques allow the varietal character and terroir of O’Shaughnessy Estate vineyards to be the stars of the show.
Our estate vineyards now reaching full maturity at 20 years, reside on a 120-acre hillside property. Between 1997 and 2002, we planted 29 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 6 acres of Bordeaux blending varietals, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Malbec, Carmenere, St. Macaire, and Gros Verdot. In pursuit of maximizing our options for flavor, we utilized several different root stocks and clones for our Cabernet Sauvignon plantings. The vines span two distinct vineyards, the Amphitheater vineyard derives its name from its shape across the hillside and the Rancho del Oso vineyard, boasts a resident black bear who visits from time to time. In 2012, we were fortunate to purchase an adjacent 15 acres and have planted Cabernet Sauvignon here. These three vineyards are farmed exclusively to produce our Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and Howell Mountain Merlot.
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Appearance
Dark ruby in color with an almost opaque core.
