98 Points,
Double Gold Best of Class - 2021 Sunset International Wine Competition
Long and elegant with exceptional mouthfeel.
Will easily cellar for another 5-7 years.
WINEMAKER NOTES
Frank Family grows several acres of Merlot on their Rutherford properties, which they often blend with their Cabernet Sauvignons to add softness and a more rounded mouthfeel. But this Merlot is worthy to stand on its own. With so much elegant and structured potential that it can stand toe-to-toe with many Napa Valley Cabernets.
VINEYARDS
Sourced from their family-owned Benjamin Vineyard in Rutherford as well as several of their closest neighbors and long-term grape growers, Delouise, Round Pond Estate, and Sunseri Vineyards located in Oak Knoll, Rutherford, and Chiles Valley respectively.
Winemaker: Todd Graff
Vintage: 2018
Appellation: 100% Napa Valley
Varietal Composition: 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc
Harvest Date: September 21 - October 19, 2018
Aging: 18 months in 33% new and 67% once and twice-filled French oak barrels
Bottled: May 2020
pH: 3.55
TA: 0.60 g/100ml
Alcohol: 14.5%
93 Points
Dark fruit with blueberry fruit aromas and notes of mocha and cassis. The texture is silky, rich and mouth-filling with berry pie, black tea, exotic spice and notes of chocolate fudge on the palate. Fine grain tannins lengthen the finish with dark fruit flavors mingling with just a hint of mint.
95 Points
Golden lemon core with a silvery rim, it's full-bodied, plush on the tongue, and delivers phenomenal purity of fruit on the front and mid-palate. Notes of baked lemon pie, Bartlett pear, lemony herbs, and crushed wet rock are everpresent, with balanced acidity and a dried thyme aspect hitting the lengthy finish.
93 Points
Lovely aromas of crushed blueberry, red and blue plum, dried violet flower. It's juicy and engaging, with smoked red raspberry, wild blackberry, hoisin, sweet backing spices coursing through, and offers balance and depth with perfect levels of acidity with silky tannins leading to a long engaging finish.
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