90 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Vintage: We enjoyed a wonderful growing season from start to finish in 2012. A gentle spring allowed for textbook flowering and fruit set, followed by a long procession of warm, sunny days with no nasty heat spikes. Thanks to the excellent weather, the longer-thanaverage growing season produced perfectly balanced and ripe grapes.
Vineyard: This cool climate Merlot is grown in our vineyards in southern Napa Valley, within sight of the San Francisco Bay. We blended in a small amount of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from our warmer upper Napa Valley vineyards to craft a complex, balanced wine. Committed to natural winegrowing and sustainability, we farm our five estate vineyards without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides and they are certified organic.
The Wine: This is a Cabernet lover’s Merlot! Its bright flavors of strawberries, cherries, licorice and a hint of coffee are wrapped in a velvety texture that make your taste buds ask for more! The wine’s firm tannins and vibrant acidity create the perfect partner with beef tenderloin, rack of lamb, duck and barbecued pork.
Varietal: 95% Merlot, 5% Cab. Sauvignon
Appellation: Napa Valley Estate
Harvest date: Sept. 26 - Oct. 21, 2012
Sugar: 25.6 Brix (average)
Fermentation: indigenous yeast
Total acid: 5.7 g/L
pH: 3.68
Aging: 18 months
Type of oak: French oak barrels; 30% new; 70% neutral
Bottling date: March 27, 2014
Release date: December 2015
Gold Medal
Generously packed with black cherry, cola, cassis, and plum that all intermingle together in a creamy, velvety texture with great layering, finishing with delightful notes of oak and spice. Persistent, well-defined structure, wonderfully balanced.
95 Points
Lofty aromas of dark cherries, blackberries, and plum mingle with hints of baking spices and a touch of violet. The palate reveals luscious flavors of ripe berries, complemented by notes of black pepper and a subtle earthiness. With well-integrated tannins and a long lingering finish.
Exceptional!
Reddish-purple in color with aromas of blackberry, plum, pomegranate, herbs de Provence, and licorice. The palate is full, structured and balanced with blackberry, currant, black cherry, cassis, and licorice that carries through, with notes of black pepper, mocha and chocolate. Very long, spicy, with a fruit-driven finish. Great aging potential.
92 Points
Inviting aromas of ripe cherry, strawberry, and pomegranate. The palate unfolds with layered flavors of black cherry, raspberry cordial, vanilla bean and spice, where focused tannins envelop, leading to a rich red fruit finish with blue fruit undertones.
90 Points
Rich and voluptuous with ripe raspberry, cherry, and plum, layered with hints of lavender, fig compote, and exotic spice. Concentrated and complex, the palate is a balanced interplay cocoa, and a hint of espresso, creating both richness and intrigue. Vibrant acidity and silky tannins that contribute heft and length that coat the palate with luscious ripeness that keeps on giving.
Gold Medal
Light pink in color with aromas of watermelon, cranberry, orange rind, and fresh spring flowers that leap from the glass. The palate offers more peach, strawberry, and melon, with an intriguing note of rose and hibiscus. It's crisp with just the perfect hint of red fruit, and delicate whisper of strawberry that gives goosebumps.
94 Points
Deep garnet in color from the ripe 2018 vintage, with open aromas of lush fruit – plum, blackberry, and cherry, and notes of cedar, vanilla, and white pepper. Across the palate it's quite seamless and silky, rich and concentrated. The fruit flavors are bold and vibrant. Mouth-filling with smooth tannins, great texture and a long delicious finish.
96 Points
Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, huckleberry, floral violet and savory spice. The palate is full and layered, with robust, age-worthy tannins and gorgeous flavors of dark berries, mocha and chocolate-covered cherries mingling with hints of graphite, fig and fine leather. Smooth tannins, firm structure and silky texture coat the palate on route to a long, generous finish.
94 Points
A classic expression of coastal influenced Chardonnay with aromas of honey, apple chutney, lime blossom, and gentle Indian spice box undertones. A big juicy entry on the palate, showing a silky texture with excellent tension and structure, ending with a complex, layered finish.
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