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Years ago, legendary Napa Valley winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff tasted wines from Franciscan’s Oakville estate and suggested that this vineyard would reach its finest expression as a blend in the style of the eminent wines of Bordeaux. Many of the great wines of the world are blends, but when Franciscan started making Magnificat, there was no name for such a wine produced in America. The laws did not allow it to be labeled as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, but it was clearly more than a mere table wine. So in 1985, Franciscan joined with a few other Napa Valley vintners, offering bottles of their proprietary blends with labels that read “Wine Waiting for a Name.” This was the beginning of a successful campaign to give winemakers the freedom to make the best wine possible, under the name Meritage. Deep red with good depth color with enticing aromas of rich and complex layers of mixed dark cherry, cassis and plum with hints of chocolate, toast and tobacco. Full, round, richly flavored and balanced. Deep, ripe fruit characters with hints of vanilla and spice. Structured and harmonious for long aging. Finishes with rich but soft tannins and sweet mouth feel from the oak.
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