Arietta Merlot Hudson Vineyard 2002
The combination of a splendid vintage and slightly above average yields from the Hudson N Block allowed us to produce the first Arietta Merlot since 1999. This wine may turn out to be the biggest of the three Arietta 2002s. Unbelievably deep, creamy, and rich, with liqueur-like fruit and aromas of...
Atalon Merlot Napa Valley 2002
Atalon’s 2002 Napa Merlot is deep purple in color with intense aromas and flavors of cherry, pomegranate, ripe plums and blackberry. Herbal notes such as fresh basil, dried lavender, olives and white pepper sit in the background adding depth and complexity. The tannins are firm yet smooth adding to a pleasant,...
Barnett Vineyards Merlot Spring Mountain 2003
The Spring Mountain District Merlot is a blend of Merlots from their Estate and from neighboring York Creek and Spring Mountain Vineyards. A majority of grapes for this wine come from young vines that are planted meter by meter and are head trained. This decreases the yield per vine and increases...
Beringer Merlot Howell Mountain 2001
Harmonious and complex, with ripe plum, cherry and currant flavors accented by smoky, mocha-scented oak, striking a fine balance. Shows ripe, integrated, firm tannins on the finish, where the flavors fold together nicely. Drink now through 2009. 3,200 cases made. –JL -Rated 90, Wine Spectator The biggest, most backward effort among the Merlot-based cuvees is the impressively endowed 2001 Merlot Bancroft Ranch. It boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to a fragrant bouquet of earth, chocolate, black cherries, blackberries, and coffee. Give it another 1-3 years of bottle age and consume it over the following 10-15 years. - Rated 90, Robert Parker
The Blackstone Napa Valley Merlot is dark, rich red in color, with pleasing aromas of dark berries, cherries and chocolate. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has a chewy structure with bright flavors of cherries and berries. The finish is soft and lingering. Enjoy this Napa Valley Merlot with smoky barbecued...
Buena Vista Merlot Carneros 2004
Bud break came early in 2004, beginning the first week of March, and unusually warm spring weather led to a growing season unlike any in recent memory. Temperatures in the 80s in March and April kicked off the growing season three weeks earlier than normal. This dry, warm weather continued into...
Harvest season manifests itself clearly in this wine, revealing black cherry and the distinctive cocoa-mineral aromas typical of Merlot. Fruit from southern Napa and cool Carneros was judiciously blended with Merlot from Beaulieu's warmer Rutherford and St. Helena vineyards, giving strong dark berry flavor and soft tannins; a subtle truffle-mineral flavor...
If you like Merlot, you'll LOVE this one! As good as, if not better than Calistoga's past vintages. Blended with their Cabernet Sauvignon it has BIG, bold flavors of ripe currants, plum and black cherries coupled with hints of herbal and oak aromas. Shows complexity in it's deep, dark, ruby color....
The 2005 Merlot has a deep purple center that graduates to a garnet hue along the perimeter. Black fruit, black olives, dried herbs and cassis characterize the nose. In the mouth, the wine delivers bold flavors of spice, licorice, blackberry and dark plum, with soft tannins and a long, lingering finish....
Cuvaison’s Napa Valley Carneros Merlot comes from their own estate in the southern part of Napa Valley. This cool climate vineyard allows us nearly perfect conditions year after year to produce world class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. Controlling all farming aspects within their own vineyard gives Cuvaison...
Darioush Merlot Signature 2006
Rocky, well-drained volcanic soil, a marine influence and the due east sun exposure describes the terroir of Darioush's unique Mt. Veeder estate. Vineyards planted on the steep hillside balance the ripeness and yield of one of the most vigorous of the Bordeaux varietals—providing the fruit and resulting wine, with great depth,...
Duckhorn Merlot 3 Palms Vineyard
Three Palms Vineyard is legendary in the world of California Merlot—and for good reason. A hot site with free-draining soils, Three Palms consistently delivers focused red fruit flavors balanced by an austere minerality, which contributes to elegant aging potential.
Intense and concentrated, with rich berry, currant, leather, earth, mineral and floral scents, picking up a touch of mocha and currant. Finishes with chewy tannins. Drink now through 2009. 22,612 cases made. –JL - Rated 89, Wine Spectator
Duckhorn Merlot Estate Vineyard
Comments from the Winemaker Inviting aromas of roasted coffee beans, blackberries, plum sauce, toasted oak, vanilla and cherry are most apparent. Flavors of sweet chocolate, toffee, blackberry pie filling, and blueberry follow. Notes of cedar and tobacco add to the complexity of the wine. The tannins are generous, but nicely integrated,...
Duckhorn Merlot Howell Mountain
Comments from the Winemaker The aroma of this intense wine is dominated by wild blackberry, tobacco, soy sauce, green tea and an earthy component that brings to mind freshly cut herbs and damp green forests. The palate features a medley of dark fruits including blackberry, currant, and black cherry followed by...
Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley 2005
The 2002 Merlot (24,000 cases) possesses a beautiful dense plum/purple color as well as a sweet, rich nose of plums, black currants, and smoke. This sexy Merlot exhibits loads of concentrated, chewy fruit as well as abundant glycerin. Drink this gorgeous effort now and over the next 5-7 years. - Rated 90, Robert Parker Intense, with firm tannins and lively acidity, this concentrated young wine is packed with currant, black cherry and blackberry flavors and it also shows lots of cedary oak. Needs time to round out a few sharp edges, but most of the ingredients are in the right proportion. Best from 2006 through 2011. 24,000 cases made. –JL - Rated 89, Wine Spectator
Folie a Deux Merlot Napa Valley
The aromas of this deep ruby red, full bodied Merlot is redolent of cherry, spice and black cedar. The aromas follow through to the palate accompanied by medium plus acidity and nuances of mineral and earth.
Franciscan’s Merlot grows in the cooler half of Napa Valley, from the winery’s estate in the heart of the Oakville District on south to vineyards in Carneros. These cooler vineyards give more vibrant flavors and denser structure to the wine—two qualities that are critical to growing outstanding Merlot. In the winery,...
The color is a rich ruby in depth with reddish hues. The aroma is appealing with nuances of dried cranberry, red raspberry, cherry, chocolate espresso, not to miss the subtle hints of mint and arugula. The pleasant balance in the flavor, while finishing on the crisp side, is accented by flavors...
Dark ruby in color, Frog's Leap 2006 Merlot radiates bright aromatics of ripe plum underscored by notes of cocoa. Mouth-filling flavors of cherry and currants are laced with hints of cigar box and dried herbs. Medium bodied and smooth in texture, the succulent fruit core is balanced by delicate acidity and...
The wine's perfect marriage of ripe fruit and French oak barrels creates a bouquet of cherry and black berries with hints of cedar and spice. In the mouth this Merlot has a generous, soft, smooth texture that hugs your tongue and the flavors linger in your mouth for a long, long...
Dark plum and cherry aromas are edged with notes of licorice, and unfold gradually to subtle, smoky oak. Soft and luscious on entry, with bright, almost sweet flavors of ripe stone fruit. The medium weight and stylish finish are typical of Napa Valley’s finest Merlot.
This Napa Valley Merlot displays rich, ripe raspberries, black cherries and blueberries with notes of cedar and dark chocolate. A backbone of moderate tannins provides the structure for this full-bodied wine, which features a lush, lingering finish. Enjoy this wine with roast beef, grilled chicken, baked ham, a classic cheeseburger or...
This Napa Valley Merlot displays rich, ripe raspberries, black cherries and blueberries with notes of cedar and dark chocolate. A backbone of moderate tannins provides the structure for this full-bodied wine, which features a lush, lingering finish. Enjoy this wine with roast beef, grilled chicken, baked ham, a classic cheeseburger or...
Aromas of violets and blackberry briars remind one of Cabernet Sauvignon while the fleshy texture alludes to Merlot. The attractive sweet espresso and black raspberry flavors add to the mystery. A bit of bottle age should allow the spicy, cherry fruit and vanilla oak to shine.
Move south a little in the valley where the San Pablo Bay cools the vineyards in the afternoon and you have perfect Merlot weather. The majority of the Napa Cellars Merlot blend hails from these cooler regions in Napa Valley, such as Oak Knoll and Carneros. This wine is classic Napa...
Pine Ridge Merlot Crimson Creek 2005
With sweet scents of baked berries on the nose, the 2005 Crimson Creek Merlot exudes warm cherry and cranberry aromas, woven with vanilla, brown sugar, white pepper and a slight minty nuance. Sweet and full-bodied on the palate, the soft, fleshy fruit flavor comes to the forefront, delivering with it the...
Very ripe, blackberry and currant aromas with a trace of vanilla. Broad, expansive and even across the mid-palate, with a candy-like middle and chewy tannins. Soft edges and tremendous length. Merlot for Cab people! Rich and concentrated, with bold aromas of plum, currant and mocha leading to complex, layered blackberry, licorice and spice flavors that finish with a flourish of ripe, minerally tannins. Drink now through 2012. 4,913 cases made. –JL - Rated 93, Wine Spectator The superb 2005 Merlot, a blend of fruit from Napa (70%) and Sonoma (30%), exhibits sweet plum and black currant fruit intermixed with mocha, coffee, and earth notes. This medium to full-bodied, elegant, lush, heady wine begs for consumption over the next 7-8 years. - Rated 91, Robert Parker
Provenance Merlot Napa Valley 2005
Provenance's 2005 Napa Valley Merlot opens with aromas of dark cherry, pomegranate and blackberry intertwined with hints of chocolate cherry liqueur, mineral and cinnamon. The velvety flavors fan out across the palate with more red berry fruit, and then pick up nutmeg and malted chocolate notes on the lingering finish. Selecting...
Rombauer Vineyards' Napa Valley Merlot is deliciously rich and concentrated. It has layers of black cherry, plum, clove, and cinnamon in both the aroma and flavor. The wine has a long finish of cherry and plum with a light vanilla note from oak aging. Supple tannins add to the wine's character....
Rutherford Hill’s Merlot is an elegant, refined blend of classic Bordeaux varietals that create its rich aroma and flavor. The winery is perched high atop a hill overlooking Napa Valley, where the grapes are nurtured by deep volcanic soil and longer afternoon sun. An abundance of cherry and plum fruit flavors...
Rutherford Hill Merlot 375ml 2005
Rutherford Hill’s Merlot is an elegant, refined blend of classic Bordeaux varietals that create its rich aroma and flavor. The winery is perched high atop a hill overlooking Napa Valley, where the grapes are nurtured by deep volcanic soil and longer afternoon sun. An abundance of cherry and plum fruit flavors...
Rutherford Ranch's Napa Valley Merlot has bright, inviting aromas of cranberry, black currant and succulent blueberry wrapped around rich, dark chocolate and vanilla. This medium-body wine opens with fresh blackberry and cranberry laced with flavors of creamy mocha and dried cherry. Abundant, mouthwatering flavors combined with soft, supple tannins lead to...
Dark ruby in color, with a nose of blackberries and plum preserves with hints of oak, cinnamon, and toasted walnuts. Screw Kappa Napa Merlot has flavors of bittersweet chocolate, cloves, and mocha coffee, with hints of licorice and raspberry, and finishes with toasty French oak notes. Serve this Merlot alongside a...
True to the Shafer style of Merlot, this is an accessible, immediately drinkable wine that emphasizes the aromatic, ripe fruit character of Merlot. Blended with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this wine gains additional complexity from its diverse vineyard sources. The 2005 Merlot, which has 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc in the blend, is a sensual, elegant style of wine. Soft, richly fruity, with notes of herb, mocha, coffee bean, and plenty of berry fruit, the wine has crisp acidity and a good finish. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. One of Napa’s most prominent and respected wineries, Shafer is a poster boy for remarkable and consistent quality across the board. All of this is the work of the brilliant father and son team of John and Doug Shafer as well as their long-term winemaker and vineyard manager, Elias Fernandez. With over 200-plus acres of estate holdings, and 55 surrounding their winery in Stags Leap, this is a winery that never seems to disappoint. - Rated 88, Robert Parker Good ruby-red. Spicy red fruits and cocoa powder on the nose. Supple and silky on the palate, with fresh, nicely delineated flavors of redcurrant, flowers, spices and tobacco. Very nicely balanced wine, finishing with rather suave tannins and some lingering oakiness. -...
The 2005 growing season was an incredibly long one in the Napa Valley, with harvest being nearly four weeks later than last year for some vineyards. The season started with a late bud break, and cool temperatures prevailed throughout the year and into the beginning of September. Thankfully, fall brought perfect...
Stags Leap Winery Merlot Stags Leap District 2006
Merlot vines grow exceptionally in the Bale Loams of Stags’ Leap: alluvial soils with volcanic ash minerality. Underneath the top layer exists a deeper layer of sandy loam laced with gravel and cobbles, allowing the kind of quick and thorough drainage that leaves the vines a little thirsty, concentrating their flavors....
Color: Rich, deep red and garnet.
Nose: Hints of violets compliment the deep fruit aromas of blueberries and blackberries. There is a nice smoky barrel character with notes of cream and baking spice.
Mouth: Smooth, rich, mouth filling Merlot that is well balanced across the whole palate. There are soft well...
Firm in structure, with tight, cedary currant, earth and cherry notes, turning dry. A style that will appeal to left-bank Bordeaux lovers. -Rated 87, Wine Spectator
Sterling Vineyards Merlot 1992 3L 3 Palms Vineyard
Three Palms Vineyard lies one-half mile southeast of the winery, on the outwash of Selby Creek where it spills out of Dutch Henry Canyon and across the Silverado Trail. For millennia, when Selby Creek flooded, rocks and small boulders were carried on to the vineyard, creating an alluvial fan soil type....
Sterling Vineyards Merlot 2000 3L Etched Bottle
The vintage season of 2000 started out on a very good note. Adequate rainfall followed by warm spring weather had the vines off to a good healthy start. Budbreak and bloom occurred at a more usual time than the two previous late years. Full bloom was from the third week of...
Sterling Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard 2004
Three Palms Vineyard lies one-half mile southeast of the winery, on the outwash of Selby Creek where it spills out of Dutch Henry Canyon and across the Silverado Trail. For millennia, when Selby Creek flooded, rocks and small boulders were carried on to the vineyard, creating an alluvial fan soil type....
Swanson Merlot Napa Valley 2005
Intense and concentrated with firm, vivid band of spice, currant, black cherry and wild berry, it holds a tight focus on the fruit and finishes with a crisp finish of acidity and tannins. Drink now through 2010. - Rated 90 Wine Spectator
Every year the Tangley Oaks winemaker selects the single lot that has developed into the truest example of the esteemed Napa Valley and typicity of the Merlot grape. This Napa Valley Merlot is well balanced, showing its terroir as the aromas and flavor profile unfold. Red berries and plum show through,...
Because Merlot flourishes in relatively cool growing regions with moist soils, it’s extremely well-suited to the ancient alluvial loams, temperate climate, and long growing season of our estate vineyard in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, a sweet spot between Napa’s warmer up-valley regions and its cool southern tip. Often...
The 2002 Twomey Merlot is an intense, concentrated wine that combines power and finesse in beautiful balance. It displays a very dark, ruby color and a complex nose of black cherry jam, roasting coffee, dark chocolate and cloves. It has a velvety, voluptuous mouth-feel with flavors of cherries covered in dark...
Rich, bright red fruit aromas. Cedary and spicy notes with a rich mouth feel.
