Merlot

2014
Merlot

A stunning perfume of strawberry puree, singed vanilla bean, black currant and plum skin. Hints of baking spices add complexity to this dense and penetrating wine. Swirling brings up darker fruits, wood spice and iron. The palate is fresh with thick fruit and perfectly integrated tannins. Ripe but beautifully restrained with a long and generous finish. A thrilling wine to enjoy in its youth; this one is worth cellaring.

Vintages

Varietal(s)

83% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon

Vinification

Fermented in 100% concrete. Aged in 70% new and 30% used French oak for 21 months.

Alcohol

15.3%

Cases Produced

345

Vintage Notes

The grapes are carefully destemmed and sorted then fermented primarily in concrete (some stainless), as the cooler temps and longer extraction period lead to more of the complexity we like. The lots are barrel aged, then blended. The blending process is blind and barrel to barrel, and we emphasize the aromatics as much as the palate. The wine is then aged, as a blend, for roughly 10 more months. The result is a wine that invites you to think about it but doesn’t force the issue if you just want to drink and be happy.

Expert Reviews & Scores

Stephen Tanzer, Vinous

93 / 100

Good dark red. Plum and cherry aromas are lifted by a note of wild herbs. Compellingly plush and generous in the mouth, offering a distinctly layered texture to its flavors of black raspberry, cigar box, milk chocolate and herbs. Already extremely appealing but I wouldn't describe it as soft. The long, palate-staining finish builds inexorably. A knockout chocolatey Merlot with outstanding breadth and finesse.

Tim Fish, Wine Spectator

91 / 100

Combines a dense core of tannins with a rich, plush exterior, offering blackberry, bittersweet chocolate and spice accents that linger on the finish.

Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate

91 / 100

Ample blackcurrant, leafy herbs, earth and black plum notes emerge from the 2014 Merlot, and it's beautifully ripe and textured on the palate. It needs a touch more mid-palate depth, but is a pretty, beautifully balanced Merlot to drink over the coming 7-8 years.

Trade Materials