2015 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 1.5L

Winemaking

Drawn from three top Napa vineyards: Oakville 88, Erba Loma and Stagecoach with each vineyard fermented separately in small tanks. Native fermentation started after a 5-day cold soak and reached a peak temperature of 90°F. The wines were pumped over a few times a day until dry and then pressed and drained to barrels where malolactic fermentation occurred. Aged in 50% new French oak barrels, the wine matures for 22 months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Tasting Notes

We sourced Cabernet Sauvignon for this bottling from two very interesting and complementary sites in Napa Valley. Oakville 88 is located in East Oakville and is a prime vineyard for Cabernet Sauvignon. This vineyard is planted with the See clone which has fragrances and personality that Winemaker Simon Faury loves. Oakville 88 brings sweet and soft tannins with a lot of fruit forward Cabernet notes. Erba Loma is a hillside vineyard in the foothills of Atlas Peak. It is very rocky, bringing structure and floral tones to our Cabernet. Simon loves how these two vineyards complement one another. He also blended in Malbec from Stagecoach which provides mountain character and rich tannins we expect from a higher elevation site. Look for cherry, blackberry, cedar and floral notes in this wine. The long mouthfeel and very well integrated tannins make this a powerful, yet easy to drink Cabernet reflecting a rich, beautiful vintage. This wine sets the standard for quality for Napa Cabernets and will age beautifully for the next 15 years.