2021

Napa Valley

Merlot North Coast
$60
Not a historical or directOnly product
BROWSING ONLY

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Description
Dark ruby color, the Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Merlot wine expresses rich dark fruit of blackberry, dark cherry, with a spice complexity of black pepper, sage and earth. The integrated oak component expresses cinnamon, clove and aromatic cedar. The entry and finish on the palate are very smooth, with integrated fruit resembling black cherry. This wine has a good overall balance of fruit, body, resolved tannin and balanced acidity. The depth of fruit coupled with the richness of flavor provides a profile that delivers from the initial sip, and continues on the palate for a very long finish.

VINEYARD
Bosché Vineyard, Calistoga Vineyard, Keyes Vineyard, Oakville Vineyard, Red Barn Vineyard, Stagecoach Vineyard
COMPOSITION
80% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot
AGING
19 months in French Oak, 32% new
PH
3.66
ALCOHOL
14.5%
HARVEST DATE
2021-09-20 - 2021-10-06

Historic Vineyards for Historic Wines


Keyes–Howell Mountain

Located near the town of Angwin, at roughly 1,850 ft. elevation, this Howell Mountain vineyard sits adjacent to the Las Posadas State Forest, well above the marine layer, and with warm afternoon sun exposure. The summer days range from 55 to 90 degrees, with cool nights preserving the acidity. The mountainous soil is predominantly volcanic, shallow with low fertility, and producing merlot that expresses dark fruits like blackberry and dark currant, with a distinct minerality.

Stagecoach Vineyard–Atlas Peak

These grapes were sorted from the Atlas Peak area of the Stagecoach Vineyard, located north east of Napa at approximately 1,500 ft. elevation. Composed of ancient volcanic soils, the vineyard is carved out of rocky terrain, sage brush and chaparral. The grape vines struggle in this environment, creating grapes that are small and very concentrated. The Merlot grapes ripen very evenly, yielding great dark cherry depth with an incredible distinctiveness that can only be derived from the terroir of Stagecoach.

Oakville Vineyard–Oakville

Predominantly a rich clay loam that supports healthy vineyards. The wines express flavors of dark cherry and rhubarb pie.

Calistoga Vineyard–

The soil is a gravelly clay-silt loam, in a fairly warm region of northern Napa Valley. The wines are typically red fruit driven, like dark cherry.

Red Barn–Rutherford

Located in the heart of the Rutherford Appellation, this vineyard is a mosaic of creek beds. The Napa River and Conn Creek have traversed through this vineyard in history past, leaving gravely loams and ancient creek beds. The fruit is soft, with cherry, plum, rhubarb and arugula.

Bosché Vineyard–Rutherford

Located west of Hwy. 29, on the famed Rutherford Bench, the Bosché vineyard has very deep gravelly soils. A seasonal creek crosses the vineyard which causes the water table to be high in the spring, providing water and nutrients for new shoot growth. As veraison approaches the water table drops, stressing the wines and intensifying the dark velvety fruit flavors. This is a natural area to grow Bordeaux varietals with dry farming or minimal drip irrigation.

In The Library

2021
$60
2018
$45