Cakebread Cellars Merlot

The 2012 Napa Valley Merlot immediately captures attention with its perfumed black cherry, red plum and blackberry aromas, which are nicely complemented by hints of mineral and dried herbs. Boasting considerable depth and concentration on the palate, the wine offers rich, vibrant, dark cherry and plum flavors, with notes of sage, tea-leaf spice and a flinty minerality adding zest to the long, cherry-laced finish. Immensely appealing now, this fragrant, delicious Merlot will profit from another 5-7 years' aging. An excellent companion to pork, pheasant and veal.

We select the majority of Napa merlot grapes for this red wine from our hilly Suscol Springs Vineyard in the cool reaches of southeastern Napa Valley, and supplement the blend with grapes from our other estate ranches. The fruit is cold-soaked for full extraction of color, flavor and tannins before primary fermentation, and the wine ages in French oak barrels both before and after blending.

Tasting Notes: Deep, lovely aromas of ripe black cherry and blackcurrant fruit are complemented by light floral notes in the nose of this plush, supple merlot. Rich, concentrated flavors of ripe blackberry, black plum and blackcurrant fill the lush palate, framed by fine-grained tannins, leading to a long finish showcasing bright black cherry, berry and mineral tones. Delicious now, this classic Napa Valley merlot will gain further complexity with another 5-7 years’ bottle age.