Hello Mountain Wine Club!
It’s mountain Merlot time again, and we’re excited to share two amazing wines that showcase the Merlot variety and two celebrated mountain appellations – 2016 Mt. Brave Merlot from Mt. Veeder and 2014 Restricted Merlot from Spring Mountain District.
Mountain fruit is coveted by winemakers for its intense, concentrated flavor, but high-elevation grape growing is not easy. Beyond obligatory hand-harvesting with lug boxes on high-elevation vineyards, the thin, rocky soils and steep slopes make water retention a challenge. The vines struggle to survive under the rugged conditions, but luckily for us, they benefit from the struggle and produce extraordinary berries.
We’ve included an uber-exclusive, Mountain Wine Club-only Restricted wine in this shipment. The 2014 Restricted Merlot from Spring Mountain comes from the Yverdon Vineyard in the Spring Mountain District which sits at 2,100 feet elevation and experiences cool daytime temperatures, deficient soil, and sharply inclined vineyard terraces. These vineyard conditions contribute to a wine expressing a signature floral perfume, deep red fruit flavors, and smooth tannins.
Kim Marcus of Wine Spectator included the 2016 Mt. Brave Merlot in “Kim Marcus’ Recommended Merlots from California” in the Wine Spectator article “The Merlot Factor” in November 2019. This mountain Merlot boasts notes of dark red fruit that seamlessly blends with the power of Mt. Veeder tannins. Asian spice, vanilla, rose petal, and a long finish highlight this wine.
Enjoy the rare and remarkable fruit of these mountain vineyards, and we hope to see you in Napa Valley soon.
