2007 R&B Cellars Napa Valley Minuet in Merlot
Vineyards
- Towne Ranch, Napa Valley
Composition
- 98% Merlot
- 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
Bottled: February 2009
Released: Spring 2009
Production: 114 Cases
LIMITED PRODUCTION - only 11 cases left!
Photo by Anne Kohler
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Vineyards:
Towne Ranch is a pristine vineyard just to the north of the town of Calistoga. The vines are about 20 years old, trellised, and farmed with sustainable agricultural techniques. A small berry clone of Merlot, the fruit from this vineyard gives a rich intense wine and benefits from a later harvest date to achieve further concentration of flavors. The small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon is from Bingham Ranch, which is just to the south of Calistoga and is one of the oldest vineyards in the Napa Valley.
The Wine:
Harvested in late October, the Merlot from Towne ranch was perfect. The fruit was from the last two rows of vines in the vineyard at the most southern aspect of the vineyard. Stressed more than the other vines, the quality of the fruit was outstanding and deserved to be handled in a very special way. Fruit was hand sorted, and then crushed and de-stemmed into three-quarter ton macro bins. A three-day cold soak was done before fermentation. Hand punched down twice a day during fermentation and then gently pressed off and put into 100% French oak barrels. The wine was racked four times while aging in barrels, and then lightly filtered for bottling. The final blend was 98% 2007 Towne Merlot and 2% 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Bingham Ranch.
Winemaker's Comments:
This is the quintessential Merlot for me. The bouquet is so intense and aromatic; you almost do not want to drink it. Just revel in the exotic spice and stunningly rich perfume of the wine. The marriage of the fruit and the five very special French oak barrels, resulted in the perfect balance of voluptuous fruit and bold structure. Rich and intense, this wine has wonderful balance. Blackberries, dark black cherries and currants are the predominant fruits in this rich, extracted wine. The French oak is the perfect compliment to the fruit, adding hints of chocolate and toasty vanilla tones in the finish. The wine starts with an initial explosion of black fruit, and then opens layer upon layer of rich fruit and spice, to a long and mouth filling finish.