The #5 Top Selling Sterling Vineyards Wine of 2011 -
Winemakers Notes - The wines intense, ripe black cherry aromas and expansive flavors slowly unfold to reveal complex notes of mineral, mocha, spice, rose and toasty oak. This beautifully balanced expression of Merlot comes from vines that struggle in rocky, volcanic soils along the eastern flank of Napa Valley. Winemaker Michael Westrick attributes the wine's distinctive mineral character and remarkable weight on the palate to the vineyard's unique terroir. Structured with ripe tannins that combine power with suppleness, this wine delivers luscious, complex flavors now, yet promises cellar-worthiness up to a decade.
According to Wine Spectator - Opens with a burst of red currant fruit, then firms up and takes on complexity, finishing with black cherry, sage and cedar notes. Drink now through 2014. 4,500 cases made.