2015 Napa Valley Merlot

The 2015 Merlot is super-ripe, racy and voluptuous, all qualities that make it a good choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Ripe and racy to the core, the 2015 offers a good bit of brightness to play off the intense red-tone fruit. There is certainly no shortage of near and medium-term appeal. I would prefer to drink the 2015 sooner rather than later.

There are few truly profound Merlots being made in California, but Pahlmeyer has consistently made some of the best. I still have some that are 20+ years old and aging magnificently. I suspect that the last three vintages that they made were better than anything I bought 20+ years ago. The 2015 Merlot is 100% Merlot, but the crop level was off by 50%-60% because of the horrendous flowering that makes 2015 a relatively tiny crop in both Napa and Sonoma. This is a big, fleshy, rather hefty and chewy style of Merlot with loads of chocolate, blackberry, cassis, extraordinary opulence, voluptuous texture (as you might expect) and terrific ripeness without going over the edge. This should drink well young, but age effortlessly for 20-25 years.

The 2015 Merlot is ripe, succulent and racy, with plenty of up-front fruit and the richness of the vintage coming through. Succulent and expressive, the Merlot is quite expressive today. Dark red cherry, plum, rose petal, chocolate and lavender add to the wine's sensual, inviting personality. Dollops of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot round out the blend. Vineyard sources are the Pahlmeyer Estate on Atlas Peak and Rancho Chimiles.