2016 La Jota Merlot W.S. Keyes Vineyard

A tribute to the great Merlots of the world, the 2016 Merlot W.S. Keyes checks in as 77% Merlot and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, and unfortunately, there’s only a tiny amount made. This inky colored beauty offers a huge nose of black cherries, currants, graphite, licorice, crushed rocks and new leather. It's rich, powerful, concentrated and layered, with terrific acidity and freshness, building tannin, and incredible length. It’s a tour de force in Merlot that will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 20-25 years or more.

The 2016 Merlot W.S. Keyes is very polished in this vintage, with a bit less tannin than has often been the case. That silkiness allows the fruit to shine through, even in the early going. Inky blue and purplish fruit, spice and vanillin all run through this flavorful, juicy Merlot, which, in reality, includes 23% Cabernet Sauvignon. Perhaps it is the high percentage of Cabernet that makes the Keyes not quite as distinctive as it can be.

Composed of 77% Merlot and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 W.S. Keyes Merlot offers up glorious scents of plum preserves, chocolate-covered cherries and blackberry pie with hints of wild sage, espresso, star anise and menthol. Full, rich and firmly textured with wonderfully velvety tannins and bold, layered flavors, it finishes very long and earthy. 430 cases produced.