Paloma Vineyards Merlot 2019
Paloma Vineyards Merlot 2019
95 pts Kevin Vogt Master Sommelier
"The Paloma Spring Mountain Merlot 2019 begins with a fragrant nose of boysenberry jam, black plums, anise, French lavender, violets, and sweet vanilla. The palate continues with blackberry compote, concentrated black currants, Kalamata olives, baker's chocolate, and licorice. This is a very dense, compact wine with amazingly concentrated, complex fruit interwoven with firm tannins that will allow it to age for well over a decade. As great as this wine is now, it will only improve over the next several years. I've enjoyed this wine over the decades, and this is the best vintage I can ever remember tasting."
92 Wine Spectator
Supple and generous, yet handsomely structured, with detailed red currant and cherry flavors highlighted by toasty spices and savory anise as this builds tension toward polished tannins.
The 2019 vintage is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet, all estate grown. It is fermented and then aged in French oak—33% new—for 18 months before being bottled in the spring, then bottle-aged for an additional 30 months before release.
Winery
Paloma Vineyard was founded in 1983 by Jim and Barbara Richards after receiving a call from Dan Duckhorn, who knew the couple was searching for the perfect place to cultivate vines. Jim and Barbara spent the next 25 years planting primarily Bordeaux varietals and building what would later become one of Napa’s most celebrated Merlot Vineyards. In 2003, their 2001 vintage Merlot ranked #1 on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list, marking the first-ever domestic Merlot to earn that honor.
Barbara’s devotion to the vines was particularly notable, having once claimed, “I can name all 7,500 of my children.” Jim and Barbara’s son, Sheldon, joined the team in 2003, spending the next several years learning the intricacies of viticulture and winemaking techniques from his parents.
Paloma Merlot typically incorporates roughly 15% Cabernet Sauvignon to provide more structure to the final wine. The 2019 vintage was fermented and aged in French oak, then bottle-aged for 30 months before its release, promoting a refined integration of flavors, aromas, and supple tannins.
WINERY NOTES:
A dense ruby-purple in color, the 2019 Merlot reveals notes of strawberry jam intermixed with black cherries, oak, herbs, and a touch of chocolate. This is a medium-bodied offering that shows moderately tight tannins and a touch of sweetness up front. The wine will benefit from aeration and will pair beautifully with stuffed mushrooms and roasted pork loin.
The 2019 vintage is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet, all estate grown. It is fermented and then aged in French oak—33% new—for 18 months before being bottled in the spring, then bottle-aged for an additional 30 months before release. 1796 cases of the 2019 Merlot were produced.
