2022 Reserve Napa Valley Merlot

Merlot grapes for this wine were sourced from Beaulieu Vineyard Ranch No. 1 in Rutherford and from a premier vineyard partner in Yountville. With its combination of warm days and the cooling effect of nearby San Pablo Bay, BV Ranch No. 1 enjoys one of the longest growing seasons in Northern California for mature flavor development in the grapes. The blended Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were picked from Beaulieu Vineyard Ranch No. 2 which lies just south of BV Ranch No. 1 on the west side of Highway 29 in Rutherford and enjoys the same optimal sun exposure and cooling effects.

The grapes for this Reserve Merlot benefited from our state-of-the-art optical sorter technology, which scrutinizes every berry to obtain the highest quality fruit. We fermented the must in stainless steel tanks until dry. Gentle pump-overs during fermentation extracted flavor, deep color, and tannins from the skins. We then pressed and transferred all the wines to small oak barrels coopered with French oak to develop and integrate flavors over the next 18 months.