Wine Spectator
"Plush, refined and impeccably structured. Offers bold aromas of black cherry, bittersweet chocolate and toasty cedar, with rich, complex red currant, licorice and mineral flavors that finish with a flourish of ripe tannins. Drink now through 2015. 3,700 cases made."
“The 2006 Napa Valley Merlot is an aromatic, inviting wine from the start. This wine is brimming with plum, blackberry and sweet vanilla aromas. The flavors are equally rich – I get black cherry, bittersweet chocolate and a hint of smoke. The tannins are dense, and the finish is supple despite the heft and complexity of the wine overall.” – Winemaker, Laurie Hook
The 2007 Bancroft Ranch Merlot is a rich garnet color, and brims with flavors of ripe black fruits, brown spices and a hint of orange zest. Its refined tannins and depth of flavor make it one of our most memorable wines from Howell Mountain.
The Vineyards For the 2006 Napa Valley Merlot, Winemaker Laurie Hook chose several Napa Valley vineyards to create a Merlot with layers of flavors, aromas and complexity. The majority of the grapes come from Beringer's Big Ranch Road Vineyard, which is found just north of the town of Napa and has consistently shown itself to have great Merlot growing conditions. Merlot from the DeCarle Vineyard in Oakville, as well as some Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were added to the final blend to create a rich flavorful Merlot.
Winemaking Winemaker Hook was able to get excellent extraction during fermentation that resulted in plush, chewy tannins and bright fruit characteristics. As has become tradition, she kept all of the lots separate and aged the wines in oak barrels (one third new) for 14 months to integrate the extracted fruit and tannins, while adding enticing brown spice aromas and flavors to the wine. The addition of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc contributed to the color, depth and structure of this complex Merlot.