2022 Markham Vineyards - The Altruist (750ml)

Markham Vineyards has spent decades as a Napa Valley standard-bearer, built on the conviction of founder Bruce Markham that great wine begins with superior fruit. The estate farms roughly 260 acres spread across the valley's varied soils and microclimates, all certified sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance since 2022. Winemaker Kimberlee Nicholls draws on that diversity of terrain to shape wines with real depth and character, with Merlot standing as the winery's flagship variety and the backbone of its Bordeaux-style bottlings, including The Altruist.

The Altruist is a right-bank-style blend built predominantly around estate-grown Merlot, rounded out with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot in varying proportions each vintage. The Merlot supplies a velvety, juicy core, while Cabernet Sauvignon contributes weight and structure. Cabernet Franc lends floral lift, and the small additions of Malbec and Petit Verdot deepen the color and round out the palate. The wine spends about fifteen months aging in a combination of French and American oak before bottling.

The finished wine shows dark plum and blackberry fruit alongside notes of vanilla, cola, anise, and toasted spice, with a supple, full-bodied palate and soft, velvety tannins leading to a long finish. It drinks well now but has the structure to hold for several years. Pair it with grilled steak, braised short ribs, or a rich mushroom tart.