2023 Stags' Leap Winery - Merlot Napa (750ml)

Stags' Leap Winery dates to 1893, when Chicago transplant Horace Chase and his wife Minnie Mizner built a stone winery and wine cave into the volcanic Palisades that give the district its name. Vineyard revival came in 1971 under Carl Doumani, who restored the estate and hired winemaker Robert Brittan. Since 1997 the property has been part of what is now Treasury Wine Estates, farming estate acres in the Stags Leap District.

This Napa Valley Merlot draws mostly on fruit from Oak Knoll, in the valley's cooler southern reaches, supplemented by grapes from Oakville and the winery's own Stags Leap District vineyards. Sourcing from these southerly sites keeps the Merlot's varietal character and bright acidity intact rather than letting it turn heavy in the heat. The 2023 season ran long, pushing harvest over two weeks later than the year before, and the finished wine blends in small amounts of Petite Sirah and Malbec for structure.

The 2023 offers black cherry, plum, and blackberry aromas with mocha, clove, and vanilla, plus a savory edge of sage and rosemary. The palate is soft-tannined and velvety, carrying dark fruit through a long, balanced finish. Pair it with roasted poultry or seared pork chops.