2016 Plumpjack Merlot

varietals/blend- 96% Merlot, 4% Malbec

vintage

The 2016 vintage was yet another drought year – the fifth in a row in the

Napa Valley. Though the little rain that did fall came at the right time.

Our vines got a healthy dose of water before and after budbreak, when

they need the water for a burst of growth. The spring and early summer

were warm and dry, and the days grew hotter as summer progressed. It

seemed as though we would have another early harvest due to the heat of

late-August and early-September. However, the days cooled enough for

our grapes to mature more slowly, allowing flavor to develop and tannin to

mature prior to harvesting.

Fermentation & aging

Our Merlot grapes were cold soaked for four to five days before the onset

of fermentation. The fermentation was then allowed to reach a maximum

temperature of 92 degrees F and pressed off the skins after 8 - 10 days.

The wine was then moved into oak barrels where they underwent

malolactic fermentation. 75% of these barrels were new barrels and the

balance were once-filled barrels. 88% of our Merlot barrels were French

Oak Bordeaux barrels and 12% were American Oak barrels. The coopers

used include Sylvain, Taransaud, Nadalie, and Demptos. A touch of

Malbec was added to the blend to add depth and weight to the palate. The

Merlot was aged for 19 months before bottling.

Winemaker impressions

The mild climate and alluvial soils of the Oak Knoll District lend this

wine great balance and structure. The alluvial soils bring darker fruits to

the nose and palate, and give this wine its structure and concentration.

The 2016 vintage has layers of aromatics ranging from black cherry, plum,

and raspberry to graham cracker, vanilla, butterscotch, and sweet hickory

smoke. These flavors extend to the palate, which has a rich and silky entry

with bright acidity and firm structure, resulting in great tension, balance,

and persistence on the finish.

-plumpjackwinery.com