Mayacamas Vineyards Merlot Mt. Veeder Napa Valley
This is the true essence of Mountain Merlot. The 2015 Merlot is concentrated and long on the finish. It has aromas of moderately ripe cherry, rose petals, dry sage, and wet slate. These are the aromas that come from the terroir and winemaking. On the palate, it has fresh acidity and minerality, with aromas of pomegranate, tobacco, and flint that continue until the end. It is no exaggeration to say that this is the purest and most Merlot-like wine produced in the United States. This Merlot is made in an understated style, as the varietal should be, and is a historically important grape variety for Mayacamas. The growing season was cool in the spring and mild in the summer. The cool weather during flowering caused the Merlot to flower and produce a patchy, small, concentrated berries. Although the yield was significantly reduced, the quality of the wine was excellent. Vineyard and Terroir
The Mayacamas Merlot is grown in a vineyard at an altitude of 600m, deep in the mountains of Mount Veeder, without any irrigation. The poor volcanic soil gives it a clean taste with high acidity and minerals. The 2015 Merlot was made from grapes with an average age of approximately 20 to 30 years. Fermentation and maceration were carried out in old barrels, cement containers, and stainless steel tanks. The wine is macerated for two weeks and then pressed. The wine is aged in large fermented barrels for 10 months and in barriques for 12 months. Mayacamas Vineyards is a long-established winery located near the top of Mount Veeder in the southern Mayacamas Mountains of Napa Valley, and its history dates back to 1889. In 1941, a gravity-fed winery was built by British businessman Jack Taylor, and Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon were planted on the site. In 1968, Bob and Eleanor Travers, who were winemakers at Heights Cellars at the time, purchased Mayacamas Vineyards and began producing fine Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1976, Mayacamas Vineyards' 1971 Cabernet Sauvignon won seventh place in the red wine category at the Paris Tasting, raising its reputation. For the next 40 years, Mayacamas Vineyards wines have been widely known as the most classic style of Napa Valley wines, with a wild side and the highest quality mountain wines. In 2006, the same lineup of wines was tasted blind at the 30th anniversary tasting of the Paris Tasting, and this time Mayacamas' 1971 Cabernet Sauvignon won third place, beating out France's Grand Vin. This is due to the long aging of Mayacamas Vineyards wines.
It was a moment when the winery's true potential was fully realized. Since 2013, the winery has been under the umbrella of the Schottenstein Group, and Andy Erickson, former winemaker at Screaming Eagle and a talented young winemaker garnering attention, is in charge of winemaking, while Braden Albrecht, a young talent of the new era, is making the wine. Phil Coturri, known as a pioneer of organic and biodynamic farming in California, is in charge of replanting the vineyards, which had been neglected for a long time. They have only one goal: to continue to produce high-quality, traditionally styled wines that live up to the winery's more than 120-year history. Winery
The winery and grounds, covering approximately 190 hectares, are located in the Mount Veeder AVA, known as the coolest region in Napa Valley, with a long growing season and very low average yields. The planted area is approximately 21 hectares, and the vineyards are located in mountainous areas 550m to 730m above the Napa Valley floor. The winery's name comes from the Mayacamas Mountains, known as the border between the west side of Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, and is said to mean "mountain lion roar" in the American Indian language of the Wappo people. Two mountain lions are depicted inside the "M" in the winery's logo.
wine
The flagship Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold, classic style wine that can be aged for a long time. The Chardonnay is aged only in used barrels without any MLF, making it a straightforward wine that allows you to taste the natural minerality of the grapes.