2016 Hyde Vineyards Merlot Hyde Estate Vineyard Carneros Napa Valley

WA94+“Our Merlot is made more like a Pinot Noir than a typical Napa Merlot,” Christopher Hyde told me. This one is produced from Larry and Christopher’s favored Merlot clone—their Niebaum clone, which Larry had acquired some years ago from the Niebaum vineyard. Like the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this is produced using native fermentation. Deep garnet-purple, the 2016 Merlot rolls effortlessly out of the glass with provocative blueberry pie, black cherry compote and black raspberry scents plus hints of lilacs, aniseed, green olives, cardamom and fertile loam. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of bright, vibrant black and red berry layers, with a very plush texture and loads of energy and freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Gorgeous! This wine is mostly sold through cellar door and a few distributors in California.
Estate Notes: Refined and expressive, featuring floral notes of violets aromas, red currant, mixed berry and mint tones. The palate is supported by flavors of dark plum, blackberry, fig, chocolate and a hint of mint. The finish is long and rich with juicy acidity and grained tannins.
Vintage Notes: This near-perfect growing season started early, and we saw ideal weather conditions throughout the valley. Thanks to a relatively steady and mild July and August followed by a series of warm days at the end of the growing season, the grapes were able to progress to perfect ripeness. 100% merlot. Aged 16 months in 25% New French Oak and 75% Neutral French Oak. 315 cases.