93-95 Points - The Wine Independent. Pahlmeyer made the most of the glorious 2021 Napa Valley Merlot vintage – a year that seems destined to rival or even eclipse the extraordinary 2013, 2018, and 2019 havests. The grapes for the Pahlmeyer Merlot 2021 were grown on high-elevation blocks and were hand-harvested, allowing for rigorous vineyard selection and gentle handling. Once in Pahlmeyer's state-of-the-art winery, they were given a further hand sort and destemmed, with only perfectly ripe fruit selected for pressing. As is Pahlmeyer's way, winemaking was slow and gentle with the berries spending 18 days on their skins with the free-run juice being vinified separately from the press juice. Ageing took place in small French oak barrels, 89% of which were new, for 18 months. Once racked and bottled, the Pahlmeyer Merlot 2021 was aged in Pahlmeyer's cellars until June 2023 to allow its complex components to harmonise before release.
Vivino Rating: 4.4 (Nov 2024)
Wine Press Ratings
93-95 Points - The Wine Independent (2021 Vintage)
"The single-varietal 2021 Merlot comes 62% from Waters Ranch and 38% from Stagecoach Vineyard and is due to be bottled very soon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the glass with bold expressions of juicy blueberries, Morello cherries, and wild blueberries, leading to wafts of rose oil, cardamom, and cumin seed with a waft of fragrant soil. The full-bodied palate delivers a very fine-grained yet firm backbone of ripe, rounded tannins and beautiful tension to support the black fruit and floral layers, finishing long with a spicy lift."
95 Points - Wine Enthusiast (2021 Vintage)
"Delivering power through poise, this Merlot offers flavors of blue and black fruits with pleasing spices. An additional layer of earthiness brings depth. The tannins here melt in the mouth, balanced by juicy acidity that carries into a long finish. Full-bodied, mouthwatering, and delicious."
Taste
Lisa Perrot...