PALOMA
MERLOT 2019
SPRING MOUNTAIN
Paloma Vineyard was founded in 1983 by Jim and Barbara Richards after receiving a call from Dan Duckhorn, who knew the couple was searching for the perfect place to cultivate vines. Jim and Barbara spent the next 25 years planting primarily Bordeaux varietals and building what would later become one of Napa’s most celebrated Merlot Vineyards. In 2003, their 2001 vintage Merlot ranked #1 on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list, marking the first-ever domestic Merlot to earn that honor.
Barbara’s devotion to the vines was particularly notable, having once claimed, “I can name all 7,500 of my children.” Jim and Barbara’s son, Sheldon, joined the team in 2003, spending the next several years learning the intricacies of viticulture and winemaking techniques from his parents.
Paloma Merlot typically incorporates roughly 15% Cabernet Sauvignon to provide more structure to the final wine. The 2019 vintage was fermented and aged in French oak, then bottle-aged for 30 months before its release, promoting a refined integration of flavors, aromas, and supple tannins.
PALOMA
MERLOT 2019
SPRING MOUNTAIN
“The Paloma Spring Mountain Merlot 2019 begins with a fragrant nose of boysenberry jam, black plums, anise, French lavender, violets, and sweet vanilla. The palate continues with blackberry compote, concentrated black currants, Kalamata olives, baker’s chocolate, and licorice. This is a very dense, compact wine with amazingly concentrated, complex fruit interwoven with firm tannins that will allow it to age for well over a decade. As great as this wine is now, it will only improve over the next several years. I’ve enjoyed this wine over the decades, and this is the best vintage I can ever remember tasting.”
95 Points
Add a Comment