Ming L

9.1

Named after two classic soil types of Napa Valley, Forward Gravelly Loam and Kidd Loam, this is a Petite Sirah leading blend. And I believe 2015 is the 4th and last vintage made by Merryvale.
Blackcurrant, fig, roasted coffee bean, and light fresh herbs on the nose. Some red berry fruits still lingers around on the smooth palate. Resolved tannins. In its prime. — 2 months ago

Ross Hensley

9.3

Great color with citrus vanilla overtones earthy texture and nice oak finish — 2 years ago

with J and Melba

Henry Fuseler

9.2

12/2022. Bold and full of flavor. A treat for the palate. Paired well with the rib eye at Hall’s Chophouse. — 2 years ago

Kyle Wallis

9.0

A very solid Carneros Chard. Complex, well balanced, drinkable. — 2 years ago

Brian Hearty

9.2

1999. My daughter’s birth year wine. She loved the dark cherry balanced with the vanilla oak. When first opened, the aromas had briny olives, leather, and herbs. Then the oak came in, then the fruit. Fun to try and enjoy! — 3 months ago

Ming L

9.2

3 magnums from Merryvale. Such a treat.

First up is the 2016 CF Napa Valley. This is a powerful CF compared to the 2015 I drank not long ago, displaying a lot more dark fruits and creme de cassis. Rich, deep, and balanced. Not as charismatic as the ‘15 in terms of displaying varietal characters. Immensely enjoyable still. — a year ago

Ming L

9.3

From magnum. A cut above the 17’ Napa bottling.
Richer and darker fruits with peppery spices, counter by bright acidity. More depth on the mid palate. Balanced and complex.
15% PV from Kendrick vineyard. — 2 years ago

Nagib Nasr

9.0

Did not disappoint — 3 months ago

Ming L

9.4

The ‘15 was great. The ‘16 is even better!
From magnum. The nose is dark and savory, with bay leafs and crushed rocks commingling with beautifully ripen fruits. Powerful and dense on the palate. The tannins are delicious, soft yet mouth coating. Probably needs another 8-10 to peak.
Fruits are from the estate Profile vineyard and Trumbull and Stagecoach vineyards. Predominantly Cab with Merlot and Petit Verdot. — 5 months ago

Ming L

9.3

Fun to compare this famed Chilean cab, also from 13’ in magnum, to the Merryvale cabs.
A bit more savory and herbal, with hint of green bell pepper that’s signature of Chilean cab. Ripe dark fruits intertwined with tart fresh cherry fruits made for a supple yet vibrant palate. Quite elegant.
I was not very impressed with couple of the older vintages I tasted. But this is great! — 2 years ago