Merryvale Pinot Noir Carneros, 2007

Our Pinot Noir is dark ruby in color, and shows black cherry, strawberry, vanilla, chocolate and black tea on the nose. Silky tannins and a rich mouthfeel are balanced with crisp acidity for a long finish.

The grapes for this wine come from the historic Stanly Ranch in the Napa area of Carneros. Now coming into full maturity, the vineyard was planted in 2001 with newly available clones that are transforming the quality and character of Carneros Pinot Noir into richer and darker wines.

The grapes were handpicked and carefully sorted. The wine was aged for ten months in French Oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The 2007 vintage was one of the best in recent memory. After a normal bud break, the valley experienced mild weather through the growing season with a slightly cooler summer and warm September. This climate resulted in slow, even ripening with a crop just slightly smaller than normal, and the highly desired small berry size. Winemakers across the valley are very excited about the 2007 vintage.

The wine will improve for several years, and pairs well with cedar plank salmon, roast duck and any dish featuring wild mushrooms.

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