2021 Stags' Leap Napa Valley Winery Merlot [JS95]

"Plenty of perfumed plum and lightly candied dark fruit as well as orange peel. Hints of dark chocolate. Medium to full body, juicy, zesty and vivd in the finish. So drinkable with lots of finesse. Gorgeous. Drink now or hold." 

Winemaker Notes: 

"This Merlot is fresh and pure, offering a captivating bouquet of dark cherry, red berries, and perfumed rose petals intertwined with subtle baking spiced notes of cedar and clove from the well-integrated oak. On the palate, rustic yet refined tannins provide a medium body and crunchy mouth-pleasing texture, with layered flavors of black cherry, red raspberry, tobacco leaf, and rooibos tea amid a backdrop of juicy, mouthwatering acidity and a hint of tartness reminiscent of cherries jubilee. The long and savory finish has hints of sagebrush, bittersweet dark chocolate, and earthy minerality, demonstrating a harmonious balance of tension and grace—a truly beautiful and complex expression of Napa Valley Merlot."