2019 PALOMA SPRING MOUNTAIN MERLOT 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. WINERY NOTES: A dense ruby-purple in color, the 2019 Merlot reveals notes of strawberry jam intermixed with black cherries, oak, herbs, and a touch of chocolate. This is a medium-bodied offering that shows moderately tight tannins and a touch of sweetness up front. The wine will benefit from aeration and will pair beautifully with stuffed mushrooms and roasted pork loin. The 2019 vintage is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet, all estate grown. It is fermented and then aged in French oak—33% new—for 18 months before being bottled in the spring, then bottle-aged for an additional 30 months before release. 1796 cases of the 2019 Merlot were produced.