Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Valley Merlot 2005

Lush aromas and silky flavors of ripe black cherry, plum, mocha and spice distinguish our Napa Valley Merlot. The expansive fruit flavors, structured with fine, integrated tannins, persist through the lingering finish. This wine makes a delicious complement to many entrées, especially lamb shish kebabs, steak smothered in mushrooms and roast duck with cherry sauce. Mellow aged cheddars and nutty, dry jacks are perfect foils for the rich Merlot flavors. After the grapes were destemmed and crushed, we fermented the must in stainless steel tanks until dry. We then pressed and transferred the vineyard-lot wines to small oak barrels coopered with American, French and Hungarian oak to achieve an array of oak spices.

Winemaker Jeffrey Stambor blended the young Merlot wines together, choosing from different Napa Valley terroirs to create a graceful, balanced blend with layers of complex flavors. He added a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon to enhance the Merlot's structure.