Pahlmeyer Merlot 2015

Napa Valley, California

Merlot

750ML / 14.5% ABV

$95.00

Winemaker Notes

The 2015 Pahlmeyer Merlot has deep ruby color in the glass. Aromas of red fruit, crushed raspberries and jam mingle with notes of orange-spiced tea and blueberry muffin. On the palate, a rich entry turns soft and plush, with bright red fruit supported by balanced acidity. This is a juicy wine, with satisfying depth and length.Blend of 96.5% Merlot, 2.5% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Critical Acclaim

JS96
James Suckling
Aromas of blackberries, violets and dark fruits. Very aromatic. Full-bodied, round-textured and very balanced with both firmness and freshness. Energetic at the end. Drink or hold.

WE95
Wine Enthusiast
Hugely concentrated and a touch reduced, this is a lovely, generously full-bodied wine, rich as a dark-cherry cobbler in flavor. The barrel oak is pronounced and supportive of the wine’s seasonings of black pepper, violet and plum. The ripeness and richness are profound, met by a structure that suggest further cellaring; enjoy best 2025–2030. Cellar Selection.
RP95
There are few truly profound Merlots being made in California, but Pahlmeyer has consistently made some of the best. I still have some that are 20+ years old and aging magnificently. I suspect that the last three vintages that they made were better than anything I bought 20+ years ago. The 2015 Merlot is 100% Merlot, but the crop level was off by 50%-60% because of the horrendous flowering that makes 2015 a relatively tiny crop in both Napa and Sonoma. This is a big, fleshy, rather hefty and chewy style of Merlot with loads of chocolate, blackberry, cassis, extraordinary opulence, voluptuous texture (as you might expect) and terrific ripeness without going over the edge. This should drink well young, but age effortlessly for 20-25 years.

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