2016 Mayacamas Merlot

Located in the Mayacamas Mountains between Sonoma and Napa Valleys, Mayacamas winery was built in 1889 by a German immigrant who sold wine by the barrel to bottlers in San Francisco. The winery was owned by several families in the 20th century and in July 2013 Mayacamas was purchased by Charles Banks and his wife Ali, in partnership with Jay Schottenstein and his son Joey. Andy Erickson will lead the winemaking. The new owners are only the fourth group of owners in the estate’s long history. Mayacamas is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a widely admired Chardonnay. Grapes grown at the winery are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

Mount Veeder AVA was established in 1993, though its origins as a wine producing district date to the 19th century. A German Presbyterian pastor named Peter Veeder was one of the first landowners in the area, and by 1864 one of his neighbors, a German sea captain named Stelham Wing, was producing wine commercially. The area continued to attract German agricultural entrepreneurs, some of whom established the estate that would later become the Christian Brothers Mont La Salle winery. Today the AVA includes about 1,000 acres of vineyards, most of them at relatively high altitudes. The Mayacamas vineyard, for instance, is at 2,400 feet. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most frequently planted grape, followed by Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

The Merlot grape is such a deep blue that it is named for the blackbird. It’s an early ripening grape and one of the primary varietals used In Bordeaux. Merlot is also grown in the "International style," which is harvested later to bring out more tannins and body.