2018 Acre Merlot – A Heavy Weight Contender!
The Winery
“One Acre, One Guy, One Wine” slogan is the quintessential meaning behind their wines and success. It started in 2002 with Dave Becker, who founded the One Acre label with just one acre of Cabernet Sauvignon planted at his family home in the Oak Knoll region of the Napa Valley. The success of One Acre led to the launch of Acre Wines, a portfolio of classic wines from sustainably farmed, family-owned estate vineyards in Napa Valley.
Industry veterans, Mike and Talley Henry purchased the winery in 2017. Together, with well-known consulting winemaker Richard Bruno, they continue to carry on the One Acre and Acre Wines legacy that Dave created nearly two decades ago. Today, the One Acre portfolio includes an Oak Knoll Cabernet sourced from Dave’s original one acre vineyard, and a Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon, planted on one acre with identical clones, varietal, spacing and row orientation as the Oak Knoll Cabernet to be able to understand and appreciate the differences of “terroir”. The highly acclaimed Acre portfolio includes a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc sourced from family-owned vineyards within the stellar AVA’s of Oakville, Yountville, Calistoga, and Stags Leap.
The Wine
The 2018 Acre Merlot, Napa Valley, is one fierce wine and not a weak or wimpy Merlot. The color in the glass is your first clue this is a different Merlot. The color is dark purple and intriguing with a medium heavy viscosity on the eyes. On the nose, chocolate covered berries, strawberries and vanilla waft into the senses. On the palate, this is not your warm and cuddling drink that is relaxing and comforting to sip. You are awoken with the first sip to an explosive mouthful of Bing cherries, plums, rough and tough tannins with subtle earthy tones of bramble and minerality. No soft and warm Merlot. This is a Merlot for Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers! The finish has a textual feel and a complex layered structure continues to enhance the consumer. The words chewy and masculine come to mind in describing this beautiful wine. While having so much brawny characteristics, it still presents on the finish as elegant and charming. This is a Merlot to absolutely enjoy today or even lay down for a few years! 510 cases were produced and aged in 40% new French oak barrels for 16 months. The wine uses 100% Merlot grapes and comes from Stags Leap AVA. Current price is $38.
If you want a big bear hug of a Merlot this is your wine!!!
Sláinte,
Michael
California Wines & Wineries 