2019 Merlot

Top 25 wines of 2023, 96 points, Frank Melis of Golden Gate Wines

The Paloma Spring Mountain Merlot 2019 begins with a fragrant nose of boysenberry jam, black plums, anise, French lavender, violets, and sweet vanilla. The palate continues with blackberry compote, concentrated black currants, Kalamata olives, baker's chocolate, and licorice. This is a very dense, compact wine with amazingly concentrated, complex fruit interwoven with firm tannins that will allow it to age for well over a decade. As great as this wine is now, it will only improve over the next several years. I've enjoyed this wine over the decades, and this is the best vintage I can ever remember tasting." —Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier, 95 Points

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.