PlumpJack Winery sits squarely in the heart of Napa Valley's renowned Oakville region, surrounded by a 42-acre estate vineyard highly-regarded for the quality of its Cabernet Sauvignon. Both their winery building and their vineyard date back to the 1800s, when winemaking pioneers first took advantage of a unique position on the valley floor. The east side of their vineyard lies along the foothills of the Vaca mountain range and yields grapes with the kind of bold fruit character that comes from well-drained hillside soils. To the west, their estate lies in the Napa River flood zone. Here, their vines take root in rich, deep clay soild, for grapes with softer, more supple varietal character. From their oldest, rockiest section - the "I" Block, where they source their Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - to more recent plantings, they strive to maintain balanced vines.

Tasting Notes: PlumpJack Merlot is complex and layered. The nose leads with cherry, raspberry, and boysenberry, followed by sweet earth and dried herbs. The oak barrels bring depth to the nose by infusing notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, pie crust, vanilla, caramel, and hickory. These flavors carry through to the palate, which has a silky texture, firm yet plush tannin, and lively acidity. This wine has great length and finishes with an impression of espresso and baker's chocolate.

Varietal: Merlot and Malbec

Region: Napa Valley, California