William Hill Estate : Napa Valley

2003 Napa Valley Merlot

Grape Source

William Hill Estate has produced rich, intense Napa Valley wines with a distinctive elegance since 1978, steadily building a reputation for top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.  The Napa Valley offers an impressive palette of grape growing conditions, but only a few choice corners of the appellation provide ideal conditions for each grape variety.  On the Silverado Bench, just east of the Napa River, and in Carneros, just north of San Francisco Bay, William Hill Estate has found the just-right combination of climate, soils and exposures for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. These Merlot grapes were 100% hand harvested through the days of September to the beginning of November 2003. 

Vintage

2003 had a very erratic growing season.  Budbreak occurred in March, during some unusual early heat spikes, and April was one of the wettest on record.  The summer had cyclic temperature variations of warm and cool, allowing the fruit to develop good complexity.  The heat spikes in late autumn gave the fruit tremendous intensity and depth.  Harvest began slightly early in the middle of September and lasted through to the beginning of November.  The resulting wines possess tremendous fruit intensity and ripe mouthfeel.

Winemaking

Extractive fermentation to maximize ripe tannins was followed by extended post-fermentation maceration, to enhance the finesse of the young wine lots.  Following pressing, malolactic fermentation was completed in tank, after which the young wines were racked to barrels for maturation.  The Merlot aged for 12 months primarily in French oak; of which 20% was new.

Winemaker notes

This bottle offers a joyous expression of Merlot.  The aromas are a combination of ripe black cherry, red berries and licorice accented by smoky, spicy oak.  The flavors are open, bright red fruit in the mouth, with soft tannins and a long, supple finish.

Food Recommendations

This full flavored Merlot is a great match for roasted duck or quail as well as grilled beef or lamb.  It also pairs nicely with simpler fare, such as fresh herb and tomato pasta, barbecued hamburgers or pizza.