1991
Paul Hobbs Merlot, Michael Black Vineyard Napa Valley
Winemaker's Notes
Merlot has remarkable concentration, depth and purity of red and black berry fruit, interlaced with nuances of spice and vanilla from oak. Rich and sensuous on the palate, this well-balanced wine complements a wide assortment of full-flavored pastas, meat and cheese dishes. Serve at cellar temperature. 49 cases produced. Cellaring: excellent now through 2005.
Vineyard
Owner/Manager
Michael Black
Vineyard
Michael Black Vineyard
Appellation
Napa Valley
Clones
Curtiss
Site
Hillside, rocky, volcanic tuft
Yield
2.0 tons/acre
Harvest
Harvest Date
October 3, 1991
Harvest Brix
23.4°
Growing Season
Cool temperatures August through mid-September. Autumn's Indian summer weather produced nearly perfect ripening conditions for the vineyard.
Winemaking
Hand harvested
Grapes destemmed but not crushed to an open-top stainless steel fermentor
4-day cold maceration at 18 Celsius, yeasted and fermented with punch-down cap management
Total maceration, 30 days
Basket pressed
18-months in French oak barrels, malo-lactic in barrels
Unblended, unfined, unfiltered; bottled August 1993
