The 2023 vintage in Napa Valley has wine writers using some immoderate language. “2023 was as perfect as any Napa vintage in living memory. It was Napa’s ‘1961 Bordeaux,’” writes Karen MacNeil in Decanter.
“The Vintage of a Lifetime,” proclaims the Napa Valley Harvest’s vintage summary. “With consistent, mild weather throughout the season, above-average crop yields, and extended hang time, 2023 is an exceptional, high-quality, memorable vintage.”
With the majority of premium producers choosing to hold onto their Cabernet Sauvignon for two to three years, most of the 2023 Napa Cabernets haven’t been released yet.
But we are starting to see some early-drinking blends and some Napa Merlots trickle out onto the shelves. Cabernet is still Napa’s superstar, but Merlot is another variety that benefited from 2023’s long, dry season and cool summer nights. The 2023 Shafer Merlot came out in September, and I got my hands on a bottle just in time for #MerlotThursday.
Soft-textured and stuffed with luscious red fruit, this 90% Merlot blend wears an “M” on its chest with pride. The grapes come from top vineyard sites in the Yountville AVA and the lower slopes of the eastern Vaca Mountains. It’s aged 18 months in 100% new French oak from Allier and Tronçais. (You know it’s an ultra-premium wine when even the barrels have provenance.)
This wine is deep ruby with slow, lightly staining tears. A pronounced inviting nose of raspberry, wild strawberry, and smooth vanilla oak. Spicy aromas of cinnamon, clove, and cedar briefly give way to crushed green herbs and lavender.
On the first sip, concentrated berries and plums muscle their way back to the center of attention, supported by berry-crumble crust and sweet baking spices. The texture is velvety–almost viscous–with supple tannins. Intense black-cherry and plum flavors are balanced by a welcome snap of tart red fruit and bright acidity. A lingering finish of berries and toast…so satisfying that I decided not to disrupt it with food.
I liked this young Merlot even better on the second day, when a little air coaxed out notes of raisined cranberry and creamy caramel that underpinned its vibrant fruit. Drink now or cellar it for later–you can’t go wrong either way.
A personal note from The Wine Fairy: Yes, I’m officially working in wine now! As a result, some really lovely bottles and tasting invitations are coming my way.
It’s thrilling to review a $100 Merlot on a weekday…but I promise not to lose track of my roots. The happy-hour, by-the-glass, and dive-bar Merlot notes will continue. 🍷
Bottle: Shafer Napa Valley Merlot (2023) – California
Variety: 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec
ABV: 15.3%
Suggested retail: $100
My rating: 9.3 (out of 10)
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. (I accepted some bomb-ass Merlot as work perk, but it did not affect my rating.) Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
On Thursdays, we Merlot! You can view archived #MerlotThursday reviews here.
Leave a Comment