2008 Duckhorn Vineyards Estate Grown Stout Vineyard Merlot
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Stout Vineyard is located in the Howell Mountain appellation, one of the Napa Valley’s most sought-after, ultra-premium winegrowing regions.
Connoisseurs' Guide
91
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 100% Merlot; Cooperage: 100% French Oak, Chateau-Style Barrels (60 gallons); Age of Barrels: 100% New
Winemaker Notes
The aromas are both bright and sophisticated, bringing together layers of cherry, cranberry and rhubarb, with enticing barrel spice notes of ginger, cinnamon, molasses and caramelized sugar. As with all of our Merlots, this is a wine of depth and structure, pairing lovely flavors of briary plum, blackberry, dark raspberry and cola with powerful, yet fully integrated tannins that bode well for long aging.
Production
Though the 2008 growing season presented certain challenges—from early frosts to drought conditions—a meticulous approach to viticulture and sorting yielded small crops with good concentration, highlighting soft, appealing tannins for our red varietals and bright acidity for our white grapes. A long, moderately cool summer led to a harvest that commenced in mid-August and concluded in early November. This relatively relaxed pace allowed us to pick in numerous passes to ensure quality, often focusing on individual rows or a single side of the vines.
Other Notes
Released: September 2011
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2008
Varietal
Merlot
Appellation
Napa Valley
Vineyard Designation
Stout Vineyard
Harvest Date
September 19 – October 11, 2008
Sugar
28.8° Brix
Acid
0.68 g/100ml Titratable Acidity
pH
3.43
Aging
18 Months in Barrel
Bottling Date
July 2010
Alcohol %
14.5
Connoisseurs' Guide
91