90 Points - Wine Spectator
2013 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot Rector Creek Vineyard
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Rector Creek Vineyard is located north of the town of Yountville along the Silverado Trail. A unique climate featuring a cooling afternoon breeze combined with Rector Creek’s rocky alluvial soils creates excellent growing conditions for the vines. As a result, Rector Creek produces an elegant expression of Merlot with attractive blueberry and allspice aromatics, velvety structure and refined character highlighting classic notes of spicy plum.
Wine Spectator
90
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon; Cooperage: 100% French oak château-style barrels (60 gallons); Age of Barrels: 75% New, 25% Second vintage
Winemaker Notes
The warmer 2013 vintage yielded a wine that showcases a beautifully intense expression of everything we love about Rector Creek Merlot. It starts with voluptuous flavors of blueberry, acai, red currant and violet that unfold across a richly structured palate. Though this is a robust wine, it also has the finesse and velvety finish we prize in our Rector Creek Merlot.
Production
The 2013 harvest was early, even and excellent with all of our Estate fruit in the winery by October 10th. A warm dry spring brought an early bud break and created ideal conditions for flowering and fruit set. In the weeks after Labor Day, a moderate heat event followed by a period of perfect weather created a dream scenario for end-of-season ripening. Rain was not a factor, and for the second vintage in a row, the quality of the grapes was exceptional throughout Napa Valley.
Other Notes
Released: April 2016
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2013
Varietal
Merlot
Appellation
Napa Valley
Vineyard Designation
Rector Creek Vineyard
Harvest Date
September 20 – October 11, 2013
Sugar
26.3° Brix
Acid
0.54g/100ml Titratable Acidity
pH
3.70
Aging
18 Months in Barrel
Fermentation
10-12 days fermentation at 82°F
Bottling Date
July 2015
Alcohol %
14.5
Wine Spectator
90
