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La Jota Merlot W.S. Keyes Vineyard 2018 750ml

size
750ml
country
United States
region
California
appellation
Napa Valley
subappellation
Howell Mountain
WA
99
JS
99
JD
97
VM
96
Additional vintages
2019 2018
WA
99
Rated 99 by Wine Advocate
Composed of 84.5% Merlot and 15.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 W.S. Keyes Merlot was aged for 22 months in oak, 79% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with intoxicating scents of black cherry compote, plum preserves, baked raspberries and spice cake with hints of potpourri, star anise and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the taut, crunchy black and blue fruit layers are supported by tightly knit, very fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. The super ripe tannins and showy fruit mean it is approachable now, but I'd leave it a couple of years for the flavors to start to fan out. It should easily cellar for 20-25+ years. 476 cases were made. ... More details
Image of bottle
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La Jota Merlot W.S. Keyes Vineyard 2018 750ml

SKU 910204
Case Only Purchase
Long-term Pre-Arrival
$796.86
/case
$265.62
/750ml bottle
Quantity
min order 3 bottles
* This is a Long-term Pre-arrival item and is available for online ordering only. This item will ship on a future date after a 4-8 months transfer time. For additional details about Pre-arrival Items please visit our FAQ page.
Professional Ratings
WA
99
JS
99
JD
97
VM
96
WA
99
Rated 99 by Wine Advocate
Composed of 84.5% Merlot and 15.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 W.S. Keyes Merlot was aged for 22 months in oak, 79% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with intoxicating scents of black cherry compote, plum preserves, baked raspberries and spice cake with hints of potpourri, star anise and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the taut, crunchy black and blue fruit layers are supported by tightly knit, very fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. The super ripe tannins and showy fruit mean it is approachable now, but I'd leave it a couple of years for the flavors to start to fan out. It should easily cellar for 20-25+ years. 476 cases were made.
JS
99
Rated 99 by James Suckling
#21 in Top 100 Wines from USA, 2021. The violet, blackberry and black-olive aromas are abundant. Full-bodied and superb, with great character and powerful tannins. It’s a block of tannins with wonderful fruit. Only about 500 cases made. Unique merlot. Give it time to come together. Best after 2024.
JD
97
Rated 97 by Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from a single vineyard on Howell Mountain, the 2018 Merlot W.S. Keyes is a blockbuster effort that offers an awesome bouquet of blackcurrants, mulled black cherries, tobacco, graphite, scorched earth, blood orange, and violets. One of the finest examples of the variety in the vintage, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, silky tannins, and a great finish. Reminding me of a great Pomerol with its incredible elegance paired with a building sense of power and depth, this is going to benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age (I’d happily drink a bottle today) and cruise in cold cellars for 20-25 years or more.
VM
96
Rated 96 by Vinous Media
The 2018 W.S. Keyes Merlot is going to need a number of years to be at its best. A rush of dark red cherry fruit, cedar, spice, mint, leather, licorice, mocha, new French oak, iron and dried herbs all race out of the glass. Readers will have to be patient with the 2018, as it is still coming together in bottle. The Keyes Merlot is unctuous and rich, but the dominant personality of Howell Mountain simply will not be denied.
Product Details
size
750ml
country
United States
region
California
appellation
Napa Valley
subappellation
Howell Mountain
Additional vintages
2019 2018
Overview
#21 in Top 100 Wines from USA, 2021. The violet, blackberry and black-olive aromas are abundant. Full-bodied and superb, with great character and powerful tannins. It’s a block of tannins with wonderful fruit. Only about 500 cases made. Unique merlot. Give it time to come together. Best after 2024.
green grapes

Varietal: Merlot

With its dark blue colored fruits and high juice content, Merlot varietal grapes have long been a favorite of wine producers around the globe, with it being found in vineyards across Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in the New World. One of the distinguishing features of Merlot grapes is the fact that they have a relatively low tannin content and an exceptionally soft and fleshy character, meaning they are capable of producing incredibly rounded and mellow wines. This mellowness is balanced with plenty of flavor, however, and has made Merlot grapes the varietal of choice for softening other, more astringent and tannin-heavy wines, often resulting in truly exceptional produce. Merlot is regarded as one of the key 'Bordeaux' varietals for precisely this reason; when combined with the drier Cabernet Sauvignon, it is capable of blending beautifully to produce some of the finest wines available in the world.
barrel

Region: California

Since the 18th century, California has been a hugely important and influential wine region, acting as a trailblazer for other New World wine regions and utilizing an important blend of traditional and contemporary practices, methods and techniques relating to their wine production. Split into four key areas – the North Coast, the Central Coast, the South Coast and the Central Valley – Californian wineries make the most of their ideal climate and rich variety of terrains in order to produce a fascinating range of wines made with a long list of different fine grape varietals. Today, the state has almost half a million acres under vine, and is one of the world's largest wine exporters, with Californian wines being drunk and enjoyed all across the globe.
fields

Country: United States

Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.
bottle and glass

Appellation: Napa Valley

In the United States of America, one wine region seems to stand head and shoulders above all others. The Napa Valley of California has long been considered one of the world's premier wine regions, and the wineries which operate in this idyllic landscape now have generations of expertise when it comes to coaxing the very finest flavors and aromas from the imported varietals which thrive there. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Zinfandel have become the flagship grape varietals of the Napa Valley, however, recent years have seen much expansion and experimentation undertaken by the large and small wineries which call the valley their home. With ideal climatic conditions for viticulture, and wonderfully rich and fertile soils, the Napa Valley continues to grow and impress each year.
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews

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More Details
Winery La Jota
green grapes

Varietal: Merlot

With its dark blue colored fruits and high juice content, Merlot varietal grapes have long been a favorite of wine producers around the globe, with it being found in vineyards across Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in the New World. One of the distinguishing features of Merlot grapes is the fact that they have a relatively low tannin content and an exceptionally soft and fleshy character, meaning they are capable of producing incredibly rounded and mellow wines. This mellowness is balanced with plenty of flavor, however, and has made Merlot grapes the varietal of choice for softening other, more astringent and tannin-heavy wines, often resulting in truly exceptional produce. Merlot is regarded as one of the key 'Bordeaux' varietals for precisely this reason; when combined with the drier Cabernet Sauvignon, it is capable of blending beautifully to produce some of the finest wines available in the world.
barrel

Region: California

Since the 18th century, California has been a hugely important and influential wine region, acting as a trailblazer for other New World wine regions and utilizing an important blend of traditional and contemporary practices, methods and techniques relating to their wine production. Split into four key areas – the North Coast, the Central Coast, the South Coast and the Central Valley – Californian wineries make the most of their ideal climate and rich variety of terrains in order to produce a fascinating range of wines made with a long list of different fine grape varietals. Today, the state has almost half a million acres under vine, and is one of the world's largest wine exporters, with Californian wines being drunk and enjoyed all across the globe.
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Country: United States

Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.
bottle and glass

Appellation: Napa Valley

In the United States of America, one wine region seems to stand head and shoulders above all others. The Napa Valley of California has long been considered one of the world's premier wine regions, and the wineries which operate in this idyllic landscape now have generations of expertise when it comes to coaxing the very finest flavors and aromas from the imported varietals which thrive there. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Zinfandel have become the flagship grape varietals of the Napa Valley, however, recent years have seen much expansion and experimentation undertaken by the large and small wineries which call the valley their home. With ideal climatic conditions for viticulture, and wonderfully rich and fertile soils, the Napa Valley continues to grow and impress each year.