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Items not labeled as Rapid Ship or Pre-arrival may require a transfer from the warehouse to our shipping facility before shipping, which can take 4–6 business days. Learn more on the Shipping Info page.
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Long-term Pre-arrival Items
Long Term Pre-arrival Definition: Ordering wine directly through us from our supplier partners in Europe in advance of the item’s physical arrival in the US.
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SKU 1004123
$52.80Original price was: $52.80.$46.20Current price is: $46.20./bottle
4 in stock
Availability: There are 4 bottles available for Rapid Shipment or in-store pick up at our location in Ballston Lake, N.Y.
Rombauer has been making Merlot since the 1980s, sourcing fruit from the clay soils on the Napa side of Carneros, with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon blended in from the Bennett Lane property in Calistoga. The naturally high acidity of Carneros Merlot benefits from the ripeness of up-valley fruit, adding textural depth and fleshy richness to the blend. In 2024, the Merlot is incredibly soft and creamy, interwoven with a bright cocoa-powder character and minty bay leaf freshness, alongside ripe, spiced plum, black cherry, and subtle loamy earth notes, and a hint of vanilla bean adds complexity, framed by Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon, which add a welcome layer of tannic tension. Just awesome.
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.
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.
Region
California
California as a wine producing region has grown in size and importance considerably over the past couple of centuries, and today is the proud producer of more than ninety percent of the United States' wines. Indeed, if California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world, with a vast range of vineyards covering almost half a million acres. The secret to California's success as a wine region has a lot to do with the high quality of its soils, and the fact that it has an extensive Pacific coastline which perfectly tempers the blazing sunshine it experiences all year round. The winds coming off the ocean cool the vines, and the natural valleys and mountainsides which make up most of the state's wine regions make for ideal areas in which to cultivate a variety of high quality grapes.
Appellation
Napa Valley
When it comes to New World wines, and especially wines from the United States of America, Napa Valley is something of a standard bearer. Over its relatively short history, it has managed to transform itself from being a fairly insignificant region, to becoming one of the most important and highly regarding wine locations on earth. With an ideal climate for viticulture, blazing sunshine and a low level of rainfall, this valley is shielded on many sides by mountain ranges which help it maintain a consistent level of heat, light and moisture throughout the year. Today, Napa Valley is a home of innovation and quality, with dozens of grape varietals thriving in the fertile soils. However, the main varietals grown there have always been Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Zinfandel, and the wines they produce are constantly lauded by critics and competitions across the globe.
DC94pts
Decanter
Rombauer has been making Merlot since the 1980s, sourcing fruit from the clay soils on the Napa side of Carneros, with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon blended in from the Bennett Lane property in Calistoga. The naturally high acidity of Carneros Merlot benefits from the ripeness of up-valley fruit, adding textural depth and fleshy richness to the blend. In 2024, the Merlot is incredibly soft and creamy, interwoven with a bright cocoa-powder character and minty bay leaf freshness, alongside ripe, spiced plum, black cherry, and subtle loamy earth notes, and a hint of vanilla bean adds complexity, framed by Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon, which add a welcome layer of tannic tension. Just awesome.
JS92pts
James Suckling
Blackberries, cherries, blood plums, licorice, cedar and spices on the nose. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with fine-boned yet firm tannins, bright acidity, a luscious, focused mouthfeel and a savory finish. A well-made merlot with lovely generosity, complexity and a savory edge. Drink or hold.
Winery Notes
This Merlot from the southern parts of Napa Valley is an absolute stunner. Think pure, intense fruit on both the nose and palate with a body featuring silky tannins and bright acidity. To try it is to love it.
Rapid Ship
