Name: Sullivan Rutherford Estate Merlot J.O. Sullivan Founders Reserve 2019 750ml
Brand: Sullivan Rutherford Estate
SKU: 911750
Price: 372.94 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 94.7 (3 reviews)

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Winery

Sullivan Rutherford Estate

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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.

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.

WA 95pts

Wine Advocate

The 2019 Merlot James O'Neil Founder's Reserve includes a bit of purchased fruit, which will be phased out as the estate's own vineyards come back into full production. A blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, it's herbal and spicy on the nose, with fresh raspberry and cherry fruit, then plush and creamy on the full-bodied palate, followed by a lengthy, vibrant finish. It's a good sized step up in quality from the vintages on either side of it.

DC 95pts

Decanter

With the 2019 vintage, winemaker Jeff Cole began incorporating puncheons and medium toast barrels with the intent to elevate the bright fruit and freshness of the wines. It worked. Cedarwood spices take a backseat to fragrant red cherry, cranberry, and red currants, laced with toffee spices and classic Rutherford dusty minerals and dark chocolate. The tannins are cut of the same mineral and chocolate cloth and are so well integrated with the oak notes that the fruit profile really is the star of the show. Bright, pure, and clean, with the freshness and intensity of biting into a ripe blood orange or overripe grapefruit. The medium-to-full-bodied finish is long and resolves with fragrant dried herbs.

JD 94pts

Jeb Dunnuck

The 2019 Merlot J.O. Sullivan Founder's Reserve checks in as 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc. This ripe, medium to full-bodied, wonderfully balanced Merlot has a deep ruby/purple color, fabulous purity in its cassis and darker cherry fruits, some background chocolaty and spicy nuances, and a great finish. I'd drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years, but it will evolve for longer.

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Sullivan Rutherford Estate Merlot J.O. Sullivan Founders Reserve 2019 750ml