La Jota W.S. Keyes Merlot 2018

  • 99 Robert
    Parker
  • 97 Jeb
    Dunnuck
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La Jota W.S. Keyes Merlot 2018  Front Bottle Shot
La Jota W.S. Keyes Merlot 2018  Front Bottle Shot La Jota W.S. Keyes Merlot 2018  Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2018

Size
750ML

ABV
14.2%

Features
Boutique

Your Rating

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Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

Upfront, the W.S. Keyes Merlot displays concentrated dark fruit, dark chocolate, herbs, and fresh-pressed coffee. The mouthfeel has a powerful weight that is supported by tannin backbone and balanced acidity.

Professional Ratings

  • 99
    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.
  • 97
    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.

Other Vintages

2016
  • 99 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 98 Robert
    Parker
  • 98 James
    Suckling
2013
  • 95 Robert
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2012
  • 96 Robert
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La Jota

La Jota Vineyards Co.

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La Jota Vineyards Co., California
La Jota Vineyards Co. Winery Video

The wines of La Jota have deep roots in Napa Valley. Back in 1888, winemaking pioneer W.S. Keyes planted some of the first vines on Howell Mountain, and 10 years later his contemporary, Fredrick Hess, built a stone winery and established La Jota Vineyard Co., named for its location on the Mexican parcel Rancho La Jota. Both men won medals for their Howell Mountain wines in the Paris Exposition of 1900.

 Today, La Jota Vineyard Co. proudly carries on this great legacy with its small-production mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay. All La Jota wines are sourced from the winery’s estate and from nearby W.S. Keyes Vineyard, and they capture the intense fruit and mineral complexity of these cool-climate origins.

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Image for Napa Valley Merlot content section
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As Napa Valley’s third most planted grape, Napa Valley Merlot shows time and time again its potential to produce exceptional results. Napa’s vaunted combination of climate, soil and the human factor of winemaking expertise lead to big, ripe, cellar-worthy and world-class versions.

Whether made by itself in single varietal bottlings or as an important role in Bordeaux Blends, Merlot continues a prominent role in this famous region. While Cabernet typically takes the lead role, Merlot’s contribution—even at 10% to 20% or so—is significant indeed. Often described as “the flesh on Cabernet’s bones,” Merlot lends a soft, round and plush character that beautifully complements Cabernet’s linear, full-throttle structure. Its flavors of plums plus subtle herbs and mint also dovetail nicely with Cabernet’s blackberry and cassis.

EDV130777_2018_2018 Item# 1097803

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