Paloma 2007 Merlot Napa Valley

Paloma Vineyard
Our Merlot...is a big, world-class red wine capable of improving with bottle aging for 10 to 15 years in most vintages. Although the wine varies with the vintage, they have a consistent thread of complex aromas of black berry fruits, black stone fruits, chocolate, tobacco, spice and floral notes with a mineral overtone. On the palate the wine has a big silky mouth feel, well balanced, with flavors of berries, fruit, cocoa, cassis, and spice, and a long spicy finish. Fruit tannins in our wines tend to be big, but not harsh and are well integrated with the strong fruit component

Wine Advocate
"The 2007 Merlot is a sumptuous, round, silky, generous, delicious effort offering plenty of berry fruit, mocha, and chocolatey undertones. Like so many wines that have emerged from this Spring Mountain vineyard, it offers delicious drinking. Enjoy it over the next 7-8 years. Northern California lost the affable, highly respected proprietor Jim Richards this year, but his fans will ensure his legacy continues by supporting wines such as this." (Dec. 2009). 91 Points

Wine Spectator
Offers appealing aromas of red currant and spicy mocha, as well as supple, ripe wild berry and earthy sage flavors that linger toward soft tannins. Drink now through 2015. 3,100 cases made. Tim Fish.

Type	Red
Varietal	Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage	2007
Bottle size	750mL
Alcohol content	14.8%
Appellation	California – Napa Valley - Spring Mountain District
Wine Advocate	91
Wine Enthusiast	--
Wine Spectator	88
Other	n/a

The Story
Amizetta In the late 1970s, we started to visit the Napa Valley frequently and fell in love with the area and its people. We have always had an interest in wine, both in its making and its consumption, and in food and gardening. In 1980, we were living in Midland, Texas, and began thinking about a second home; we decided to start looking for a small property in the Napa Valley were we could build a home and plant a small vineyard. This dream was realized in 1983 when a friend of ours, Dan Duckhorn, called and told us about the property we now call Paloma Vineyard.
The property is located five miles northwest of St. Helena at the top of Spring Mountain. In the last half of the 19th century it was a vineyard, but was allowed to return to forest around the turn of the century. We still find old redwood grape stakes and even a few old zinfandel vines that survive under the large Douglas fir trees that surround our home. One vine near the house produces one or two clusters of grapes a year that are put into our Merlot blend for good luck. The purchase of this raw land was the beginning of an odyssey that is ongoing, ever changing, but with one goal—to grow the best grapes possible and make a wine that reflects the terroir of our vineyard.
For those interested in such things: the elevation of Paloma Vineyard is 2060 feet above sea level at the bottom of our property and 2240 at the top, exposure is generally east with many variations, and the soils are derived from the Sonoma volcanics and from Franciscan sandstone. Total acreage is 20 acres with 15 acres planted in Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.