Wine: Earthy, chocolate truffle and dried-f lower accents lace a sumptuous fragrance of ripe black cherry, cassis and plum. The plummy entry seems to blossom on the palate, as layers of elegantly honed tannins reveal flavors of clove and currant preserves. A distinct texture resonates with elements of dried clierry and vanilla bean. Pair this wine with grilled squab in a black cherry reduction or wild mushroom risotto scented by black truffle oil.

Vineyards: The blends for our Napa Valley wines change from year-to-year. In any given vintage, we search for different lots of wine that will work together as the best expression of the varietal from the valley as a whole. Most of this blend comes from our estate vineyards. Grapes from our newest vineyard located on Big Ranch Road, just north of the city of Napa, forms the heart of this wine. The concentrated richness of black cherry evolves through layers of complex textures. Some of the blend comes from ARCADIA, our estate vineyard located along a strand of foothills just east of Napa. Through continued exploration of the land's various mesoclimates, we have discovered an area that produces Merlot bursting with black cherry and spicy highlights. Grapes from both of our Stags Leap District vineyards contributed to this wine's distinctiveness. The crushed leaf and dried currant elements typical of S.L.V. beautifully complement the voluptuous ripe berry elements from FAY, resulting in multidimensional layers of fruit and distinct textures. A small percentage of the blend came from Cameros, whose cooler conditions augment spicy attributes.

Bottle Size: .750