Region: Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California

Vintage: 2018

Composition: 81.5% Merlot, 11.5% Petit Verdot, and 7% Tannat

History: La Jota Vineyard Co. is the historic Napa Valley winery founded in 1898 by wine pioneer Fredrick Hess. Staffed with the original stone cellar, La Jota produces a Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot from its Estate Vineyards winery and the nearby WS Keyes Estate Vineyard, nestled deep in a wooded mesa atop Howell Mountain. With its windswept location well above the fog line, the climate is cool and even, with abundant sunlight. Austere volcanic soils force the vines to struggle, giving rich and concentrated flavors to the wines. In a timeless mountain setting, La Jota Vineyard Co. embodies a combination of site and soil, people of diverse backgrounds, and over a century of Napa Valley history.

Tasting Notes:

“The wine brought us plenty of winter rain, frequent spring fog events, and a mild summer with only a few short peaks of heat. The uneventful fall weather allowed for extended standstill time, with our last fruit coming off the vines in November. The wine contributes to the rich history of Merlot grown in the volcanic soils of Howell Mtn. Rich and dense, the wine sings with flavors of plum, raspberry and graphite. Beautiful in this youthful stage, this Merlot is sure to age gracefully for the next decade or two.” – Christopher Carpenter, Winemaker