2019 Keenan Merlot Napa Valley
93 Pts. Vinous
The Keenan Merlot is composed of seventy-six percent Keenan Estate Merlot. Twenty-four percent of the wine is Merlot fruit harvested from the Napa Carneros region. After hand harvesting, the grapes were de-stemmed, then inoculated with Montrachet yeast. Fermentation ranged from ten to fourteen days.
The ‘18 Merlot has been aged in thirty-three percent new French and American oak barrels for eighteen months. The resulting wine shows intense aromas of black cherry, blackberry, and cassis. Complex nuances of cocoa and coffee beans emerge as the wine opens up. This is a “big” Merlot that will age for many years to come.