TN: 2017 Sandlands Merlot (USA, California, Napa Valley, Coombsville)

B_Buzzini · July 10, 2020, 11:49pm

2017 Sandlands Merlot - USA, California, Napa Valley, Coombsville (7/10/2020)
Hmmm…this is very bright with tart red fruits, somewhat primary and grapey…gamay-ish. Smooth with plushness…an elegance to it, yet refreshingly tarted up with cherry and pomegranate acidity. With air, you do start to get some Merlot character of plum and currants…nuanced wintergreen tobacco…barrel spice(American oak?). Nice solid structure with some crushed rock minerality and those tart acids…yet maintains a nice balance and classic Merlot plush feel. I think it is tasty as all get out…has that classic Sandlands restraint and transparent terroir…this reminded me of the 12% Zin from the Kirschenmann vineyard, in its total departure from what we are use to in Zin. Again…super fun stuff from SL…just wish I had more than one bottle! (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

B_Buzzini · July 11, 2020, 10:05pm

Wow…no responses here…I guess Miles was right!!

David_Bu3ker · July 11, 2020, 11:16pm

Well thanks for taking one for the team.

I only have the single bottle.

Chris_Seiber · July 11, 2020, 11:50pm

Any sense whether it will improve with age? Sounds to me like it probably would.

Love me some Sandlands, but not really keen on wines at an age where they are grapey / Gamay-ish.

Markus_S · July 12, 2020, 1:19am

I’m wondering about the ageability of this as well. Your note makes it seem too youthful. Think everyone was gifted 1 bottle.

Tegan_Passalacqua · July 12, 2020, 3:36am

2017 Sandlands Merlot - USA, California, Napa Valley, Coombsville (7/10/2020)
Hmmm…this is very bright with tart red fruits, somewhat primary and grapey…gamay-ish. Smooth with plushness…an elegance to it, yet refreshingly tarted up with cherry and pomegranate acidity. With air, you do start to get some Merlot character of plum and currants…nuanced wintergreen tobacco…barrel spice(American oak?). Nice solid structure with some crushed rock minerality and those tart acids…yet maintains a nice balance and classic Merlot plush feel. I think it is tasty as all get out…has that classic Sandlands restraint and transparent terroir…this reminded me of the 12% Zin from the Kirschenmann vineyard, in its total departure from what we are use to in Zin. Again…super fun stuff from SL…just wish I had more than one bottle! (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Brian-
Thanks for the note on the Merlot. This wine comes from the Michael Black vineyard in Coombsville. Made famous in the 1990’s by Paul Hobbs. It was one of the early Bordeaux plantings in Coombsville (1985). Before then common belief was that Coombsville was too cold to grow Bordeaux varieties. Farella was the first to disprove this theory planting small bits of Merlot and Cabernet in 1979. The vineyard sits on a rock outcropping on the corner of First Ave and North Ave. Michael Black was a Renaissance man/ viticulturist and the selection of Merlot is known as the Michael Black clone. The vineyard yields tiny berries and rarely gets 2 tons to the acre. The wine was aged in 2 barrels- both French one a once used and the other twice used. I opened one of these the other night, I am really happy with the wine the wine is showing and I believe it will continue to mature for the next 10 plus years. I will be making this wine again in 2020. Thanks again for the note.
Tegan