Kelham Merlot Oakville AVA Napa California 2011

Kelham Vineyards captures the poetry of Oakville's terroir, where Merlot unfolds with silken grace. Each bottle reflects Napa's enduring beauty and the harmony of nature and tradition. A rich marriage of black cherry and plum with cocoa dust and forest herbs. Medium‑full bodied, the wine is seductive yet firm, framed by silky, moderate tannins and gentle oak spice. The finish lingers with mocha and a touch of savory leaf, hinting at further complexity with bottle age. “The wine is impressively fragrant from the moment the cork is pulled, with aromas of red and blackcurrant fruit, tobacco, and loamy earth, alongside dusty rose petal and dried violet notes. Elegant on the medium-bodied palate, it glides in silk-and-satin robes of blackcurrant, spiced plum, dried cherry, and apricot fruit, nuanced by savoury tones of worn leather and black truffle. The finish lingers with walnut liqueur, graphite minerality, and a saline-acid tension. Given the cold and rainy 2011 growing season—a notoriously challenging vintage in Napa Valley—the quality here is exceptional, offering both aromatic precision and structural finesse. In its perfect drinking window now, yet poised to cellar gracefully for another 3–5 years.” – 95 Points, Decanter Magazine Drink Now through 2038