Not everything burned down in Napa Valley in 2020 as some reports might have you believe, as this delicious Merlot testifies. It opens with depth of fruit over generous oak influence, and that oak load is well chosen, soaking up a bit of the structure and making the wine a pleasure to drink now. Add in a very attractive label that will get your guest talking, and factor in fairly wide availability and reasonable pricing and you’ve got a solid go-to bottle. Bravo!
Raymond Vineyards, Napa Valley (California) Merlot 2020
By Rich Cook