Steele, Lake County (California) Merlot 2008

Jul 24, 2012

By W. Blake Gray

 A pretty wine that opens with dark cherries and shale and finishes with a nice floral note. Just 13.5% alcohol. I t’s named for a mid-20th century racehorse about whom race track announcers said, "They’ve been stymied again," giving the English language a new word.  Jed Steele’s father, a newspaperman, placed a large bet on Stymie and won, financing the family’s move from New York to San Francisco.

Country / Region

California

Appellation

Lake County

Grape Variety

Merlot

Color

Red

Vintage

2008

Score

90

Price

US $ 42.00

Producer

Steele