2001
Pahlmeyer Merlot
“The 2001 vintage of Merlot is a broad, mouth-filling, full-bodied wine. Flavors of red currant, chocolate, earth and spice dominate the chewy palate.”
— Erin Green, Winemaker, September 2003
98% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Winemaker
- Erin Green
- Alcohol
- 14.9%
- Harvested Start Date
- September 4, 2001
- Harvested End Date
- August 6, 2001
- Bottled Date
- May 7, 2003
- Release Date
- February 1, 2004
Winemaking Notes
The grapes were given a four-day cold soak before fermentation, fermented on their own natural yeast, and aged eighteen months in 100% new French Taransaud barrels. The wine was bottled with neither fining nor filtration.
The 2001 Merlot is a broad, expansive, sweet offering with ripe fruit, a full-bodied, chewy mid-palate, and copious quantities of chocolate, red and black currants, and earth.
A magnificent wine, deliciously rich and concentrated, with layers of complex black cherry, berry, currant, herb, mocha and spice, with pretty oak shadings and a smooth, supple texture and remarkably elegant lift on the finish.
Full ruby. Superripe aromas of currant and chocolate liqueur, with a whiff of roasted meat. Huge, lush and gamey, with complex flavors of cassis, minerals, mulch, smoke and sweet herbs. Finishes with big, sweet tannins. A large-scaled wine that’s more than simply a fruit bomb.
This Merlot should convert all the doubters of this varietal in Napa Valley, as it is consistently one of the top two or three Merlots made in California. At ten years of age, the 2001 confirms what an extraordinary Merlot producer he is. It transcends the category and puts to shame most of the Merlots that emerge from the Golden State. A dense plum/purple color is accompanied by a beautifully sweet nose of melted chocolate, creme de cassis, cherry pie, earth and spice. It possesses a voluptuous texture, brilliant purity and equilibrium, and a chewy, succulent finish. This sexy, complex, full-bodied 2001 Merlot is just hitting full maturity where it should remain for another 10-15+ years, 2011-2026. Bravo!
