Trefethen Merlot

This Merlot sets the standard for elegance with a perfume of red fruits and earthy notes and flavors of raspberry, plum and black pepper. On the palate, the wine is silky yet bright, a classic Trefethen.

Because Merlot flourishes in relatively cool growing regions with moist soils, it’s extremely well-suited to the ancient alluvial loams, temperate climate, and long growing season of our estate vineyard in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, a sweet spot between Napa’s warmer up-valley regions and its cool southern tip.

With a warm spring, the vines got off to an early start. The weather turned cool during bloom which impacted fruit set and resulted in fewer grapes per cluster. The size of the crop was further reduced as the dry soils, from a lack of late rains, led to smaller grapes. The weather was warm throughout the summer leading right into one of our earliest harvests ever. The resulting wines are fantastic as the smaller grapes and fine weather contributed to ideal ripeness with very concentrated flavors.

Delicious with duck, barbecued chicken, lamb dishes, tomato-based pastas and mushroom pizza. A dash of freshly ground black pepper over a dish creates a lovely combination with our Merlot.

Catherine Trefethen, their First Lady, was Welsh. Her loves for wine, gardens and family were the inspiration for our estate in Napa Valley's Oak Knoll District, and though she has departed, her spirit is still felt, especially in the cool foggy mornings when mist envelops the vineyard and our minds tend towards whimsical imaginings.

Trefethen Merlot - Hay Wines