Novelty Hill Merlot 2005

Tasting Notes
Black cherry and mocha aromas and flavors define this ripe, fruit-forward wine. Sweet tannins and a silky, lush mouth feel linger on the rich finish.

Vintage
Without exception, winemakers around the state agree the 2005 vintage was a classic Columbia Valley growing season. Temperatures were warm in July and August, and then the heat backed off just enough in September to ripen fruit without rushing physiological maturity. The resulting wines are notable for their deep color, wonderful aromatics and delicious, complex flavors.

Vineyards read more...
The Columbia Valley is a diverse growing region that provides a wide range of fruit expression by variety allowing the winemaker to craft rich, multi-layered wines by blending grapes from unique vineyards throughout the region. Just over half of the grapes used in this wine come from Novelty Hill's estate vineyard Stillwater Creek in the Frenchman Hills. Other vineyard sources contributing dimension and complexity include Alder Ridge, Weinbsau and Wahluke vineyards.

Winemaking
- A combination of punch downs and pumpovers were used to extract color and flavor during the early stages of fermentation
- Fermentation was finished in barrels to integrate the fruit and oak
- Gravity-racked every three months to soften and clarify the wine
- Aged 18 months in both new and one-year-old oak barrels, predominantely French oak

Blend - 92% Merlot
6% Cabernet Sauvignon
2% Petit Verdot    (hide)

December 2008

Without exception, winemakers around the state agree the 2005vintage was a classic Columbia Valley growing season.Temperatures were warm in July and August, and then the heatbacked off just enough in September to ripen fruit withoutrushing physiological maturity. The resulting wines are notablefor their deep color, wonderful aromatics and delicious, complexflavors. Novelty Hill 2005 Merlot exhibits deep, rich black cherry, raspberry and mocha aromas andflavors that linger beautifully across a long, focused finish. Refined,well-integrated tannins add to the wine's polish and grace.

Big, fruity nose with cherry, diacetyl, and minor notes of herbs, oak, and vanilla. Cherry fruit and chocolate on the palate with light, chalky, dusty tannin. Decent balance with a little spice and more oak and vanilla in the finish.

September 2008

Novelty Hill Merlot 05 - This rich, aromatic wine is generous on the palate with layers of delicious vanilla, ripe black cherry and deep, concentrated mocha. Lush and silky, the finish is as smooth as it is long.
85% Merlot 11% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Cabernet Franc

October 2009

nice cab at this pricepoint, needs a little time to open but is then a very smooth mouthful of anice and blackberry with a fairly long finish

June 2009

the notes here talk about Cabernet...?? Is there a mixup on what's referenced?

• Tags:
• Merlot
• Cabernet

August 2009