1999 Napa Valley Merlot

The bulk wine market for premium 1999 Napa Valley Merlot came alive in mid-January with a flurry of superb Merlot being offered. And it was a "here-today-gone-today" market. Teatown Cellars bought two superb lots of Napa Valley Merlot from great vineyard sources.

Unlike the 1997 NAPA VALLEY MERLOT, which was 30% larger than normal, the 1999 vintage was about 10% smaller than normal. As with any agricultural commodity, the size of the crop determines the price. In 1999 wine on the bulk market averaged about $20 more per case than 1997. The result for Teatown Cellars is an increase in our price for our 1999 Napa Valley Merlot, however, the result for our customers is a substantial increase in the quality.

The 1999 Napa Valley Merlot went directly into 50% new oak cooperage and 50% neutral oak. After three months the wine in the new cooperage was racked into the neutral barrels and the wine that was in the neutral barrels was racked into the new barrels. In August all of the wine was racked into a stainless tank to marry before bottling on August 25th, 1999. 793 cases produced.

Dark ruby color. On the nose black cherries and raspberries with a touch of chocolate and toasty oak. In the mouth intense fruit flavors dominated by black cherry and raspberry with soft tannins and subtle nicely balanced oak. A long intensely fruity finish balanced with oak and soft tannins.

Harrington's West Coast Wine Net - December, 2001
Bob Wesley at Lazy Acres Market in Santa Barbara, California

"An Exceptional Red - Teatown is ripe, thick and chewy, with cedar, graphite, plum and blackberry flavors, dosed with smoky, sweet oak spice. In a recent blind Merlot tasting, (results below), put on by my monthly tasting group, Teatown was voted the number one wine of the night, and bested many heavy hitters in the Napa wine community. I actually picked it over the pricier wine that I'd brought.

Not that the wines were blind, or that we were, but that they were tasted blind.

97 Unalii, okay, slightly green, middle of the road.

94 Pahlmeyer, very nice, showing no signs of decline, rich & chocolaty.

96 ZD, very green & somewhat pruney, not my style.

87 Dehlinger, old & odd, over the hill for sure, nasty.

98 Fife, smooth & error-free, quite good for a 98.

95 Whitehall Lane, slightly herbal & cedary but still decent.

99 Marcelina, big surprise, very deep, strong fruit but good balance, made from the Heitz vyd planted on Howell Mtn about 6 years ago- at about $20 retail this is quite a bargain.

91 Beringer Bancroft, fading quickly, a sad end to what was once a benchmark California merlot.

97 Jade Mtn, really strange, kind of a salty/briny/old seaweed nose, all ammonia & really unpleasant, no wonder they stopped making merlot.

97 Montelena, yes Virginia they do make an estate merlot, or at least they did in1997. Big structure but nowhere near the depth or character of the 97 cab, good but nothing special.

98 Pine Ridge Crimson Creek, very solid if not standout, no flaws but doesn't really sing.

99 Teatown, the clear winner, excellent quality all around, rich fruit, good balance, delicious.

97 Silverado, slightly green & w/ a hint of dustiness, fair.

98 Paloma, okay but seems to be closing up as this was the worst showing out of 5 bottles tasted.

97 Stags Leap, nice & easy to drink, pleasant.

Okay, only 15, the 16th was a homemade wine. Overall the two winners were the Marcelina & the Teatown, w/ the Pahlmeyer a close third."