Newton Unfiltered Merlot - My Pick For Best US Merlot In 2006!

Widely acclaimed as a California wine trailblazer, Newton was one of the first wineries on Spring Mountain, a rugged yet serene appellation located west of St. Helena on the eastern flank of the Mayacamas range which separates Napa and Sonoma Valleys. The Newton Vineyard was established in 1977, by the founders Dr. Su Hua and Peter Newton. For many, many reasons, this is my personal favorite estate in all of California. Newton's approach to their stellar Unfiltered Merlot is meticulous, using techniques based on an old-world style including natural fermentation and bottling without filtration. The grapes are handled with care, hand-picked in small lots and transferred for gentle pressing to the Spring Mountain cellar. Barrel aging takes place in a cave built into the mountain directly underneath the winery. The Unfiltered Merlot is always bottled without fining or filtration which may remove some of the subtleties and distinctive characters produced in the vineyards. These purist traditions take more time and care, but this outstanding Unfiltered Merlot produced in this mountain vineyard deserves special appreciation. This is a truly lip smacking Merlot. Full of black and red currants, sweet black cherries and chocolate. It has great depth, a full body and sensational color. The grapes are from the oldest vines on the Newton estate. Most of them are over twenty years old. Thus, the vines produce small fruit with intense characters. They are naturally fermented and aged for two years in handcrafted French oak barrels and bottled straight from the barrels, without any filtration. You will have to find this Unfiltered Merlot. It wont be easy. Most of the Newton Unfiltered Merlot vintages are somewhere in the 90plus RP ratings. This one is a true secret out of my personal wine cellar. You will love it!