Keenan Reserve Merlot Mailbox Vineyard Spring Mountain District

The 2002 Merlot Reserve is composed primarily of fruit grown on Keenan’s Spring Mountain District Estate; ninety-five percent of this wine is from the “Lower Bowl” vineyard.The Lower Bowl Merlot possessed additional concentration and richness, so a portion was set aside to produce a Reserve wine.As blending trials progressed, it was decided that the wine would be enhanced by a small amount of Keenan’s Napa Carneros Merlot. Only five percent of the Carneros Merlot was added, just enough to soften the wine slightly, and add some additional ripe fruit nuances.

The 2002 Merlot Reserve is a bold, full-bodied wine. Ripe black cherry and roast coffee bean show gracefully in the nose and hints of toasty oak are exhibited on the finish. Soft and round, this wine is delicious right now, but has the structure to age for many years to come.

2003 Reserve Merlot, Mailbox Vineyard Spring Mountain District

Simply put, the 2003 Reserve Merlot is one of the purest expressions of great Merlot that we have ever produced in the twenty-seven vintages of the Robert Keenan Winery.This is our first 100% single vineyard estate Merlot since the much remembered “Mailbox Merlot” of 1997.The Mailbox Vineyard was replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon after the 1997 harvest, and we never imag- ined we would use the Mailbox Merlot designation again.

The grapes that went into this wine were grown in our “Lower Bowl” vineyard.To commemorate the Lower Bowl achieving the status of our favorite Merlot vineyard we installed an old mailbox at its highest point and rechristened it “Mailbox Vineyard”.

The 2003 Merlot Reserve is a bold, full-bodied wine. Ripe plum and roast coffee bean show grace- fully in the nose while hints of toasty oak are exhibited on the finish. Powdery tannins add tex- ture to the palate, yet the wine is round and well balanced.This wine is delicious right now, but has the structure to age for many years to come.

Jump forward to the 2013 Keenan Reserve Merlot, Mailbox Vineyard Spring Mountain District

The Robert Keenan Winery is located in Spring Mountain District, high in the Mayacamas mountain range above the town of Saint Helena. We planted eleven acres of Merlot vines in the rocky soils surrounding the winery and we believe this mountainside vineyard produces some of the finest Merlot in all of Napa Valley. Sited above the dense layer of fog that creeps up the Napa Valley most evenings, the vineyard warms earlier in the morning and temperatures remain warm throughout the night. The combination of these warm temperatures, steep hillside vine rows, and gravelly soils promotes stress on the vines, leading to increased intensity of flavors and aromas in the finished wine.

The 2013 Merlot Reserve is made up of 95% Merlot from our Mailbox Vineyard. 5% Cabernet Franc from our Upper Bowl Vineyard has been added to brighten and deepen the unique characteristics of these high elevation vineyards. Hints of violets and a signature earthy spiciness show in the nose, a chocolaty creaminess combines with the rich dark full fruit on the palette, the finish is beautifully layered, deep, elegant and very, very long. Drink now or decades from now.

Rave reviews keep coming in, such as this:

Robert M. Parker, Jr.’s, The Wine Advocate, Issue #222 October, 2015

94 Points: “As for the 2013 Merlot Reserve Mailbox Vineyard, this is 95% estate Merlot and 5% estate Cabernet Franc. This shows beautiful fruit, medium to full body, more layers of concentration and interest than the basic Merlot. The wine has excellent purity, loads of black cherry and mocha notes, along with darker berry fruit. It’s full-bodied, ripe and pure and at the same time never loses its sense of elegance or equilibrium. Drink it over the next 10-15 years..”