Tasting Notes

It has full of mixed berries and black cherry with hints of cocoa, cedar, black pepper, and tobacco leaf. On the mouth, vibrant fruit shows off a richly layered mid-palate and lingering black fruit finish.

Winemaker Notes

Grown at the summit of the Spring Mountain District overlooking the Napa Valley, this Merlot is produced from a mere 4.5 acres of hand harvested and sorted grapes. Our Merlot is a complex wine with a rich and full body showcasing layers of ripe cherry, red plum, cocoa, coffee, and hints of vanilla, clove, and violet. Our 33 month barrel aging program gives this Merlot elegance to accompany its full tannin structure. 

Only 33 barrels produced.

Winery Notes

The Schweiger Vineyards property was purchased by Fred Schweiger in 1960. During the early years, the Schweiger family enjoyed its 54 acre Spring Mountain property as a private Christmas tree forest and for planting pear and prune trees as an agricultural endeavor.

Situated at an elevation of 2,000 feet with rich volcanic soil and a unique microclimate, the Schweiger family realized the potential for successful wine production. The laboring process to clear the heavily forested property began in 1979.

During the two years of clearing, old redwood hand-split stakes were discovered spaced a meter by a meter, reaffirming the stories that the area was once a prime viticultural area in the 1880's. With a "hands on" approach, the Schweiger family laid out and planted the 34 acres of Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon in 1981.

Schweiger Vineyards was successful from the beginning with the first harvest in 1984 bringing great demand for grape contracts from Cafaro Cellars, Stags' Leap Winery, ZD, and other highly esteemed wineries. In 1994, Schweiger Vineyards received its bonded winery permit and kicked off their first release of Chardonnay in the fall of 1995. This was followed a year later with the release of the 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Schweiger Vineyards is a family operation, with each family member contributing different areas of expertise in the winemaking process. The family prides itself on growing, producing, and bottling their handmade estate wine with extreme measures of care.