92pts Vinous

The 2020 Merlot is a racy, extroverted wine. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, chocolate, spice and espresso are nicely dialed up. All the elements come together beautifully in this exuberant, forward Merlot from Pride.

Winemaker Notes

Not only is this a great merlot, it is as beautiful a merlot as we have ever made.  What makes it so special?  As mandated by merlot, the 2020 is foremost about the fruit, with ripe mulberry and kirsch taking center stage to provide pure smile-inducing pleasure. But this is no simple fruit bomb.  It permeates your senses with tangy elderberry, verbena, lemon grass and savory black pepper notes.

It is fresh, nuanced and cerebral in addition to providing the comforting fruit pleasure and luxuriant mouthfeel we require from merlot.

The finish rises with verve and excitement resulting in complex choreography if you look for it, but indulgent relaxed pleasure if you are just stretched out on the couch.  This year’s 2020 Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot defines the essence of what makes merlot such a great varietal. 

Blend:  90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot

Tasting Notes

The 2020 Estate Merlot is ripe and lifted, with mulberry and kirsch, violets, graphite, sage brush, and forest floor. The addition of Petit Verdot this year really amplifies the aromatics. Rich fruit is balanced by textbook supple mountain tannins, our chaparral earthiness and lovely freshness. Sweet vanilla, subtle baking spices, and a luxuriant mouthfeel give way to a fragrantly floral finish.