As I sit here in western Washington state taking shelter indoors from smoke-induced, unhealthy air – in mid-October, no less – I can’t help but think about the Napa Valley, California, Merlot in my glass as an endangered species.
How long will famed Napa wine producers be able to ward off the ill effects of wildfires and rising temperatures? I mean, if we can’t breathe outdoors midway through the fall season in the Pacific Northwest, how is Napa to survive?
“Climate change has been cruel to Napa,” writes Colman Andrews in the Oct. 11, 2022, edition of Los Angeles magazine.
Nestled between the Mayacamas mountain range to the west and the Vaca mountains to the east, Napa Valley spans 30 miles of diverse microclimates and varied soil types. From the cool San Francisco Bay north through Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Calistoga, the average temperature can increase 10 percent. Cool-climate varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grow in Carneros, in the south, while grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot prefer the warmer temps further north.
In this region of prized real estate, wine producers are mitigating climate change to some extent, for example, by pulling up grapes like Pinot Noir and planting varieties that thrive in hot places like Spain and southern Italy and by developing new technologies to remove smoke taint. Will all of Napa’s 1,700 wineries be able to survive this paradigm shift? Will consumers still flock to these gorgeous vineyards that remind many of Tuscany?
Maybe or maybe not.
All the more reason to celebrate the Napa Valley wines we have today, especially those from family estates that practice sustainability, and what better time to do that than in October – #MerlotMe month. Earlier this month, I got to taste Merlot from Markham Vineyards. For this post, I’m raising a glass (actually two glasses) to family-owned Rutherford Hill.
A mainstay in the region since 1972, Rutherford Hill was one of the early Napa producers to recognize the similarity of its vineyards to those of Pomerol, on the right bank of Bordeaux. These early pioneers believed their climate and soil in the Napa Valley was well suited to Merlot. In 1996, Anthony Terlato and his sons, Bill and John, purchased the estate and continued to focus on Merlot-dominant wines.
Three years ago, I sampled the 2015 Rutherford Hill Merlot and 2018 Rutherford Hill Rosé of Merlot for my first blog post for #MerlotMe month. I was grateful to receive recent vintages of the same wines this year.
Please note that while the wines for this post were provided, opinions are my own.
Let’s talk sustainability
“Sustainability” is a word used liberally to cover a range of practices. Some vineyards and wineries are sustainably certified through various certification programs. Some embrace organic farming, whether certified or not. Others use Biodynamic or regenerative farming methods.
My position basically is “bring it.” The more a winery can do to protect our natural resources, the better. In the seven years since I’ve been a wine blogger, I’ve noticed steady progress toward greater environmental accountability and stewardship. Let’s keep up the good fight!
Napa Green Certified for both its winery and land, Rutherford Hill demonstrates its commitment to sustainability by embracing these eco-friendly measures:
- Using 100% solar power in the winery.
- Saving beneficial insects through the use of compounds that only affect mildew spores instead of applying sulfur.
- Employing modern mating disruption pheromones that only target the intended pest.
- Using a high-tech water monitoring system that measures the amount of vine water and prevents over or under-use of this precious resource.
- Planting specific cover crops between the vine rows that produce a natural substance that controls soil pests. The same crops also provide a home for beneficial insects.
- Installing owl boxes and hawk perches to promote a healthy bird-of-prey population and naturally control the rodent population.
- Using recyclable shipping materials.
Two Merlot wines
- 2021 Rutherford Hill Rosé of Merlot
100% Merlot
A second consecutive year of drought resulted in low yields with intensely flavored, small-sized berries.
My tasting notes: Pale salmon in color. Peach, melon and strawberry on the nose, followed by a tart grapefruit and lemon zest palate. Medium+ acidity. Medium+ finish. Alcohol: 13.8%. Price: $35.
Suggested pairing: Cheese, baby. Ricotta white pizza from wellplated is a perfect companion for this crisp rosé. I didn’t have sundried tomatoes, so I used sliced Kalamata black olives. Not quite as pretty but savory.
- 2019 Rutherford Hill Merlot
77% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Syrah
A dry winter was followed by heavy rains late in the spring, but the growing season ended without further drama. Crop size was about average. This wine was cave-aged 18 months in French oak barrels.
My tasting notes: Garnet in color. Earthy nose is a blend of cherry, plum and cooking spices. Palate is oaky, smooth and lush with mouth-coating tannins and flavors of cherry, plum and black tea. Medium acidity. Medium+ finish. Alcohol: 15%. Price: $29.
Suggested pairing: Beef, lamb and venison would all work well with this Napa Merlot. But what did I choose? Chicken! Chicken and meaty Oyster mushrooms, specifically. I followed this easy skillet recipe from The Mediterranean Dish. Pairing a medium-bodied Merlot with poultry makes sense to me. This was a decent pairing, though red meat might be a better match for this fruit-forward, structured Merlot blend.