2019 | La Jota Vineyards | Merlot

The 2019 vintage unequivocally contributes to the rich story of Merlot grown in the volcanic soils of Howell Mtn. Rich and dense, the wine sings with flavors of plum, raspberry and graphite.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: La Jota's 2019 Merlot Howell Mountain includes 11% Petit Verdot and 7% Tannat. It boasts plummy black cherries and hints of herbs on the nose, while the palate is medium to full-bodied and silky but not that deep or rich. Supple and charming yet not unstructured, this mouthwatering Merlot may be enjoyed on the young side, but it should drink well through at least 2030.

• James Suckling: Lots of black olives with some conifer and mushrooms. Raspberries, too. Full-bodied with soft and round tannins. Really savory. Juicy.

Producer Information

La Jota Vineyards is a California winery and producer based in the Howell Mountain American Viticultural Area (AVA). It makes a small selection of premium varietal wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. La Jota focuses on small-production varietal wines with premium prices. Included is the limited-edition, single-vineyard W.S. Keyes Merlot. Keyes was a wine pioneer of Howell Mountain, and is credited with planting the regions' first grape vines in the late 19th Century. The La Jota vineyard and winery were originally founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess. The property is named for the 1843 Rancho La Jota Mexican land grant, of which it was a part. Hess' wines gained international recognition and won notable acclaim in the early 20th Century, earning medals at the Paris Exposition and the World's Fair. After falling into disuse during Prohibition, the winery and some of the La Jota land were bought by Bill Smith in 1975, who established the modern La Jota Vineyard Company. In 2003, Smith sold La Jota to Jackson Family Wines, who are best known for the Kendall-Jackson brand. The estate consists of 11 hectares (28 acres) of vineyards planted predominantly to Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller plantings of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. La Jota is divided into three separate vineyards – Hill Vineyard and Winery Block Vineyard were both planted in the 1970s, while the largest, Meadow Vineyard, was first planted in the 1990s.

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