Fresh pressed:

Sip of the Day

January 18, 2021

Day #[wpdts-day-of-year start=”post-created”] of the year.

Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Merlot

Peking Duck dates back to the Ming Dynasty, about 600 years ago, and it was one of many celebratory dishes on the royal court menu. Thankfully, for us common folk it has trickled down to our menus, and if you are lucky to live near a Chinese neighborhood you can easily pick one up and enjoy it at home. I plan to visit Chinatown in NYC before the Chinese New Year on February 12th and welcome the Year of the Rat with a feast that the NYC Pizza Rat would envy. To complement this royal dish, I have selected a bottle of Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Merlot, which with its savory, bold structure and hints of dried herbs, along with aromas of deep blackberry and black cherry, melds beautifully with the gaminess of the duck meat and the sweetness of the Hoisin sauce – gān bēi (cheers)!

ORIGIN

Napa, California

Grapes

Merlot

Tasting Notes

Deep, lovely aromas of ripe black cherry and blackcurrant fruit are complemented by light floral notes in the nose of this plush, supple Merlot. Rich, concentrated flavors of ripe blackberry, black plum and blackcurrant fill the lush palate, framed by fine-grained tannins, leading to a long finish showcasing bright black cherry, berry and mineral tones. Delicious now, this classic Napa Valley Merlot will gain further complexity with another 5-7 years’ bottle age.

Food Match

An excellent companion to pork, pheasant and veal.

AUTHOR:

Gabrielle Tapia

Gabrielle earned a Level 2 certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and has continued her wine education by becoming a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) in 2020. In addition to writing for Wine365, she also provides creative contributions and research analytics.