Winemaker Notes
The 2020 Mayacamas Merlot offers a pure, serious expression of Merlot with lifted aromatics of violet and cacao leading to a palate of raspberry, plum, and wild blueberry, complemented by savory notes of dried tobacco, thyme, and graphite. The wine is characterized by a full-bodied frame, bright acidity, fine-grained tannins, and a long, persistent finish of berry fruit, cedar, and black tea. This energetic, structured wine, blended with 25% Cabernet Franc, has excellent concentration and can be held for several years to further develop its complexity.
About Winery
Mayacamas Vineyards was founded as Fisher & Sons in 1889 by German immigrant John Henry Fisher, who built the winery on Mount Veeder in Napa Valley. After the devastating 1906 earthquake, the winery was sold at auction and fell into disrepair for several years. In 1941, Jack and Mary Taylor purchased the property, renamed it Mayacamas, and established the winery's classic label and iconography. Ownership changed again in 1968 to Robert and Elinor Travers, followed by a partnership between Charles and Ali Banks and Jay and Joey Schottenstein in 2013, who have worked to restore the estate while upholding its traditional methods.