Pahlmeyer 2021 Merlot Napa Valley

The Pahlmeyer Merlot Napa Valley 2021 takes top honors for its mountain-grown concentration and elegance at a reasonable price. Merlot is still with us in California and is doing just  fine, though it’s now considered an uncommon option for many.

Pahlmeyer’s winemaker, Katie Vogt, crafted this wine from grapes grown in the high-elevation Stagecoach Vineyard and nearby Waters vineyard in Napa’s Atlas Peak district. The year was perfect to put a little more tannin and concentration into it.

“Everything is on level 11 for 2021,” Vogt told me this past summer. “Everything is volume up: intensity, tannin and acidity.” This especially applies to our No. 1 pick – a wine that could convert any merlot skeptic into a fan.

The wine is intense and saturated with flavor but wrapped in luscious tannins that tempt you to drink it now. We loved the blueberries, creme de cassis, cherries and mint nuances.

James Suckling's Wine of the Year for 2024!

Rated 98 Points.