Silky and elegant, our 2013 Napa Valley Merlot gracefully reveals its fruit-driven character of ripe cherry and blackberry compote. Hints of dark chocolate and hazelnut meld with a savory edge of pipe tobacco and bay leaf. The well-knit acidity enlivens the mouth-filling flavors, while supple tannins frame the wine and give age worthiness. Complex baking spice nuances from three types of oak barrels—French, American and Hungarian—weave through this Merlot’s generous varietal expression.
We choose 70 percent of the grapes from our Los Amigos Vineyard in the Los Carneros and 25 percent from the Oak Knoll American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) of Napa Valley. The Merlot grown in the cool Los Carneros AVA—closer to the San Francisco Bay—contributes bright °avors and acidity, while Merlot grapes from the Oak Knoll AVA gives the wine rich, ripe °avors and softer texture. We selected five percent Cabernet Sauvignon from Wooden Valley, which lies in the eastern side of the Napa Valley appellation. The different soil types and mesoclimates found in these appellations add to the wine’s myriad of complex °avors.
We quickly brought the hand-harvested grapes to our winery and destemmed the clusters, retaining 60 percent as whole berries to maximize fruitiness in the wine. For gentle extraction of varietal character and color, we cold soaked the must for two days before the two-week primary fermentation. Malolactic fermentation was conducted in barrels during aging to round the acidity. A selection of new barrels gave subtle oak spice complexity to this generously fruity Merlot.
The 2013 vintage surpassed even the highly touted 2012 vintage in grape quality. A winter with very low rainfall was followed by a dry, warm spring and summer. These factors resulted in balanced vine canopies, good fruit set and small, concentrated grapes. Perfect weather throughout harvest fostered intense, beautifully balanced and expressive wines.
Spicy lamb meatballs, roasted duck with cherry sauce, chicken thighs grilled with red peppers & onions, and steak with mushrooms are a few delicious pairings.
Specs
Vintage: 2013
Varietals: 95% Merlot & 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Harvest Dates: Sept 17 – Oct 2, 2013
Barrel Regime:100% barrel aged, 21 months of aging 30% new barrels, including 65% French, 25% American and 10% Hungarian oak
The geology and vastly different soils of Napa Valley give us the opportunity to showcase the distinctively different aromas and flavors that come from the provenance (source of origin) of our wines at Provenance Vineyards.
Our goal is to highlight the individuality of Napa Valley’s best vineyards and growing regions. We select top vineyards and gently guide the grapes into wine, striving to bring out the personality, complexity and uniqueness of each vineyard and vintage.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI
Provenance Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot
4 bottles for $89.99 $22.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $229.99 $19.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
As I mentioned to Alice via email, if there’s any good reason to visit the office after a year away, the surprise delivery of a bottle of wine sure must be near the top of the list!
This is the 24 hour special, so I won’t be able to come back and report again before the sale ends. Instead, we’ll be relying on plenty of aeration to try and get every possible aroma and flavor out of the bottle tonight.
On the cork: great color of dark purple, and a strong nose of strawberry licorice. Cherry joins the party when allowed to sit in an empty wine glass at room temperature.
PnP: Slightly bitter in the best possible way—dry aftertaste with only a bit of lingering fruit that in one sip is blackberry and plum the next. Good body to match the dark ruby color, but the tannins are going to need to rest a bit before they’re judged–structure is sound, but it needs a bit of time to release & relax. The alcohol is just a bit hot on the tongue.
An hour in, it’s time to pair with mustgos from the fridge: how about baby potatoes, roasted broccolini, sautéed mushrooms and grilled chicken? Nothing like bringing together a week’s worth of leftovers. Don’t forget plenty of cheese to round it all out.
So, how did the wine hold up to this mess? The structure is showing itself well: wonderful body & mouthfeel, tannins that are noticeable without being overbearing. The flavors have relaxed as well. Grape, more plum and berry are arriving fashionably late. The dry aftertaste remains, just strong enough to be acknowledged without being problematic. Alcohol is still present, but not necessarily overwhelming.
Another 90 minutes later and this is a well-balanced wine: rich flavor and solid consistency make this an approachable beverage, mild in flavor but definitely enjoyable; a standard Cali merlot.
I’ll admit to just getting into wine drinking about the same time that Sideways hit movie theatres (remember those relics from the before times?) and as a youthful snob who knew nothing about anything, I was influenced to set Merlot aside for about the entire duration of my twenties, save the random “fancy” red/white party or when I didn’t have much choice among other options at any given social outing.
What I missed out on then by overlooking this grape is exactly what’s on offer here: a solid contender for an every day/any day bottle that would be good to have around the grill or a dinner party now that we’ll (hopefully) have the chance to gather together again.
It’s not a standout IMHO, but it’s not to be shunned either. If you like the varietal (I won’t tell Miles) you can do far worse than making this your go to option.
Thanks Alice, WD and Casemates for another opportunity to sample. Looking forward to learning what others who sampled may think.
Anyone open their To Kalon from a while back? I have a couple in the cellar but I have trouble pulling the trigger on the more expensive stuff in there.
@rjquillin Good point. Just wondering if someone who bought a full case got curious. I tend to hoard the older stuff just the same. I still have some 90’s Arbios and Ardente I have to drink long before those two bottles. I need to relax my special occasion criteria. That’s it, oldest bottle gets opened when Gonzo finishes his workout!
@char2na
Well of course I did and was a bit disappointed, it was hot with a bitter mid palate and finish. A shame with that fruit but everyone tastes differently so maybe it’s just me.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2013 Provenance Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot - $40 = 14.80%
When I got this bottle I was pretty excited as I love Merlot and this being a 2013 it has several years in the bottle should be very drinkable.
On the cork I got some good scents of cherry, leather and plum. It was a very rich, deep garnet red in color. On the first taste I definitely noticed that it was very dry. And had good tannins. When drinking it there was that satisfying full, lush mouthfeel. The taste expressed what was on the cork with dark cherry, plum, dates, tobacco and leather. There was just a hint of blackberry or black raspberry at the end.
It is a classic dry red to me. I’d already planned out dinner before getting the shipping notice so I had it with meatballs and fresh pasta with a tomato parmesan sauce. It held up very well, but I would have preferred having it with a nice steak. Definitely has the weight to stand up to a good piece of red meat.
After being open an hour or so it smoothed out a bit. Still quite dry with a lush mouthfeel, but more raspberry and plum than the big hit of leather and tobacco when the bottle was first opened. It’s mellowed into a nice well rounded flavor. Still has the different elements, but it’s not as sharp.
I left about ⅔ of the bottle to sit overnight. It is still nice and slightly complex with all the dryness and tannins of the day before. I’m getting a bit more leather on the front and it sticks around a little longer than the previous day. Today the tobacco has backed off and I’m getting the black tea the description on the internet said was there.
Overall it was a solid Merlot that was slightly on the heavier side. I would want to drink it paired with food more than having it as a glass or two in the evening, but I tend to enjoy slightly less full wines as standalone sippers. It was definitely tasty, but didn’t knock me of my feet. Decent buy at these prices though.
@firstgeer Use the mountain/moon icon at the bottom of the edit window when you are composing.
pics must be jpg, png or img files and long urls to file sharing services frequently fail, as they don’t directly reference/link to the above file types.
I think I sorted out what I found, but may have missed a few things.
Anyone in SF (or near SF in Bay Area) interested in a split? I could go for six at that price (plus I have free shipping) if anyone wants a half case? LMK.
2013 Provenance Vineyards Merlot, Napa Valley
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $480/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, Jun 10 - Monday, Jun 14
Provenance Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot
4 bottles for $89.99 $22.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $229.99 $19.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2013 Provenance Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot
Not only does it look delish, it’s a time-traveler!
Is this 2018 or 2013? Specs and links are different…
@bfast Or are they???
@bfast @InFrom @karenhynes
What am I missing?
@bfast @InFrom @rjquillin
Typo was already corrected…originally listed as Vintage 2018 instead of 2013.
@bfast @InFrom @karenhynes
@karenhynes Yeah, I’m not sure RJ’s question was entirely sincere.
2013 Provenance Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot
As I mentioned to Alice via email, if there’s any good reason to visit the office after a year away, the surprise delivery of a bottle of wine sure must be near the top of the list!
This is the 24 hour special, so I won’t be able to come back and report again before the sale ends. Instead, we’ll be relying on plenty of aeration to try and get every possible aroma and flavor out of the bottle tonight.
On the cork: great color of dark purple, and a strong nose of strawberry licorice. Cherry joins the party when allowed to sit in an empty wine glass at room temperature.
PnP: Slightly bitter in the best possible way—dry aftertaste with only a bit of lingering fruit that in one sip is blackberry and plum the next. Good body to match the dark ruby color, but the tannins are going to need to rest a bit before they’re judged–structure is sound, but it needs a bit of time to release & relax. The alcohol is just a bit hot on the tongue.
An hour in, it’s time to pair with mustgos from the fridge: how about baby potatoes, roasted broccolini, sautéed mushrooms and grilled chicken? Nothing like bringing together a week’s worth of leftovers. Don’t forget plenty of cheese to round it all out.
So, how did the wine hold up to this mess? The structure is showing itself well: wonderful body & mouthfeel, tannins that are noticeable without being overbearing. The flavors have relaxed as well. Grape, more plum and berry are arriving fashionably late. The dry aftertaste remains, just strong enough to be acknowledged without being problematic. Alcohol is still present, but not necessarily overwhelming.
Another 90 minutes later and this is a well-balanced wine: rich flavor and solid consistency make this an approachable beverage, mild in flavor but definitely enjoyable; a standard Cali merlot.
I’ll admit to just getting into wine drinking about the same time that Sideways hit movie theatres (remember those relics from the before times?) and as a youthful snob who knew nothing about anything, I was influenced to set Merlot aside for about the entire duration of my twenties, save the random “fancy” red/white party or when I didn’t have much choice among other options at any given social outing.
What I missed out on then by overlooking this grape is exactly what’s on offer here: a solid contender for an every day/any day bottle that would be good to have around the grill or a dinner party now that we’ll (hopefully) have the chance to gather together again.
It’s not a standout IMHO, but it’s not to be shunned either. If you like the varietal (I won’t tell Miles) you can do far worse than making this your go to option.
Thanks Alice, WD and Casemates for another opportunity to sample. Looking forward to learning what others who sampled may think.
Stay healthy and be well!
Cheers,
@Aureliano you had me excited in the first 5 paragraphs and then just ho-hum at the end…
Nicely done tho
@aureliano Apologies all for the typos/grammar above. Looks like I didn’t notice necessary edits until after the fix-it window closed…
Anyone open their To Kalon from a while back? I have a couple in the cellar but I have trouble pulling the trigger on the more expensive stuff in there.
@char2na I show one consumed in CT, but it may have actually been gifted. It’s only 12 after all, and a CS, not even a teenager yet.
@rjquillin Good point. Just wondering if someone who bought a full case got curious. I tend to hoard the older stuff just the same. I still have some 90’s Arbios and Ardente I have to drink long before those two bottles. I need to relax my special occasion criteria. That’s it, oldest bottle gets opened when Gonzo finishes his workout!
@char2na
Well of course I did and was a bit disappointed, it was hot with a bitter mid palate and finish. A shame with that fruit but everyone tastes differently so maybe it’s just me.
This Merlot is nicely aged, which I love about it. Maybe a bit hot at 15% but other than that, I wonder if it has a few more years left?
Anyone from Denver ordering? I’d be will to take a couple bottles.
Was just discussing with a friend that I hadn’t seen merlot on here in a while. And this one gets some great reviews (WE 92). In for a case.
/giphy fixed-agile-tortellini
@vandemusser The Wine Enthusiast review is for their Bottle Select merlot, the offer here is the regular bottling, different wine… fwiw!
@kaolis Ahh… my bad. Thanks for that correction. Still appears to be very much in my wheelhouse, though. Looking forward to trying it!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2013 Provenance Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot - $40 = 14.80%
When I got this bottle I was pretty excited as I love Merlot and this being a 2013 it has several years in the bottle should be very drinkable.
On the cork I got some good scents of cherry, leather and plum. It was a very rich, deep garnet red in color. On the first taste I definitely noticed that it was very dry. And had good tannins. When drinking it there was that satisfying full, lush mouthfeel. The taste expressed what was on the cork with dark cherry, plum, dates, tobacco and leather. There was just a hint of blackberry or black raspberry at the end.
It is a classic dry red to me. I’d already planned out dinner before getting the shipping notice so I had it with meatballs and fresh pasta with a tomato parmesan sauce. It held up very well, but I would have preferred having it with a nice steak. Definitely has the weight to stand up to a good piece of red meat.
After being open an hour or so it smoothed out a bit. Still quite dry with a lush mouthfeel, but more raspberry and plum than the big hit of leather and tobacco when the bottle was first opened. It’s mellowed into a nice well rounded flavor. Still has the different elements, but it’s not as sharp.
I left about ⅔ of the bottle to sit overnight. It is still nice and slightly complex with all the dryness and tannins of the day before. I’m getting a bit more leather on the front and it sticks around a little longer than the previous day. Today the tobacco has backed off and I’m getting the black tea the description on the internet said was there.
Overall it was a solid Merlot that was slightly on the heavier side. I would want to drink it paired with food more than having it as a glass or two in the evening, but I tend to enjoy slightly less full wines as standalone sippers. It was definitely tasty, but didn’t knock me of my feet. Decent buy at these prices though.
@firstgeer I cannot get pictures to work. And the edit button went away by the time I looked up what the Code was. Sorry!
@firstgeer @rjquillin should be able to assist…
@firstgeer Use the mountain/moon icon at the bottom of the edit window when you are composing.
pics must be jpg, png or img files and long urls to file sharing services frequently fail, as they don’t directly reference/link to the above file types.
I think I sorted out what I found, but may have missed a few things.
Anyone in SF (or near SF in Bay Area) interested in a split? I could go for six at that price (plus I have free shipping) if anyone wants a half case? LMK.