2021 Ty Caton Estate Upper Bench Merlot, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Valley
91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
This elegant Merlot greets the nose with rich aromas of ripe cherry and violets, followed by a lush mouth feel with layers of blackberry, currant, and a touch of chocolate. These flavors combine with soft and supple tannins to create a long, silky smooth finish.
Caton Vineyard
Located in the foothills of Moon Mountain District, the Caton Vineyard is defined by its sustainable farming and belief that healthier vineyards produce unique and distinctive wines. 3.13 acres of Clone 3 Merlot is planted with East-West row direction leading into a ravine. The deep, rocky volcanic soil on the vineyard is rich with iron clay - an ideal atmosphere for producing the highest quality crop with slow, even ripening.
2021 Vintage Notes
The 2021 harvest is reported to be one of the best vintages in recent harvests for Northern California. The ongoing drought presented some challenges – limited rainfall and warm growing conditions throughout the summer months resulted in a speedy harvest with lighter yields. The conditions brought smaller berries with exceptional quality and concentrated flavors.
Ty Caton Vineyards is committed to producing the finest wines made from the highest quality grapes and wine-making dedication at its best. Our limited production allows us to handcraft wines with varietal intensity and balance.
Specs
Varietal: 100% Merlot
Farming Practices: Certified Sustainable
Appellation: Moon Mountain District ~ Sonoma Valley
Region: Estate Grown, Caton Vineyard
Cooperage: 18 months, 60% new French Oak
Alcohol: 14.3%
Bottling Date: April 2022
Production: 400 Cases
What’s Included
3-bottles:
3x 2021 Ty Caton Estate Upper Bench Merlot, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Valley Case:
12x 2021 Ty Caton Estate Upper Bench Merlot, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Valley
At Ty Caton Vineyards, our commitment to excellence begins in the Caton Vineyard, where winemaker Ty Caton sustainably farms the hillside fruit used in his Moon Mountain District wine. As one of the few exclusively estate producers in Sonoma Valley, Ty works with grapes from soil to glass by enabling him to make extraordinary wines that showcase the vineyard. Ty Caton wines have received critical acclaim in world-renowned wine publications and competitions, including many Best of Class honors. As a grape grower and winemaker, Ty strives to produce the “wow factor” by making wines that are bold, beautifully structured, and are a true representation of the vineyards they come from.
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
2021 Ty Caton Estate Upper Bench Merlot
3 bottles for $69.99 $23.33/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $219.99 $18.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
I do NOT need more wine. But I have such amazing past experiences with Ty Caton’s wines that I cannot let this pass me by. I think I’ll order 3 but I’m quite tempted to make it a case. I think this wine will be great for at least five years.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2021 Ty Caton Estate Upper Bench Merlot - $60 = 21.42%
Friday? Wheeeeeeeeee!!.. no, WE:
91 points. Aromas of juicy berry, milk chocolate and caramel lift the nose of this Merlot, while the palate brings on flavors of roasted cherry, spiced fig and toasty barrel spices before an acid-driven finish with echoes of spice and earthy minerality. — Tom R. Capo 4/1/25
jancisrobinson.com chimes in:
16.5+ Deep ruby. Reduced and gravelly on the nose with ripe black fruit and a hint of passion fruit and guava. Sticky gum-climbing tannin and fresh acidity. Not the longest but well balanced. Drink 2025 - 2033 Samantha Cole-Johnson 12/16/24
Always exciting to get a labrat notification, but opening the box and seeing Ty Caton was a huge treat.
Full disclosure - Ty Caton 2003 Cabernet was one of our first purchases at the old site, fell in love with his wines then. We’ve been club members for at least 15, maybe 20 years at this point. I’ve had a ton of the Upper Bench wines in general, and know this merlot very well. The current club release was for the 2022 vintage of this.
The package for the wine had a bit of delay, so this didn’t get delivered until Wednesday, and I think was still a little walloped from the heat, so this particular bottle was a bit muted compared to how it would usually be.
In general, Ty’s wines are big and balanced. This is not a subtle euro style wine, it’s very CA and bold, but he does an incredible job of not making a fruit bomb or something super oaky.
The Upper Bench merlot is a relatively small plot, I think only 7 acres or so from what I remember. I have always enjoyed the wines from it. Lots of dark fruit - cherry, blackberry, but then a good acidity and tannins to balance all of it out. The oak in this bottle is restrained compared to a lot of bigger CA merlot, which I appreciate.
I would have loved to get this a day earlier to bring the temp of it down a bit and give it a longer chance to breathe more after opening it. Nothing wrong with the bottle we got, but I do feel like it was muted a bit compared to the club wine we got earlier this year.
<$20 a bottle for this is a little nuts at the case price. Should be an autobuy for anyone that likes bigger CA style wines. Going in for two cases for certain
2021 Ty Caton Estate Upper Bench Merlot, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Valley
91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
Caton Vineyard
2021 Vintage Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$540.00/Case for 12x 2021 Ty Caton Estate Upper Bench Merlot, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Valley at Ty Caton Vineyards
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Sep 8 - Tuesday, Sep 9
2021 Ty Caton Estate Upper Bench Merlot
3 bottles for $69.99 $23.33/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $219.99 $18.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
I forecast a 2001/2021
horizontaldouble decade vertical tasting in my future.Possibly with some 2009 tossed in.
@rjquillin I feel so bad for you
@rjquillin Vertical?
@davirom
@rjquillin I wish I could redact some of the things I have posted on CM
.
@davirom @rjquillin I think he was referring to the position he’d be in after the vertical tasting.
I do NOT need more wine. But I have such amazing past experiences with Ty Caton’s wines that I cannot let this pass me by. I think I’ll order 3 but I’m quite tempted to make it a case. I think this wine will be great for at least five years.
@daviator 5? Try 15. I just had a 04 and it was very nice.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2021 Ty Caton Estate Upper Bench Merlot - $60 = 21.42%
Friday? Wheeeeeeeeee!!.. no, WE:
91 points. Aromas of juicy berry, milk chocolate and caramel lift the nose of this Merlot, while the palate brings on flavors of roasted cherry, spiced fig and toasty barrel spices before an acid-driven finish with echoes of spice and earthy minerality. — Tom R. Capo 4/1/25
jancisrobinson.com chimes in:
16.5+ Deep ruby. Reduced and gravelly on the nose with ripe black fruit and a hint of passion fruit and guava. Sticky gum-climbing tannin and fresh acidity. Not the longest but well balanced. Drink 2025 - 2033 Samantha Cole-Johnson 12/16/24
fwiw
@kaolis Gum-climbing, eh?
Always exciting to get a labrat notification, but opening the box and seeing Ty Caton was a huge treat.
Full disclosure - Ty Caton 2003 Cabernet was one of our first purchases at the old site, fell in love with his wines then. We’ve been club members for at least 15, maybe 20 years at this point. I’ve had a ton of the Upper Bench wines in general, and know this merlot very well. The current club release was for the 2022 vintage of this.
The package for the wine had a bit of delay, so this didn’t get delivered until Wednesday, and I think was still a little walloped from the heat, so this particular bottle was a bit muted compared to how it would usually be.
In general, Ty’s wines are big and balanced. This is not a subtle euro style wine, it’s very CA and bold, but he does an incredible job of not making a fruit bomb or something super oaky.
The Upper Bench merlot is a relatively small plot, I think only 7 acres or so from what I remember. I have always enjoyed the wines from it. Lots of dark fruit - cherry, blackberry, but then a good acidity and tannins to balance all of it out. The oak in this bottle is restrained compared to a lot of bigger CA merlot, which I appreciate.
I would have loved to get this a day earlier to bring the temp of it down a bit and give it a longer chance to breathe more after opening it. Nothing wrong with the bottle we got, but I do feel like it was muted a bit compared to the club wine we got earlier this year.
<$20 a bottle for this is a little nuts at the case price. Should be an autobuy for anyone that likes bigger CA style wines. Going in for two cases for certain
Alright, been waiting for some merlot here. What a bonus to be from Ty. In for a case. Awesome!
POPSOCKETS! COURT DOCKETS! FOLK ROCK HITS! AWESOME!
@WineTY
Is this the same vineyard as that that '01 you brought and I purchased at the WD party?
Any chance you have some '11 in a dusty corner?
@rjquillin Yes sir!
@WineTy
To the vineyard, and/or you actually have a library bottle you could part with? That would rock a tasting!
Good to see you back on the daily thread
Yes, I have library wines, including the 2011 Merlot.
@WineTy so when do we get the random TyC library offer?
@klezman @WineTy Thats a great idea.
Jumped on this early-afraid of a sellout_Ty’s wines are always special
Any SE MI interest?
If someone in SoCal wants to offload a couple of bottles, lmk.
Received this today with no notification. Order still shows processing. Glad someone was home.