Pahlmeyer Merlot 2022
(Napa Valley, California) - [DM 94] [WA 92]

About the Winery:
Pahlmeyer was founded in 1986, by its eponymous creator Jayson Pahlmeyer. With a dream to create a California Mouton, Jayson and his partners spared no resource to make this dream a reality. Whether it was finding the perfect piece of land high atop Napa Valley’s Atlas Peak or covertly smuggling in Bordeaux cuttings, all pieces of Pahlmeyer’s history have led to its place as one of the top brand names from Napa Valley. From the very beginning, Pahlmeyer has been dedicated to crafting fine wines from the best fruit sources possible. In California, this means high elevation mountain sites, where the grapes are afforded more sunlight, cooler temperatures, and less fertile soils, which together create ideal conditions. Pahlmeyer sources the majority of their fruit from four key locations: Pahlmeyer Estate (Atlas Peak), Stagecoach (Atlas Peak / Pritchard Hill), Rancho Chimiles, and Antica.

About this Wine:
The 2022 Pahlmeyer Merlot is generous yet structured, a dynamic interplay of intensity and vibrancy.  Aromas of brambly blackberry, macerated black cherry, and wild raspberry rise from the glass, underscored by crushed peppercorn, fresh sage, and a hint of forest floor. On the palate, a rich core of dark plum and fresh fig is wrapped in plush, velvety tannins, while savory, earthy notes emerge with time: tobacco leaf, cocoa nib, and plowed earth.  The finish is long and lifted, carried by the wine’s natural energy and a lingering touch of violet and warm spice.  With its dark fruit core amplified in its youth, this wine will evolve beautifully over the next decade, developing further nuance and refinement. 

We hand harvested each of our high-elevation sites in the cool of night. At the winery, the clusters were meticulously hand sorted and destemmed, with only the most perfect berries delivered to the tank. Fruit was gently and slowly extracted, spending up to 18 days on skins. Free-run juice was then collected overnight and aged separately from press cuts. We aged the wine in 82% new French oak barrels for 18 months. Select lots were carefully blended, with a touch of Malbec lending even more plushness and depth. The wine was bottled without fining or filtering in May 2024, enjoying additional bottle age before release.  — Winemaker Katie Vogt

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"The 2022 Pahlmeyer Merlot leans heavily on Waters Ranch at the southernmost end of Atlas Peak, perched on a ridgeline with views of the city of Napa and the San Pablo Bay. This Merlot showcases wonderfully classic character, with spiced plums and mocha notes building into a mid-palate of impressive length, power, and fruit density. Bright savoury elements—black truffle and loamy earth—add depth, while the wine maintains excellent length and driving energy. One of the most effortlessly drinkable and charming Merlots from this label, perfect to enjoy now while vintages like 2021 and 2019 continue to evolve." - Jonathan Cristaldi (Feb 2025)

92 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2022 Merlot relies more on the Waters Ranch (70%), as it has some deeper soils than Stagecoach and the irrigation at this 60-acre site may've been more efficient, according to winemaker Katie Vogt. Ripe cherries and deep loam notes lead the way, with this vintage not showing much in the way of herbal complexity on the nose. The wine is full-bodied, open-knit and velvety yet avoids any coarseness, finishing with ample length and hints of mocha." - Joe Czerwinski (Jun 2025