Reviews & Ratings

2012 Rocca Family Vineyards Merlot "Grigsby Vineyard"

Winery: Rocca Family Vineyards

Vintage: 2012

Wine Name/Vineyard: "Grigsby Vineyard"

Wine Category: Merlot

Grape blend: 96% Merlot & 4% Cabernet Sauvignon

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Yountville

State or country: CA

Price: $55

Cases produced: 189

KWG Score: 89.7 (based on 4 reviews)

Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good+ (91)

Review date: February 27, 2015

Wine Review: Some of the better wines that I covered at this year's Boston Wine Expo were Merlot's. This one from Rocca was one of them. This dark ruby colored offering opens with a very inviting blueberry bouquet. On the palate this wine is full bodied, slightly acidic, rich and fruit forward. Those fruits are tasty blueberries with notes of oak and black plum. The finish is dry and its flavors linger nicely. This Napa Merlot is very food friendly and would pair well with a filet mignon. Enjoy – Ken

Winemaker Notes: For those of us who have always loved the subtle, refined beauty of great Merlot, the 2012 Grigsby Vineyard Merlot is perfect evidence to support our case. This wine is all about elegance, grace, and balance. The aromas here are rich and pure, built on a core of ripe red cherries and delicately framed with sophisticated notes of crushed gravel, spicy oak, and vineyard dust. The impression on the palate is remarkably lush and sumptuous, with darker fruit that brings to mind deliciously sweet black cherries. There’s gorgeous weight and presence here, and the structure is classic Rocca Merlot: rich and full-bodied, with ample but beautifully polished tannins that convey a distinct sense of finesse and refinement. Our Grigsby Vineyard’s lively acidity keeps the long, pure finish precise and focused, and there’s a lovely closing flourish of stony minerality.

Buy it: Use 1000 Corks to find stores that sell Rocca 2012 Grigsby Merlot.