The Meritage showcases our Estate vineyards to the fullest, rich in fruit, deep in structure and soft and silky on the finish. A wine that carries the intensity and structure of the most renowned wines in the Napa Valley while being at the same time a unique wine specific to our site. In creating this wine, I selected the best lots of each of the varieties, then incorporated each variety into the final blend. As the characteristics of the vintage change each component, the blend composition will change over time. Constant however will be the vision to make a balanced and expressive blend that showcases the terrior from the Silverado Bench at William Hill Estates.

Despite inclement weather conditions, the 2006 harvest was marked as an exceptional vintage. Winter began with extreme rainfall causing flooding in much of Napa Valley. The rain continued into early spring and the cool, wet weather delayed bud break by a few weeks. However, the sun came out in early June allowing the vines to bloom and set fruit. A 10 day streak of record heat in July helped catch the vines up to a “normal” place in the growing season. The return of cooler weather in fall allowed for moderately paced and deliberate ripening which was ideal for developing premium grapes with good complexity, acid and flavor.

The grapes were hand harvested in the cool early hours of the morning between September 14th and October 28th. The grapes were cold soaked for two days, then extractive fermentation to maximize ripe tannins was followed by extended maceration to enhance the finesse of the young wine lots, with an average of 25 days skin contact. Following pressing, malolactic fermentation was completed in tank, after which the wines were racked to new French oak barrels for maturation. All five grapes varieties were fermented and barreled separately. The lots were aged for 16 months before blending then were returned to barrel for a further 3 months of maturation before bottling.

This wine pairs well with grilled and roasted red meats.

SHIPPING ADVISORY: We strongly encourage Express or Climate Controlled shipping to protect your wine purchases. UPS and Fed Ex do not insure against damage caused by weather. Climate control uses a refridgerated truck for transportation from Napa Valley to to a regional hub and then is handed to the carrier for 1 - 2 day delivery. Trucks leave once a week, hence the longer delivery time. Please call 888-909-9463 with questions.