1998 Profile
Varietals
76% Cabernet Sauvignon
17% Merlot
4% Petit Verdot
3% Cabernet Franc
Appellation
Napa Valley
Alcohol
14.5% by volume
Flavor Profile
Profile is a blend of our best lots of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, chosen for their concentration, depth of flavor and fine tannin structure. This wine was aged in new French oak chateau barrels and bottled unfiltered
- Vineyard Notes
Cabernet Sauvignon: Beckstoffer –Vineyard Georges III, Slawson, Bayview-Zinfandel Lane. Merlot: Showket, Poe. Petit Verdot: Thorevilos. Cabernet Franc: Caldwell.
- From Wine Enthusiast: “Sleek, smooth and elegant...
“… with fine tannins that frame a wine that’s flush with plum, cassis, anise, herb and chocolate flavors. Plush and velvety on the palate, it’s got a finish that doesn’t quit. Cabernet doesn’t get much better, anytime or anywhere. Cellar Selection.” – Jeff Morgan [96 POINTS]
- From 'Proud Family Winery': The Calgary Sun: 'For six years, the Napa...
Feature on comp tasting series (w/photo of PF). Excerpts: For six years, the Napa winery has conducted a no-holds-barred blind tasting of its Profile cabernet sauvignon blend against some of the region’s other heavy hitters. So confident is Merryvale, it gathers wine critics from 10 different North American cities every year to taste eight wines blind. It’s a bold initiative and one that speaks volumes for this proud family-run winery… Profile 1998: Our gracious hosts placed a respectable fourth in this tasting — and, believe me, one through four were very close. This is a sleek, striking wine with plum, dark chocolate, cassis and layers of berries. The finish is long and satisfying and reveals more of this wine’s complexity. – Rick VanSickle
- From Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine: “Apart from the well-populated...
“… collection of hollow, rather underfiled 1998 Cabernets, this fleshy, well-extracted oung Cabernet is a wine you can sink your teeth into. Deep and dense, if not yet a flashy wine, it balances cassis and fine oak qualities throughout, and it has all the fruity substance it needs to justify its ample tannins. Not at all a candidate for drinking anytime soon, it needs five-plus years of patience.” – Charles Olken [92 POINTS]
- From CA's Best Wines: The Wine News
Honorable Mention: – Steve Pitcher
- From California Grapevine: “Medium-dark ruby...
“… attractive, rich, plummy, cedary, slightly herbaceous, sweet red currant and red berry fruit aroma; medium-full body; moderately rich, concentrated, cedary, red currant flavors with oaky overtones; medium-full to full tannin; rough, slightly tart, hard finish; lingering aftertaste. Highly recommended though would have liked a bit more richness. Group score: 15/7 (out of 20). Nick Ponomareff’s score: 16.5. (88 / 100).” – Nick Ponomareff [Highly Recommended]
- From Most Compelling Wines: wineauthority.com: "From the barrel samples...
“…, and the 98 Profile, a Cabernet based reserve blend with layers of red and black fruit and interesting hints of spicy oak… “– Bob Cranston [ Impressive]
- From Pick of the Week: Syndicated Newspaper: “A beautifully made representative...
“…of a difficult vintage, the Merryvale Profile 1998, Napa Valley, blends 76 percent cabernet sauvignon, 17 percent merlot, 4 percent petit verdot and 3 percent cabernet franc for tremendous intensity, presence and gravity. Broad and generous in effect, deeply plummy, dusty, ripe, fleshy and minerally, thick and chewy, the wine nonetheless translates these sensual elements to riveting dryness and an austere finish. Terrific potential in four to 10 years.” – Fredric Koeppel