2014 La Jota Merlot Howell Mountain
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Tasting notes
The 2014 Merlot is a beauty that shows how good this variety can be on its own. Aged 19 months in 76% new French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered, it offers classic black cherry and plum fruit as well as complex notes of spice-box, chocolate, and dried flowers. With a ripe, sexy personality, nicely integrated acidity, no hard edges and impressive purity of fruit, drink bottles anytime over the coming 15-20 years. Winemaker Chris Carpenter (of Lokoya, Cardinale) also works his magic with these releases from la Jota, which come all from Howell Mountain fruit. I wasn’t able to taste their 2015s, but the 2014s are terrific, classic, age-worthy wines.
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Robert Parker
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
La Jota's 2014 Merlot is vibrant and powerful, partly from the inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in the blend. A spine of tannin and acidity shapes the wine nicely. Dark plum, cherry, spice, licorice and lavender flesh out in the glass. Unctuous and deep, but with tremendous depth and plenty of mountain character, the 2014 Merlot is a winner from La Jota.
The 2014 Merlot is 90% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot aged in 76% new French oak. Carpenter told me that this wine emerges from a micro-terroir within the vineyard that has traditionally under-performed, but due to draconian crop-pruning and tiny yields, it has turned out to be a “rock star” in 2014. Dense purple, with a big, sweet kiss of mulberry, chocolate, mocha and coffee, the wine is luscious, fleshy, dramatic and even flamboyant, with fabulous fruit on the attack and mid-palate, silky tannin and a plush, layered mouthfeel. It is already drinking beautifully (as most 2014s are) and will continue to evolve nicely for another 12-15+ years.