Pahlmeyer Jayson Red Blend 2022 - 750ml

94pts James Suckling

A full-bodied wine driven by merlot but with the structure and density of a cabernet sauvignon. Very dry and firm in tannins, with black fruit, graphite, and espresso flavors complemented by spicy flavors like black pepper, cardamon, and toasted almonds. Blended from 77% merlot plus smaller amounts of petit verdot, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc. Drink now or hold.

93pts Decanter

Leaps out of the glass with dusty red berry fruit and currant character, alongside cola nut and walnut husk. Plush plum and dark berry fruit shine, thanks to a healthy dose of Merlot, complemented by fragrant baking spices and rich loamy earth notes. Medium-bodied with gentle tannins, supported by a nice grippy acidity and length, nuanced by mocha and spicy garrigue notes. Easy-going yet wonderfully stylish in 2022. Grape sources include William Hill and Broken Rock in Napa, Stagecoach, Waters, and Round Pond in Rutherford, along with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from the iconic Monte Rosso Vineyard in Sonoma. Grapes are sorted by hand, fermented in stainless steel with a small percentage in oak tanks, and then aged for 15 months in 65% new French oak. 51% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec.

92pts Wine Enthusiast

Bold, satisfying and flavorful, this red blend delivers rich, ripe fruits spun through with spices and chocolate. The tannins are fine while palate coating, balanced by just enough acidity carrying into a long finish.

91pts Wine Spectator

A handsomely structured version, with refined black currant, espresso, tomato leaf and toasty spice flavors that persist toward medium-grained tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2032. 5,812 cases made.

Winemaker Notes

The 2022 Jayson Red Wine is rich and fleshy, with mountain-grown Merlot at its core. Expressive aromas of crushed black cherry, mushroom, and leather lead to a ripe, focused palate of black cherry and black currant laced with mocha and toasty spice. The mid-palate is mouth-filling and plush with caressing polished tannins that guide the interlaid flavors long through a pure, persistent finish.

Blend:  51% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Winery Notes

Pahlmeyer was founded in 1986, by a desire to be great 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.