On Trail Vineyard Estate Hound Merlot Oak Knoll District 2021

After twenty years in business, ACME's tenured position in the industry puts us in front of many excellent debut releases. We hear about them first because our friendships with winemakers and winegrowers run deep. And while it is good fun to sell new wines made by flashy winemakers (you probably know this roll-call by heart if you've been with us for a while), we take even more joy in sharing wines made by names you've never heard of. Do you know Jim Fassio of Ozegna Vineyard? We bet not! Jim surprised us with a visit to the shop a few months ago to introduce his first-ever proprietary wine. He is a longtime grower in the valley - fruit from his Ozegna Vineyard is made into a single vineyard Cabernet for Nickel and Nickel every year. In 2021, after many years of nurturing and growing grapes for some of the most prominent wineries in the Napa Valley, Jim decided to take a ton of Merlot for himself. 

The Ozegna Vineyard is in the Oak Knoll District, an AVA that is often dismissed when discussing the great growing regions of Napa Valley. It isn't that the AVA doesn't deliver quality, but instead that it is small and sparsely populated. Located on the western bench of the valley, the Ozegna Vineyard experiences moderate temperatures year-round, allowing the fruit to ripen slowly. OKD enjoys the most extended growing season for Bordeaux varietals in Napa Valley, in large part due to the marine influence of the San Pablo Bay. This extended hang-time gives the grapes additional time to develop complex and delicious phenolics which are the compounds that you can thank for the myriad of flavors in a wine. 

On Trail's debut offering is 100% Merlot and oh-so drinkable! The texture of this wine is what grabbed us immediately: a bit chewy, mouth-coating, and soft. The palate is plummy and fruitful, with medium-plus acidity that brings the wine to life. Come to this wine with an open heart - although Merlot has gotten a bad rap over the last ten years, this wine is perfectly balanced and would be a great compliment to any protein on your dinner table. What a joy it is to uncover these delightful hidden gems!