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Farella-Park Vineyards, Napa Valley Merlot
For all of its mature complexities and ‘old-school’ gracefulness, Farella-Park’s 1996 Merlot-Cabernet is really quite simple to summarize: It’s downright stunning and performs like a world-class Bordeaux with supple doses of pure Napa fruit. True library releases don’t come along often and there aren’t many Napa wineries that have chosen to deliberately curtail sales by holding back wines in their cellars for decades—but it’s one of the most prudential exercises a winemaker can follow.
When classically crafted wines from pristine fruit are given proper time to evolve, the result of that patience can create one of the most memorable drinking experiences a person can have. Farella publicly released this 1996 Merlot in November of 2000, except for a small portion that was held back in their cool, dark cellars—the ones we have today. For 18 years, these bottles have been patiently waiting, untouched, for this day to arrive. Literally, as you read this, their small team is down in the cellar hand labeling each and every bottle you order. This is such a rare treat to experience the wonderfully classic wines of yesterday’s Napa from a highly respected grower-producer that has crafted long-aged, traditional gems since their humble beginnings.
When classically crafted wines from pristine fruit are given proper time to evolve, the result of that patience can create one of the most memorable drinking experiences a person can have. Farella publicly released this 1996 Merlot in November of 2000, except for a small portion that was held back in their cool, dark cellars—the ones we have today. For 18 years, these bottles have been patiently waiting, untouched, for this day to arrive. Literally, as you read this, their small team is down in the cellar hand labeling each and every bottle you order. This is such a rare treat to experience the wonderfully classic wines of yesterday’s Napa from a highly respected grower-producer that has crafted long-aged, traditional gems since their humble beginnings.
[**NOTE: Quantities are extremely limited, only four bottles per person until our stock runs dry.]
Great wines start with great raw materials, and starting in 1977, Frank Farella began growing premium raw materials in Napa Valley’s Coombsville area and, soon after, bottling wine in 1985. His son Tom came aboard in 1991 after returning from his intensive wine studies at UC Davis (where he focused on organic farming) and working at estates like Domaine Jacques Prieur in Meursault and Beaux Frères in Willamette Valley. Since the beginning, Farella’s fruit has been a staple for first-rate wineries around the region—Pahlmeyer, Far Niente, Merryvale, Lail, and Keenan, to name a few. As of 2009, they have shortened their name to Farella, but that’s about all that has changed at this small, family-run Napa winery. Traditional farm work and classically-styled wines has been their mantra since day one.
Farella’s eponymous flagship vineyard contains 26 acres of now 40-year-old vines in the southern reaches of Napa Valley’s Coombsville, which was granted AVA status in 2011—long after this 1996 bottling! The gravelly loam and ancient volcanic terroir here is home to several different varieties, but they’ve always held Merlot in high regard. Onto the wine itself: Harvest in 1996 came quickly with a mild winter that lead to their earliest-ever budbreak and, subsequently, an early harvest date. At the end of it, Tom Farella and his team selected a small crop for their Merlot production, so we can count ourselves lucky for the bottles that remain today! In their neighboring winery, the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were individually cold-soaked for two days and then fermented on their skins for nearly three weeks. The wine was then blended into French barrels, only 8% new, for 22 months. To keep with their traditional philosophies, it was bottled unfined and unfiltered and laid to rest for an additional period—18 years for today’s allocation!
Farella’s 1996 Merlot has retained impressive concentration and color over the years with a deep garnet red core and light brick-orange reflections on the rim. You may encounter some sediment, so if you want to avoid decanting, stand the bottle upright for one or two days before opening and pouring carefully. When we tasted our bottle—which, like yours, was labeled earlier that same morning, it showed unbelievably smooth aromas right off the bat. Soft, just-ripe notes of red and black plum, cassis, black cherry, and redcurrant, followed by stunning secondaries that grace the best ‘Right Bank’ Bordeaux: pencil lead, cedar, smoke, bay leaf, pipe tobacco, cacao, and the subtlest hint of baking spice. The palate is medium-plus in body with a velvet mouthfeel that progresses into a graceful finish. There are no edges or harsh tannins; simply smooth, layered, mature Merlot that has been perfectly integrated. The long and savory finish comes to a close with soft, plush fruit and the perfect interplay of earth and savor. Serve around 65 degrees in Bordeaux stems and enjoy over several hours while being sure to hold a spare bottle back in your cellar—this still has pulsating energy that will see it through another 5+ years! Farella's elegant Merlot deserves an equally elegant grilled lamb chops dish. It’s a pairing that is bound to make your dinner guests buzz with excitement. Cheers!
