Merlot is the wine equivalent of the most popular kid in high school: it’s admired and hated almost equally, in most cases. But you can’t hate Yannick Rousseau’s “Pépe.” You can try, out of some misguided slavishness to fashion, but you’ll fail—it’s just too charming, too attractive, too accomplished, too everything. 

It helps that Rousseau has one foot each in the Old and New World, infusing this saturated, mountain-grown Napa red with a soulful, earthy underpinning reminiscent of great Pomerol. And yes, I’d put it up against Pomerol reds costing twice, three times as much, just as I would have done with some of the benchmark Napa Merlots of yore. To all of us at SommSelect, this wine was a much-needed wake-up call—a welcome reminder that there is nothing at all wrong with pure, unabashed luxury. It’s seamless. It’s glossy. But it’s also a tiny-production labor of love (125 cases produced) full of authentic soil character and food-friendly savor. It’s “boutique” Napa red done right, so don’t miss the chance to grab some before it disappears.

Yannick Rousseau is one of Napa Valley’s ascendant superstars. He hails from Gascony, one of France’s gastronomic powerhouses—the land of such meaty treasures as cassoulet and foie gras. He comes from a long line of butchers, up to and including his father; “Pépé” pays homage to his grandfather, who tended a small Merlot vineyard at home and made 5-6 barrels of wine each vintage. In a break from family tradition, Yannick obtained a winemaking degree from the nearby university before moving to Madiran to study under the legendary Alain Brumont at Château Montus, who singlehandedly placed Southwest France’s favorite black grape, Tannat, on the world stage. 

After a few harvests, Yannick moved to California in 1999 and fell in love with the Valley...and then his wife, Susan. He worked for Newton Vineyards and Chateau Potelle before he and Susan struck out on their own. Their mission is to push boundaries in the Golden State, giving traditional Gasconian varieties like Colombard and Tannat a home in Napa. The winesare unmistakably Californian—rich and youthful and effortless—but there’s also the moderating influence of Mt. Veeder, where florality and structure and minerality triumph over big jammy fruit. In that confluence, Yannick’s winemaking conviction lies: “I’m always thinking about food when I make wine,” he says. “It is very important for a Frenchman that a wine pairs well with his repas!”

To that end, Yannick has paired high-elevation Mt. Veeder Merlot with fruit from the Stags Leap District. There’s also a splash of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. It has all the glorious dark fruit one might want from such an excellent vintage, while showing unequaled precision, complexity and the backbone mountainous fruit provides. Picked relatively early for freshness and verve, the grapes were barreled down for native fermentation and 18 months of élevage, in 50% new oak. As noted above, production of “Pépé” is extremely limited, like his grandfather’s was. Another thing is clear: No matter which side of the Old/New World divide you tend towards, you will be impressed with the incredible suavity this Merlot brings!

In the glass, Yannick’s 2018 Pépé Merlot displays a rich and saturated purple robe. After a 30- to 60-minute decant, it shows a voluminous nose of ripe red and black fruits, loamy earth, and violets. It’s aromatic, classic and enticing, but nowhere near so as the palate, which manages to be both effusive and finessed, offering a lot of deliciousness for a modest 14.2% ABV! Dark cherries and black raspberries are layered with cacao, cedar and other savory notes. There’s great energy throughout, leading to a long finish framed with elegant tannins, which should keep this bottle aging gracefully over the next decade (if you can keep your hands off it that long)! When you’re ready, pay homage to the Gascony butcher with simple grilled Toulouse Sausages or for a light spring supper, serve cool from the cellar with the following recipe.