Coho was founded in 2002 and initially focused on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa’s sub-AVA of Coombsville—where many shrewd producers are currently flocking. Coho’s owner, Gary Lipp, has a long history in wine, having worked with names like Heitz, Mondavi, and Chappellet—where he met his now-lead winemaker, Phillip Corallo-Titus, one of Napa’s more prominent names. You may recognize him from his work at Chappellet, Titus, or Hertelendy (recently featured here). Alongside Phillip is Brittany Richards, who had stretches at Chappellet (which seems to be the starting point for Coho’s team) and Peter Michael Winery. 

Coombsville is the closest of the Napa AVAs to the cooling influence of the San Pablo Bay, and this, combined with the region’s volcanic soils, is what attracted veteran viticulturist and engineer Michael Black to the area. In 1987, he planted a vineyard on the rocky hillside outside his house, and has since propagated his own clone of Merlot for the site. As of 2004, Lipp began purchasing the entire production of the Michael Black Vineyard, not just for this Merlot bottling but for other Bordeaux-inspired wines under the Coho label.

This is a deep, dark, voluptuous Merlot, rich but also well-balanced. The 2014 was 95% Merlot with dashes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, aged 21 months in 45% new French oak barrels. You’ll find the concentration, dark fruit, and mineral backbone of a top-class Pomerol in this well-priced Napa red: notes of licorice, blackberry, and cocoa coat the palate without overwhelming with alcohol or extract. Yes, we are going to drink some f*%#ing Merlot, and we’re gonna love it!