Wines

The 2017 La Jota Merlot showcases dark ripe berries, black cherry, and espresso bean. A broad textural impact charms the mid-palate and classic Howell Mountain minerality drives the long, opulent finish.

This wine, made to honor Howell Mountain vineyard pioneer W.S. Keyes, comes from some of the most highly prized Merlot vineyard land in the country. Winfield S. Keyes first planted grapes in this rugged vineyard in 1888, noting that the rocky, shallow soils here reminded him of Mediterranean islands near Sicily. Very much like his neighbor, the La Jota Vineyard Co., he was convinced that Howell Mountain’s high altitude and abundant sunlight could produce wines of great depth, complexity and ageability.

The 2016 vintage had an early beginning as we had a near perfect spring season. The growing conditions during the summer had few extremes, however, the ripening period was almost ideal with a brief late September heat spike. Just a touch of rain rounded out the end of October wrapping up a great season overall.  In the bottle, the W.S. Keyes Merlot shows rich mocha,  blackberry, and blueberry pie that capture the classic La Jota combination of intense fruit and complexity. The finish is structured with a well-balanced acidity.