A Leap Ahead: Stag's Leap 2006 Napa Valley Merlot

By Claudia Evans
Many a Merlot has been consumed and enjoyed at Chez Evans - its luscious mouth-feel, delicious plum tones and toasty finish are often what we crave with a juicy t-bone or angus hamburger.

As much as we love Merlot, we can truly say, we've never fully tasted or appreciated the Merlot grape, until Stag's Leap came into our lives.

Like a newborn baby, he was carried gently into the fold of my husband's arm one evening.

"I know you're making beef pot pie tonight and thought you might like to give this a whirl." he said.

My eyes perked up, and I licked my lips in anticipation. I recently read about how this winery caused an international sensation in the wine industry back in 1976, and helped put California on the map in terms of competing against Old World wines.

I set the table in great eagerness, and got out the large Merlot glasses (also called Bordeaux glasses), so that I could fully appreciate the aroma of this bold, deep red wine.

As I put the finishing touches on the beef pie, I opened the bottle and could smell the rich plum toasty aroma right away.

My husband peeked in on dinner, and commented on the aroma as well. "Wow, I hope that wine is as good as it smells!" he cheered.

And it was.

The color is a deep, ruby red that was so dark we could not see our fingers behind the glass.

The aroma is lush, with bursting up-front, concentrated fruit flavors you enjoy in a well-crafted California red. Stag's Leap grapes are grown in the Napa Valley, where dry volcanic ash minerals, as well as cobble, gravel and a deeper layer of sand make the vines a little on the thirsty side (and are more concentrated and full-flavored as a result).

"I love the balance," Steve says, "and the mouth-feel is rich, plush and velvety smooth."

Folks, many wines are good, enjoyable companions to a tasty meal.

And a fraction, a mere fraction of those wines are memorable - they stand apart and far above the everyday hustle and bustle of the busy supermarket and wine store aisles.

They are the Michelangelo's, the Da Vinci's, the Rafael's of the wine world.

And Stag's Leap deserves to be shelved alongside those we call the "Elite Wines" (receiving a Wine Spectator award rating of 90 and above; this particular bottle received a 93.).

The Stag's Leap Merlot, 2006 Napa Valley has ruined us for other Merlots.

At $40 the bottle, we can't afford to drink it every day, but we will gladly forgo a bottle or two in order to have this delicious bottle instead.

A Wine for All Seasons copyright © by Claudia and Steve Evans. All rights reserved.