#1 Top 100 Wines of  the USA 2021 vintage ~ 2024 edition by James Suckling 
#96 Wine Spectator Top 100 (2012 edition - 2009 vintage)
 
Highly allocated!
The 2022 Pahlmeyer Merlot is generous yet structured, a dynamic interplay of intensity and vibrancy.  Aromas of brambly blackberry, macerated black cherry, and wild raspberry rise from the glass, underscored by crushed peppercorn, fresh sage, and a hint of forest floor. On the palate, a rich core of dark plum and fresh fig is wrapped in plush, velvety tannins, while savory, earthy notes emerge with time: tobacco leaf, cocoa nib, and plowed earth.  The finish is long and lifted, carried by the wine’s natural energy and a lingering touch of violet and warm spice.  With its dark fruit core amplified in its youth, this wine will evolve beautifully over the next decade, developing further nuance and refinement.
— Winemaker Katie Vogt
Blend: 98% Merlot, 2% Malbec in 82% new French oak barrels for 18 months.
 
Pahlmeyer was founded in 1986, by a desire to be great by its eponymous creator Jayson Pahlmeyer. With a dream to create a California Mouton, Jayson and his partners spared no resource to make this dream a reality. Whether it was finding the perfect piece of land high atop Napa Valley’s Atlas Peak or covertly smuggling in Bordeaux cuttings, all pieces of Pahlmeyer’s history have led to its place as one of the top brand names from Napa Valley. From the very beginning, Pahlmeyer has been dedicated to crafting fine wines from the best fruit sources possible. In California, this means high elevation mountain sites, where the grapes are afforded more sunlight, cooler temperatures, and less fertile soils, which together create ideal conditions. Pahlmeyer sources the majority of their fruit from four key locations: Pahlmeyer Estate (Atlas Peak), Stagecoach (Atlas Peak / Pritchard Hill), Rancho Chimiles, and Antica.