Yannick Rousseau Pepe Merlot 2021

97% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon aus dem Cavedale Vineyard in den Mayacamas Mountains; spontanvergoren, 20 Monate in französischer Eiche (50% neue Fässer von der Tonnellerie de Jarnac); nur 109 Kisten produziert;

- NOTIZEN DES WEINGUTS: „Pépé, Yannick’s French Grandpa, loves Merlot. He used to own a small family Merlot vineyard and he made 5-6 barrels every year in his garage to share family and friends. 97% Merlot / 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fermented using native yeasts. Barrel-aged for 20 months. 50% new French Oak ~ Tonnellerie de Jarnac.
Tasting notes: 2021 is a stunning vintage!  It has all the attributes that make the Mayacamas Mountain range one of the best places in the world to grow Merlot. The nose is precise, complex, and deeply generous with a lot of finesse showing a “mélange” of black cherries, dry sage and fresh cacao.  The mouth is robustly energetic…exhibiting a silkiness and juiciness inviting us in with its savory notes and dark berries. Elegant tannins lead the way with a long and balanced finish. Drink between 2024 (after decanting) and 2035.“

- NOTIZEN VOM RÜCKETIKETT: „PEPE, YANNICK’S FRENCH GRANDPA, loves Merlot. Yannick found two ultra-premium Napa Valley vineyards that inspired him to craft a wine for him. Bold and racy, this merlot displays pure aromas, strong chracter and old world elegance. Pepe loves it and so will you.“

- Tipp JoS: „Seit dem Film Sideways ist Merlot aus der Mode gekommen. Wenn man diesen Wein probiert, kann man in keiner Weise verstehen warum. Er ist unheimlich attraktiv, mit Aromen von schwarzen und roten Kirschen, edlem Kakaopulver, Schokolade, Röstaromen und kühle, edle Vanille; am Gaumen kraftvoll und intensiv, mit perfekten, sanften Tanninen, mittlere Säure, extrem präzise und frisch, klar und kühl wirkend wie ein Hochgebirgsbach; tolle Energie, mineralisch unterlegt, feinmollig Textur aber keinesfalls plump – ganz im Gegenteil; sehr langer Abgang. Ich liebe diesen Wein … leider gibt es nicht allzu viel davon!“

-Ian Cauble, Master Sommelier auf sommselect.com: “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)! (…) It’s time to face facts: ‘Sideways’ came out almost 20 years ago. Don’t let outdated notions keep you away from this undeniably serious and unabashedly delicious Merlot.”

-93 Punkte Tasting Panel Magazine: „Fruit from the Mount Veeder and Stags Leap AVAs brings this 97% Merlot and 3% Cab Sauvignon to liquid life. Barrel aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak, it’s a big, expressive red that stays savory thanks to notes of dark-chocolate espresso, black olive, pencil shavings, and sandalwood, but it finishes with bright enthusiasm.“