Meadowcroft Napa Valley Reserve Merlot 3-Pack
$54.99 $138.00 60% off List Price
2011 Meadowcroft Reserve Merlot, Napa Valley
CT link above
What’s the reserve designation mean for this wine? There’s no regular bottling in their website to buy.
When I glanced quickly at the page I thought the brand was Microsoft.
I’m guessing this (from the Winery tab); "All Meadowcroft Wines are signature reserve wines that are vineyard designated, using premium fruit from sustainable and responsible vineyards, including our own, from throughout Northern California. "
Presumably the fact that they are vineyard designated wines qualifies them for “reserve” status. My question is… does “vineyard designate” mean the same thing as “single vineyard”? If so, which vineyard were the grapes sourced from for this Merlot?
Then you only want to buy every other vintage. 
Too funny!
Also sad that it’s true.
Edit to say that I meant true about Microsoft I have no information about this wine.
I don’t drink much Merlot, but a regular price point of $46/bottle seems high end to me?
small production and also a unique blend that we have never made before makes this a very limited product
Well Microsoft certainly has their finger in a lot of things…When I was making wine in Seattle, I got started with the Boeing wine club picking grapes in the Yakima Valley!
There is a lot of vernacular surrounding all this wine language of reserve, single vineyard, vineyard specific, vineyard block designation and so on. Personally I am not happy with it: I find it a distraction from the actual creation of the wine and would love more dialogue around what makes a good wine. Yet I can walk and chew gum so can discuss both…
Perhaps one day we can drill down to the fact that every vine in a vineyard has its own environment and voice…
So many Bordeaux style reds, whether produced in the USA, Italy, Argentina, or Bordeaux have a significant Merlot component in the varietal mix. Comparing wine blends to a jazz ensemble is a helpful analogy: You can have some musical pieces that focus on showcasing the horn or piano, with other musical instruments playing a vital role such as the saxophone. The merlot has not been given its due respect as being part of the Bordeaux heritage…ugly step child? Hardly in my opinion. Merlot is a virtuoso in this wine blend I created.
Hear, hear! Right bank Bordeaux wines such as Chateaux Cheval Blanc and Chateaux Petrus have a high percentage of Merlot and drink just fine in my opinion. If only those idiots in “Sideways” hadn’t dissed Merlot for whatever reason!
Agreed.
Many of the designates are helpful though, one of the default questions we ask when we see a wine labeled “reserve” is where’s the non-reserve? Because without a non-reserve the designation makes zero sense. I personally would prefer to see more info on vineyard on the label vs calling it a reserve.
Not taking anything away from the wine being offered today and simply being here on wine.woot is typically a declaration of good QPR. So I’m sure this is a good wine.
Do you keep bees as well? I noticed the symbol on the label.
I guess I killed this thread…
I’d rather liked to hear a bit more detail from Tom, but I guess not. Still, looks interesting.
Tom, how does this compare to the 2006?
Any other vintages?
Ed, how’s your dog, and couch?
Well I hope.
I’m back! had to get to some other winemaking stuff…thanks for all the support, Cheers Tom
The vineyard I own on Mt Veeder has a 100’s of acres of forest land surrounding it, and lets say that the bees make their home there along with a multitude of other bioflora. Nature at its best.
Thanks for asking. The dogs are doing just fine and the couch had to be re-covered due to the fact it is their favorite place to sleep.