Steele Stymie Merlot 2008

Stymie was a famous racehorse in mid-twentieth century American history. Stymie was known for never giving up the lead when he gained it. He was so infamous for this in fact that the horse callers brought the word into the English vernacular by calling out “They’ve been stymied again!!” whenever he pulled ahead. In 1950 Jed’s father, a newspaperman, wagered a bet on Stymie that paid off well. So well, in fact, that the winnings financed the Steele family’s move from New York to San Francisco. As a tribute to the horse and to Jed’s father, our Stymie label is reserved for rare, small production wines of the highest quality we produce.

Vineyards The grapes used to craft the Steele Stymie Merlot were grown by Floyd and Jolene Silva until we purchased their property in 2005. Known for quality fruit we've named this vineyard Steele Stymie bench Vineyard which located on a gravelly bench overlooking the Big Valley area of Lake County. An ideal location for growing Merlot vines.

Winemaking We use our typical Merlot warm fermentation on this wine. The wine was aged for 30 months in a hand-selected lot of French and American oak barrels. Because of the quality of the grapes, we chose to craft a rich, generous style of Merlot from this exceptional fruit. Total production of this wine is just 250 6-bottle cases.

Tasting Notes Stymie Bench Vineyard typically yields a Merlot with a rich, deep red color and firm body, exhibiting aromas of chocolate, jammy fruit, tobacco and pepper. The palate reveals a rich, well-structured wine with layers of ripe red currants, anise, chocolate-covered cherries, a peppery mid-palate, and just a hint of coffee. This high-quality fruit produces an excellent, long-lasting finish and smooth tannins. It’s a perfect “special occasion” wine and pairs well with big hearty foods. Exceptional with any full-flavored dish, such as any preparation of lamb or beef, steaks, grilled venison chops or ragout. You will be missing out if you don’t try this Merlot with chocolate.