A Trio of Chris Carpenter Merlots
Tasted December 10, 2018 by msuwine with 123 views
Introduction
I am a fan of Chris Carpenter’s wines, and I found myself with three bottles of his 2014 Napa Merlots (two of which I just happened to find on sale). The only rational conclusion, of course, was to have a three bottle Merlot taste-off, blind, between the Mt. Brave (Veeder), La Jota (Howell), and La Jota Keyes (Howell).
I was curious about two questions: (1) how Veeder and Howell differed (they did), and (2) whether the Keyes was better than the general La Jota bottling (it was). These variations held true even when their identities were concealed, which affirmed my belief in some form of certainty in the wine world (a fragile belief if ever there was one).
As a general matter, these wines are more similar than different, each Napa mountain Merlots made by the same hand. They are ripe, open-knit, a bit toasty and gravelly, and medium-bodied. To my palate, they are all lovely. The Veeder is more high-toned and acidic; the general La Jota is more round and powerful; the Keyes is more complete and complex.
Flight 1 (3 notes)
This wine started off rustic, but it ended with the more high-toned finish of the three wines. While the La Jota wines linger and coat the mouth, the Veeder is more vertical: it washes through the mouth without leaving as much of a trace. Maybe it's because this is the only 100% Merlot of the bunch; maybe it's Veeder; maybe it's something else. 14.5% alcohol.
The general La Jota is darker and thinner than the Keyes, with aromas that are more subdued: notes of blackberry, pencil lead, and herbs. The taste profile evokes raspberry, dried strawberry, leather, cloves, and pepper, with a shorter finish than the Keyes. Blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. 14.8% alcohol. 93+. Still going strong on second day.
I probably would have liked this better if I hadn't had the Keyes next to it, but the difference was noticeable, especially with a little air. Both are good, but one is better.
Dark red in color (similar to the La Jota) but a bit more viscous, the Keyes offers aromas of blackberry, ash, fresh leather, and baking spices. The tastes are the deepest and most complex of the three, with mountain blueberry, blackberry, baking spices, and cedar coming through strongly, with a more graceful and round finish (whereas the La Jota was on the tarter side). Blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.8% alcohol. Even better on second day.
Closing
I can say the Keyes is the best of the bunch, but I can't say that it's worth the price premium - this is a difference in degree more than kind. I generally liked the Howell Merlots better, since they had a riper and rounder profile. (I'm not sure you can taste the sunshine, but I like to think so!) These are all solid mountain Merlots, made in a warm and classic style, that should age well for several years.