Paloma Vineyard | Craftsmanship in Every Sip, Your Spring Mountain Winery

2013 Paloma Merlot

“93 points. This wine exhibits plenty of plum, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, mocha, and coffee bean in a lush, delicious and opulently textured style. It is drinking beautifully already and will continue to evolve for another decade or more.”

Robert Parker

Wine Advocate

2014 Paloma Merlot

“…a big, world-class red wine capable of improving with bottle aging for 10 to 15 years. Complex aromas of blackberry fruits, black stone fruits, chocolate, tobacco, spice, and floral notes with a mineral overtone. On the palate, the wine has a big silky mouthfeel, well balanced, with flavors of berries, fruit cocoa, cassis, and spice, and a long spicy finish.”

Brix26

Vendor

2019 Paloma Merlot

“95 points. This is a very dense, compact wine with amazingly concentrated, complex fruit interwoven with firm tannins that will allow it to age for well over a decade. As great as this wine is now, it will only improve over the next several years. I’ve enjoyed this wine over the decades, and this is the best vintage I can ever remember tasting.”

Kevin M. Vogt

Master Sommelier

2019 Paloma Merlot

“92 points. Supple and generous, yet handsomely structured, with detailed red currant and cherry flavors highlighted by toasty spices and savory anise as this builds tension toward polished tannins.”

Tim Fish

Wine Spectator

“With its amazing aromatic depth and chiseled focus, this bottling joins 2001, 2007 and 2012 in the pantheon of truly freat Paloma Merlots… If five to twelve years from it’s full maturity, [the 2019] is a fascinating beauty already”.

Don Gillette

Napa Valley Winery Exchange

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

“Open and aromatic, with a plume of applewood, dried anise and sassafras notes leading the way for silky and fresh blackberry and boysenberry coulis flavors that carry through the fresh finish. Approachable now too. Drink now through 2032. 237 cases made.”

James Molesworth

Wine Spectator

Paloma Vineyard is generally about 10 degrees cooler on hot summer days than the valley floor. The more moderate temperatures, our volcanic soils, and the unique sun exposures around the very top of Spring Mountain are what make Paloma wines so special, adding layers of complexity to the mid-palate and long finishes.

We started making wine in 1994 and by 2000, Paloma Vineyard wines began to garner outstanding reviews. The 2001 vintage of the Paloma Merlot, named Wine Spectator’s “WINE OF THE YEAR” in 2003, sparked a loyal following for our elegant, mountain fruit wines. Paloma Merlot graced the Top 100 again in 2004 and 2009 at 54th and 65th, respectively. Our 2001 and 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon also received honorable mentions from James Laube of Wine Spectator.

Paloma continues to focus on producing world class Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for our long-time supporters, as well as explore new possibilities, like Cabernet Franc and exceptional blends.

About the Wine
Paloma Merlot is a blend of estate grapes: Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet Sauvignon ranges from 14 to 16 percent depending on the vintage. The resulting wine is a big, world-class red capable of improving with bottle aging for at least 20 years in most vintages. Although the characteristics of the wine vary with each vintage, they have a consistent thread of complex aromas of blackberry fruits, black stone fruits, chocolate, tobacco, spice, and floral notes with a mineral overtone. On the palate, the wine has a silky mouthfeel, is well balanced with flavors of berries, fruit, cocoa, cassis, and spice, and enjoys a long spicy finish. The addition of the Cabernet Sauvignon adds structure, rich fruit, and a subtle increase in tannins.

BUY MERLOT

About the Wine
As the name states, this ‘plush and polished’ blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc is a tribute to the late co-founder of Paloma Vineyard, Barbara Richards. Her son, Sheldon Richards, now owner and winemaker, pays homage to his mother’s relentless work ethic, no-bullshit character, and humble roots in this remarkable offering. With ‘vibrant black cherry, mocha, and toasty spice flavors that sail on a long and lush finish’, this wine has impressed many. While currently sold out and originally planned to be a single vintage release, the exceptional feedback has enticed the winemaker; there may be more to come.

Replant Season: Grit, Gear & Gritted Teeth 💪🐑 It’s not just about planting vines—it’s a full-blown vineyard transformation. 🌱✨ We’re driving stakes into the earth, rewiring the trellis system, gluing irrigation lines by hand, and lifting it all high enough so woolly weeders can stroll through without a snag. 🐑 Replants = sweat, precision, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes hustle to keep this vineyard thriving for decades to come.
Button
Maintaining the quality in our vineyard is of the upmost importance. As we pull out old vines we look forward to the growth in the years to come. Cheers to the future wine from Paloma!!
Button
Cover crop is green, vines are taking off. May marks the shift—from quiet preparation to active creation.
Button
You are the most interesting person in the world to Mita and Franc… when you have food in your hand:)
Button
Hop into spring with a bottle that’s as delightful as your Easter basket—our 2019 Paloma Merlot! This young but remarkable wine opens with juicy cranberry and rich cassis, followed by a whisper of dry mocha on the nose. Like a flower in bloom, it unfolds beautifully on the palate with silky tannins, a cool floral body, and a luscious weight that leaves you warm and smiling after every sip. Perfect for your Easter table—or your secret stash of chocolate pairings. With only 1,792 cases produced, this is a springtime treat worth savoring now and cellaring for later (15–20 years of magic ahead!). Read more about 2019 with Laura's Tasting Notes. Click the link in the bio for more detail
Button
March showers did their thing, and now Spring Mountain Merlot is starting to pop! Bud break is here, and the vineyard’s waking up with spring energy.
Button
Rainy day? Our hummingbird’s don’t seem to mind the rain for their lunch hour…which ends up being every 10 minutes…when your wings beat 12-80 times per second. Come visit them up at Paloma.
Button
Winter in the vineyard never ceases to amaze—one day, a fallen tree from high winds (thankfully missing the winery), and the next, a breathtaking rainbow stretching across a crystal-clear sky. Nature’s magic at its finest!
Button