It’s rare to find a cherry component in California Merlot, largely because of the crop size. In France, the crop is kept small by regulation. Not so in California, where the strong demand for Merlot has encouraged growers to maximize their yields. In 2003, there were approximately 50,000 acres of Merlot in California, and the harvest was over 200,000 tons, an average of well over 4 tons per acre. That same year, Neyers harvested a mere 23 tons from the 14 acre Merlot vineyard on their Conn Valley ranch. In a small crop, you can smell the wild cherries! The smaller than normal crop aside, the 2003 vintage in the Napa Valley is a year of great strengths. The growing season was characterized by slow, steady and even ripening, so the color is dark and vibrant. In addition to that nose of wild cherry, there’s a lot of fresh fruit, soft tannins and wonderfully juicy flavors. The wine is already approachable.