Melka La Mekerra Vineyard 2017 – Knights Valley Sonoma County

Melka La Mekerra Vineyard 2017 is a powerful and elegant red wine from Knights Valley in Sonoma County. The wine is created by renowned winemaker Philippe Melka, who is known for his deeply concentrated and terroir-driven wines from California. This cuvée shows a beautiful balance of intense fruit, structure and refined complexity.

The blend composition consists of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc. These are the first grapes planted at La Mekerra Vineyard back in 2004. The combination produces a wine with richness, aromatic depth and an elegant structure.

Knights Valley is located between Napa Valley and Sonoma and is known for its warm climate and volcanic soils. Here the grapes develop beautiful ripe fruit while retaining structure and freshness. This results in wines with great concentration and a distinct character.

After fermentation, the wine is aged for 19 months in French oak barrels, 65% of which are new. Barrel aging adds complexity and deep spicy notes while keeping the fruit at the center. The wine was bottled in June 2019 and released in September 2020.

The result is a wine with great depth and ageing potential. It pairs perfectly with hearty dishes such as beef, lamb or game.

Tasting notes

Aroma: Ripe dark blackberries, tobacco, leather and crushed stone with a hint of herbs.

Flavor: Rich and complex with dark fruit, blackcurrant, spices and an elegant mineral structure.

Finish: Long and balanced with notes of cedar, spice and ripe tannins.

The story behind Melka Wines

Melka Wines was founded by winemaker Philippe Melka, one of the most respected winemakers in Napa and Sonoma. He has worked with some of the most prestigious vineyards in California and is known for creating wines with both power and elegance.

At Melka Wines, we work closely with the vineyards to highlight the terroir of the area. The result is wines with depth, structure and great complexity that often develop beautifully in the bottle over many years.

• Producer: Melka Wines
• Name: La Mekerra Vineyard
• Vintage: 2017
• Region: Knights Valley, Sonoma County
• Country: USA
• Grapes: 55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc
• Barrel aging: 19 months in French oak (65% new barrels)
• Bottled: June 2019
• Released: September 2020
• Quantity: 75 cl
• Contains: Sulfites
• alcohol content: 15.1%