ABOUT BLACKBIRD
Oak Knoll District
From Screaming Eagle to Harlan Estates, Napa Valley is undoubtedly an international standard bearer for Cabernet Sauvignons. With the designation of Napa's fourteenth AVA less than two years ago, Oak Knoll District is now well poised to bring forth the prominence and elegance of Merlot from this region. Similar to the Pomerol region of Bordeaux, Oak Knoll District is indigenously akin in its profile as a district with its soil composition, microclimate, as well as its rural, rustic qualities. Merlot based wines of Pomerol have historically challenged the first growths of Bordeaux, a forbearer to Oak Knoll's future.
Blackbird Vineyards
Perched to seize the day as Oak Knoll's foremost Merlot is Blackbird Vineyards, located in the heart of the district. Since 1999, this former walnut orchard, first planted with 5717 vines two years earlier, has quietly provided fruit to many of Napa's finest winemakers, for whom it has yielded astonishing reviews and stellar scorings. Purchased by entrepreneur Michael Polenske in 2003, Blackbird Vineyards is now an ultra premium label in its own right. (Fittingly, 'Merlot' is French patois for 'Little Blackbird.')
Top Scores
An early harbinger of Blackbird's potential arose when a notable winemaker created a Blackbird vineyard designated wine for the highly acclaimed 1999 vintage (no less than 95% of the fruit in the bottle must be from the named vineyard). Three of the top critics in the industry- Robert Parker, Steven Tanzer, and Wine Spectator's James Laube- scored this wine in the 90's.
The 2003 Vintage
That the success of this particular crush was clearly no accident is born out by the success of Blackbird's inaugural 2003 bottling, culled from a small crush of grapes that weren't already claimed by other vintners. To wit, Vinfolio awarded the Blackbird Vineyards 2003 Merlot, Oak Knoll District a stellar 98 points, proclaiming it "the best Merlot nobody had ever heard of." Acme Fine Wines was equally enthusiastic, saying, "it is with wines like this that we never question why we are in this business." Blackbird's 2003 Merlot was also given a score of 95 by Vintrust, which praised its complexity and richness, proclaiming it "hedonistic in length."
Pomerol Roots
Polenske likens the Oak Knoll District in general, and Blackbird Vineyards in particular to France's Pomerol region, known for its stellar Merlots. "The terroir of the Oak Knoll appellation is strikingly similar to the Pomerol," says Polenske. "The soil and the climates are similar, and like Oak Knoll, it's more rustic and rural than other regions."
World-Class
"With Blackbird, I've found a vineyard that can produce a world-class wine," adds Polenske, "with a Merlot in the style of the 'Garagiste' wines that have grown to prominence in the last 20 years, with a nod to the classics on the right bank." Blackbird Vineyards lies north of the city of Napa, south of Yountville, east of Highway 29 and west of Silverado Trail, at Oak Knoll and Big Ranch Road. It is one of the coolest regions in the valley - second only to Carneros - and like Pomerol, is home to fine, gravelly and clay loam soils, which create an ideal growing region for Merlot. Blackbird continues to provide fruit to such winemakers as Bob Foley. This speaks volumes about Blackbird's terroir and is validation of the fruit quality.
