A Wine Enthusiast's Holiday Guide

This week, we are celebrating six new scores from Wine Enthusiast! These critics’ ratings provide a helpful guide to the delicious wines we offer here at Ruby Hill Winery. Of course, everyone has their go-to wines, but we hope this quick guide will give you confidence to explore phenomenal wines and varietals that are worth discovering and featuring alongside your holiday festivities (or under the tree for someone lucky)! 

93 points - 2021 Jewel Collection Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine is smooth, spicy, with aromas of black currant confiture, black plum, cardamom, dried florals, and notes of orange vanilla cream on the nose. The flavors on the palate are Black raspberry, blackberry jam, spiced dark chocolate, interlaced with ginger, earth, and a dry, juicy finish. Decant and enjoy. — Tonya Pitts

Earning critical acclaim vintage after vintage, this stunning Cabernet is an absolute knockout. Rich, deep, and with lots of aging potential, we recommend Jewel Cabernet Sauvignon for memorable meals. Pair with peppery, earthy, and dense foods. 

93 points - 2021 Jewel Collection Zinfandel

A lively nose, characteristic of our Zinfandel, brings notes of cherry and berry alongside dried plums and ripe currants. This complex nose flows seamlessly into the vibrant and fruit-packed flavor profile. A satisfying velvety body shines with bright acidity, perfect for enjoying with food. Elegant structure makes this wine delicious now and a great candidate for aging.

Another standout from our Jewel Collection, this varietal is juicy and enticing. Zinfandel is an ideal pairing for all the smoked, glazed, and spiced dishes across your holiday spreads, offering a sumptuous complement to these dishes. Of course, you can always pour a glass and enjoy it on its own!

92 points - 2021 Jewel Collection Chardonnay

Classic Chardonnay notes put on a lovely performance in this vintage. The complex choreography of peach, pear, stone fruit, flint and vanilla notes dance through the aroma and into the flavor. A very luscious mouthfeel that lingers in the long and truly luxurious finish. Caramel and baking spice notes enrich the palate, giving way into a soft, buttery quality.

Yet another phenomenal wine from the Jewel Collection, this classic white wine varietal is the go-to for Thanksgiving, pairing delightfully with turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, sweet corn, pumpkin pie, and more. We’re hungry already! Enjoy this elegant vintage in good cheer.  

92 points - 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 

An enticing aroma beckons with harmonious fruit and oak notes. Dark plum and blackberry spread gracefully over a backdrop of baking spices, cocoa, and vanilla. The mouthfeel is very smooth, making each sip a delight. The finish on this vintage is on the shorter side, but remains fruity and flavorful. A very enjoyable, complex, and satisfying wine.

Cabernet is classic for a reason. Delicious by itself and alongside your favorite autumn or winter meals, this approachable and delightful Cabernet is the kind of wine you can always have around. 

92 points - 2023 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

A tropical serenade of guava, pomelo, pink grapefruit, and citrus zest notes opens up the aroma, with a vibrant crescendo on the palate joined by accents of crème anglaise, fading seamlessly into a fruity finish. A medium body on the palate, with a succulent acidity and perfectly balanced sip. Serve chilled.

Golden and tropical, this white wine is stepping into the spotlight with crisp and refreshing appeal. A great companion for citrus-infused dishes, greens, white meat, and seafood, you’ll fall in love with each graceful and alluring sip. 

92 points - 2021 Cuvée Dray

A smooth and complex aroma offers notes of blackberry, ripe red fruit, and floral accents. The flavor profile exemplifies balanced mixed fruit. Juicy, elegant, and cohesive on the palate, this wine has a nice tannin profile, silky texture, and a flavorful finish. This wine will hold up for years to come.

This wine is ideal for pairing with just about everything. This special Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet, Petit Verdot, and Merlot, is crafted in honor of our beloved pets and the ways they enrich our lives. To share the joy, $10 for every bottle of this wine sold is donated to the Valley Humane Society.

We hope you’ll visit the tasting room soon to enjoy these remarkable wines. This weekend only, take an extra 10% off all Jewel Wines to commemorate this critically acclaimed collection, in addition to member and case discounts! This discount is applied automatically. Happy shopping!

The Magic of Merlot

        November 7th is International Merlot Day! If you think you would rather forego Merlot, we hope you’ll reconsider. Here at Ruby Hill Winery, we believe in crafting unique, approachable wines that marry the styles and flavors of classic wines, while creating innovative combinations you can’t get anywhere else.  The wines shown above encompass a wide range of styles, profiles, and price, and yet they share one thing in common. A single, unsung varietal plays a supporting role: the everyday hero of this story is Merlot. 

        When you enjoy our current vintages of Grapeful Red, Cuvée Dray, Reserve Mirage, Patchwork, Reserve Cabernet, Jewel Cabernet or Odyssey, you enjoy some percentage of Merlot—a percentage that is there for a reason. Why does this varietal play a part in so many of our wines?

Merlot & Its Blends

        Merlot is an early-ripener with a soft flesh, and is very commonly found alongside the classic late-ripening, fiercely tannic Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot is the most widely planted varietal in France, where it is oven blended with Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and other varietals to add both body and softness. France’s legendary Bordeaux blends are divided into two designations, right bank and left bank. A left bank Bordeaux is generally Cabernet Sauvignon-forward, while a right bank Bordeaux is Merlot-forward. In Italy, Merlot is used for softness in some Sangioveses and other traditional high-acid Italian varietals. 

Merlot in Pop Culture

        In the US, the story of Merlot has been heavily influenced by pop culture. Merlot saw a wild rise in popularity after 60 Minutes reported on the French Paradox—the observation that heart disease is low in France, even though cheese and red wine make up a large proportion of the average diet. As a traditional French wine, this boosted Merlot’s public appeal. The film Sideways, released in 2004, featured a Pinot Noir snob who famously rejected Merlot in all of its forms. This film has been subsequently credited with an undeserved decline in the popularity of Merlot!

Merlot in California

        When Merlot came to California, it was often bottled alone as a single varietal wine. Though this is not uncommon now, Winemakers are more likely to reach back to the Merlot’s roots as a blending wine. Merlot adds delicious full-bodied softness as well as a toothsome fruitiness wherever it is featured. When used in slightly higher percentages, such as in our premium Odyssey red wine, Merlot also adds a detectable delicate aroma and freshness.

        Single varietal wines and red blends are a collaboration of flavors, aromas, textures, and more. At its core, Merlot works well as a refined and delicate supporting actor, working in the background so that other varietals can put on their best show. At the same time, giving Merlot a chance to take on the spotlight makes unforgettable wines. We encourage you: don’t forget about the little hero Merlot!

Shop our blends and single varietals with Merlot support:

Cuvée Dray · Reserve Mirage · Grapeful Red · Patchwork · Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon · Jewel Cabernet Sauvignon · Odyssey

Want to learn more about our estate-grown Merlot and the Odyssey red wine? Consider booking our Odyssey Experience! Click here for more info, or reach out to us at 925-931-9463 or info@rubyhillwinery.net