2015 Melka Mekerra Proprietary Red Knights Valley 750 ml

"This is one of the best wines and best values of all of the Wine Access wines we have ordered. I hope you can bring it back again."

When we get member comments like that one—submitted for the last vintage of the masterful Melka Mekerra Proprietary Red—what choice do we really have?

Today we’re finally able to answer that request and others like it in the affirmative, with the plush 2015 Mekerra safely ensconced in our chilly warehouse, accompanied by a blast of critical fanfare. Allocations of this Knights Valley standout get slimmer by the year, but thanks to our close relationship with 100-point star winemaker Philippe Melka, his wife Cherie, and estate manager Sylvie, we were able to lock in an incredible deal to satisfy at least some of the demand.

“This is a superb set of wines,” says Vinous’s Antonio Galloni. “In this vintage, Mekerra offers a striking interplay between the savory, mineral notes that are so typical of this Knights Valley site along with the textural richness that is a signature of the year.” Robert Parker himself chimed in that “it seems to have an extra level of dimension and vibrancy to it. This wine will be fascinating to follow, but it is clearly a top effort.”

A magnificent wine from incredible vineyard sites, the 2015 has it all: power, structure, and concentration. With a nose evocative of lavender fields and freshly-roasted espresso beans, an incredibly complex palate layered with Mission fig and blackberry preserves, this is one bottling we love to share as much as we love to drink it ourselves.

A consultant behind 100-point stalwarts including Bryant Family, Vineyard 29, Lail, Brand, Hundred Acre, and Dalla Valle, Philippe is a winemaker at the top of his game. He and Cherie have built their reputations on terroir, and spent years searching for the Mekerra site, which has since become one of the landmarks of the Knights Valley AVA, a mecca for estates known for powerful red wines.

It’s a steep, high-altitude mountain plot sitting at 2,500 feet of elevation. Preparing and cultivating the rough land took plenty of hard work: Bought in 2001, the first vintage wasn’t released till 2007. But the labor paid off in what’s come to be one of the pair’s standout achievements. Varying inclines and degrees of sun exposure create microclimates that give the wine depth and density. The Cabernet Franc is planted in volcanic ash, while the Merlot sends its roots deep into clay loam.

Melka describes this nearly-equal Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend as having an animalistic energy, girded by firm structure and powerful tannins. He was a prophet of Cabernet Franc in the region, among the first to show the heights the Right Bank grape could attain under the right conditions. He pushes the grape’s purity and length into the stratosphere here, with the Merlot lending aromatic delicacy and spice.

Before we have to start worrying about next year’s allocation, we’re going to sit down with a Riedel and just enjoy this one. Profound yet accessible, its pleasure keeps on coming.