2007 Norma Jeane

Release date: November 1, 2007
Approximate Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Syrah

In 1944, in the Radio Plane Munitions factory in Burbank, CA, a young woman working on the assembly line was photographed for an article in Yank magazine on women supporting the war effort.  That young woman was Norma Jeane Baker, who in a few short years would become Marilyn Monroe.  Stunningly photogenic even before stardom, Norma Jeane exuded a fresh, youthful optimism and vitality - qualities captured in the wine that today bears her name.
The emphasis on Norma Jeane is always to capture the vibrant fruit flavors of Merlot at harvest, and the 2007 vintage offers the bright cherry and plum flavors of Merlot with the spice of Syrah - fresh and delightful as the image on the label.
The 2007 growing season will be remembered as "picture perfect," and the 2007 Norma Jeane offers wine lovers a first taste of this outstanding vintage.

$18.00 /bottle - 750 ml.

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2006 Norma Jeane

Release date: November 1, 2006

Vineyard: Tallerico Vineyard, French Camp, California
Produced & Bottled at: Oakville, Napa Valley
Approximate Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Syrah

The 2006 Norma Jeane is as fresh and delightful as our earlier vintages -- clean, bright and brimming with aromas and flavors of bing cherries and tropical fruit.

$18.00 /bottle - 750 ml.
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2005 Norma Jeane

Release date: November 1, 2005

Vineyard: Tallerico Vineyard, French Camp, California
Produced & Bottled at: Oakville, Napa Valley
Approximate Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Syrah

The 2005 Norma Jeane is as fresh and delightful as our earlier vintages -- clean, bright and brimming with aromas and flavors of bing cherries and tropical fruit.

$30 /bottle - 750 ml.
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2004 Norma Jeane

Release date: November 1, 2004

Vineyard: Tallerico Vineyard, French Camp, California
Produced & Bottled at: Oakville, Napa Valley
Approximate Blend: 90% Merlot, 10% Syrah

The 2004 Norma Jeane is as delightful as our earlier vintages -- clean, bright and brimming with aromas and flavors of tropical fruit and bing cherries.

$50 /bottle - 750 ml.
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2003 Norma Jeane

Release date: November 1, 2003

Vineyard: Tallerico Vineyard, French Camp, California
Produced & Bottled at: Oakville, Napa Valley
Grape Varieities: 80% Merlot, 20% Syrah

The 2003 Norma Jeane is as fresh and delightful as our earlier vintages -- clean, bright and brimming with aromas and flavors of bing cherries and tropical fruit.

All vintages have been produced entirely from this vineyard and the 2003 Norma Jeane is equally fresh and delightful.

$155 /bottle - 750 ml.                    
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A wine as young and delightful as Norma Jeane by the producers of Marilyn Merlot.

Vineyard: Tallerico Vineyard, French Camp, California
Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Syrah

The 2002 Norma Jeane, was made and bottled at our Oakville, Napa Valley winery from grapes grown by Louie Tallerico in his French Camp vineyard. Each of our four previous vintages was produced entirely from this vineyard and the 2002 Norma Jeane promises to be as fresh and delightful.


$175 /bottle - 750 ml
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2009 Norma Jeane

Release date: November 4, 2009

For several years - before she became Playboy Magazine’s first nude centerfold as “Marilyn Monroe” - Norma Jeane Baker was an aspiring Hollywood starlet and pinup model.  Several of her swimsuit photos graced calendars in the late 1940s, and one of these has been chosen for the label of Norma Jeane 2009 - A Young Merlot.

The "Sittin' on top of the World" pose calls to mind the song of the same name which was popularized in a 1949 recording by Ray Charles.  The image of the vivacious young Norma Jeane in a coy pose with her 40s hairstyle perfectly captures the breezy spirit and charm of that time. As ever, the emphasis in making this wine was to bring out the bright and fresh fruit flavors that make it youthfully exuberant as the images of Norma Jeane herself.

$10.50 /bottle - 750 ml

$20.00 - 2 750ml bottles

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2008 Norma Jeane

Release date: November 1, 2008

A young merlot by the producers of Marilyn Merlot.

Long before the world came to know her as Marilyn Monroe, a young and vivacious Norma Jeane Baker caught the eye of Hollywood photographers and her "pinup" images graced a number of calendars—many published well after she gained stardom. One of those early calendar photos has itself become a collector's tem: young Norma Jeane in a cowgirl outfit entitled "Caught Short."

This "Caught Short" image has now become the label for the 2008 vintage of Norma Jeane—A Young Merlot. As ever, the emphasis in making this wine was to bring out the bright and fresh fruit flavors that make it youthfully exuberant as the images of Norma Jeane herself.

$15 /bottle - 750 ml

$20 - 2 750ml bottles

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2001 Norma Jeane

Release date: November 1, 2001

A young merlot by the producers of Marilyn Merlot.

Vineyard: Tallerico Vineyard, French Camp, California
Harvested: September 12, 2001
Blend: 83% Merlot, 17% Syrah

Cool fermented and pressed before dryness to capture fresh fruit aromas and flavors and to enhance softness.

"The 2001 season provided great growing conditions. Early spring temperatures were ideal for bloom and a hot spell during late spring provided a good balance between crop load and canopy by suppressing excessive canopy development. Mid-summer brought cooler than normal temperatures. These conditions resulted in uniform clusters with relatively small berries, good color, superior development, and an anticipated earlier than normal harvest."
Lou Tallerico, vineyard owner.

The 2001 Norma Jeane, a single vineyard merlot from the French Camp area of Northern California, was made and bottled at our Oakville facility in Napa Valley in a fresh, fruity style like our previous Norma Jeane wines.

$225 /bottle - 750 ml
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2000 Norma Jeane

Release date: November 1, 2000

The 2000 Norma Jeane, A Young Merlot, is a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Syrah from the Tellerco Vineyard in French Camp.

The grapes were destemmed but not crushed. They were then cool fermented to capture the fresh fruit aromas and flavors. The grapes were pressed before dryness to further enhance the softness desired for immediate drinkability.

The 2000 Norma Jeane has a vibrant garnet red color and is redolent of vine-ripe strawberries. The fruit flavors are fresh and lively and the mouth feel is soft.

The photograph used for the third vintage of Norma Jeane was probably taken in 1949.

$225 /bottle - 750 ml
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1999 Norma Jeane

Released November 1, 1999

The 1999 Norma Jeane, A young Merlot, is a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Syrah from the Tellerco Vineyard in French Camp.The 1999 Norma Jeane has a bright garnet red color with intense ripe cherry fruit in the nose. The youthful fruit carries through into the mouth followed by a youthful, crisp finish. Perfect for immediate enjoyment.

The label is a photograph of Norma Jeane taken by David Conover. Mr. Conover "discovered" Norma Jeane in an aircraft plant in 1944 when she was 19 years old.

$110 /bottle - 750 ml
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1998 Norma Jeane

Released November 1, 1999

The 1998 Norma Jeane, A young Merlot, is a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Syrah from the Tellerco Vineyard in French Camp.

With our first vintage of 1998 Norma Jeane, A Young Merlot, we invented a new style of Merlot somewhat patterned after the famous Beaujolais Nouveau from France.

The 1998 Norma Jeane is a very bright and fruity red wine brimming with fresh berry characters. The 1998 Norma Jeane is ready for immediate enjoyment.

$160 /bottle - 750 ml
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