Blackbird Vineyards was established in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, with the estate vineyard originally planted in the mid-1990s to Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with fruit initially sold to Duckhorn, Harlan Estate, and Dalla Valle before the property transitioned to estate production in the early 2000s. The winery takes its name from the Occitan etymology of Merlot — merlau, meaning "little blackbird" — reflecting the variety's central role in the estate's Bordeaux-inspired blends. Aaron Pott served as winemaker at the time of this vintage.