Merlot

Purple in color.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, slight chocolate and cedar.  On the palate, this is still not at peak but drinking very well.  Layers of black cherries, cherries, earth and spice.  Nice texture.  Good finish.  This is a nice value for top (not the very top) Bordeaux.  Still some upside for this wine as well as it matures.  Better with food.  There is plenty of fruit though.  

This is always a great value in wine.  Its basically, the ends of the myriad of bottlings that are produced here all blended into one wine.  It costs under $25 and every vintage, though a bit different is tasty.  It also lasts for at least five years probably at least ten.  This one is purple in color.  The nose has dark cherries, some chocolate, sour cherries and spice.  On the palate, this has a nice complexity.  Slight depth.  Slight tannins.  Juicy acidity.  Works well with food or on its own.  Long finish.  A crowd pleaser every time.  

A blend of Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Zinfandel, and some other stuff too.  Ruby in color, purple at the rim.  The nose is nice.  Cherries, dark cherries, spice, chocolate and pepper.  Also some leather.  On the palate, there is some varietal complexity.  Not a ton of depth but width.  Easy to drink.  Firm tannins.  Probably better drunk in the next few years to enjoy its vibrancy.  It retails for under $25 and that is a fair price.  This is one of those fruit forward, kitchen sink wines that are popular right now and this competes with them and beats most on price.  Attractive, silk screened l

Pop and pour and consumed over two nights.  Much better on night 2.  I know many people say 2003 was such a warm vintage that the wines are already mature.  That might be true, but this one's best days are still to come.   62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, graphite, cedar, and smoked cigar.  On the palate, this is full bodied with medium tannins.  Lush cassis and black cherry fruit layered with forest floor, damp earth and tobacco.  Tightly layered.  Long finish.  This is delicious but very much from Bordeaux a

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc.  Just a gorgeous wine that while still youthful, is showing some maturity.  We drank this pop and pour but I would recommend a lot more air or decant.  Purple in color.  The nose is great with cassis, black cherries, tobacco, slight leather, and spice.  Wonderful rich texture.  Great balance.  Medium tannins.  Plenty of fruit; cassis and black cherries layered with earth and tobacco.  Long finish.  This wine has a nice complexity that shows itself as it unwinds in the glass.  Its delicious but more than just that.  While it shows

This is drinking youthfully but quite nice right now.  Purple in color.  The nose has cherries, dark cherries, chocolate and cigar tobacco.  On the palate, this has a lovely lush texture.  Lots of fruit; black cherries, some cherries with a bit of earth.  There is some oak but mostly integrated.  Light tannins.  Nice very smooth finish.  Drinking very well, it works well with food.  There may be some upside as it develops but I think mostly this is as good asa it gets.  

Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, spice and some chocolate.  On the palate, this is sweet ripe cherries.  One dimensional.  Easy drinking.  Tasty.  Nice finish.  It retails for around $50.  Drink over the next five years.  

This had been decanted for an hour or so.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty with cherries.  On the palate, slight tannins.  Tart cherries.  Some complexity.  Seems to be nearing but not quite at peak.  Nice with food.  

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  Clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries but also some barnyard stink.  This only partially blew off with air.  On the palate, this has cherries, cherry juice, slight black cherries and layers of damp earthy forest floor.  Still has some tannins.  This certainly is at peak at best and probably a bit past but not too far.  There is a nice complexity and still fruit left.  I would drink these over the next five to ten years depending how you like your Bordeaux.  For my wallet, this house usually over delivers albeit not at the top level of Bordeaux eit

Purple in color.  Ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with cherries and cedar.  Some spice.  On the palate, there are medium tannins.  Plenty of cherry fruit.  A bit of earthy funk.  This has a good complexity.  Showing far better than I might have expected from the vintage or the second label status.  Good finish.  Seems to have plenty of life left.  Not sure if it improves but might gain some complexity.