Merlot

This is a proprietary red from Napa made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 1% each of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  Tasted from two bottles, and one bottle was good, the other one great.  At age 18, that is to be expected.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose is great with black cherries, black raspberries, gravel and roasted meat and herbs.  On the palate, this is complex as the layers start to unwind in the glass.  Black cherries dominate over a nice dry earthiness.  Light tannins.  Great balance.  Nice finish.  This drinks nicely on its own but will be even better with

2001 was a good if not great vintage and the better wines are certainly at peak.  That would include this one.  It is one of the better Merlot's produced in Bordeaux.  Purple in color, ruby at the core.  The nose is nice with cherries, slight plums, some cedar and a bit of milk chocolate.  Full bodied.  The wine has a nice complexity to it.  If is mature and on the refined side.  Layers of plums, cherries with an earthy/dried fruit base.  Moderate finish.  This worked well with a stuffed mushroom cap dish.  No real hurry at this point, but probably best to drink up within five to ten years.

This is one of the best Merlot's made anywhere.  Period.  The attention to detail and the quality of fruit is amazing.  Certainly some vintages are better than others, but it is always phenomenal.  There is 5% Cabernet Franc in the blend.  Deep ruby/purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  A wonderful nose of black cherries, plums, slight kirsch, slight dark chocolate, and minerals.  Full bodied with a lush texture.  Flavors of sour cherries, black raspberries and plums intertwined with minerality, dark chocolate and slight spice.  Light tannins.  Lots of verve, it dances on the tong

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese which makes it a "Super Tuscan".  It is, however, not expensive and truly a great value.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, baking spices and slight woodiness.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  A nice backbone of acidity.  It has a soft but inviting texture.  Delicious red berry fruit with underlying dry earthiness.  Medium finish.  This drinks great on its own but is better with food.  A great "pizza wine".  It should be good for another five to seven years.  

This is a "right bank" Bordeaux blend from Paso Robles.  It is 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot and sees 44% new French oak for 20 months..  Ruby/purple in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, dusty, baking spices, slight tobacco and cedar.  On the palate, this has thick tannins at this stage.  Lots of cherries, red currants, spice and slight earthiness.  It is very tight right now but opened up nicely on day 2.  If drinking now, give it a good decant.  This should improve a bit over the next few years and be good for seven to ten years after that.  It has

Another in a fine line of Napa Merlot's from Flora Springs.  Merlot ripens earlier than Cabernet allowing the vineyard manager to let fruit hang if needed to get ripe.  No issues here despite a less than stellar growing season.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, milk chocolate and spice.  A nice silky texture.  Lots of black cherry fruit.  Light tannins.  This is still young but drinks quite easy.  It will mature a bit, but is drinking great now.  It should drink well over the next seven to ten years.  Great on its own or a nice match for burgers or ribs.  

This a red blend of 45% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 13% Petit Verdot grown at high elevation in the Edom Mountains.  It is Kosher.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  A very nice Bordeaux-like nose.  Cassis, black cherries, cherries, slight cigar box, gravel and slighter bell pepper.  On the palate, this is medium bodied with lighter but present tannins.  Moderate acidity.  A nice depth and complexity.  Notes of cassis and cherry fruit over gravel.  Ripe but not overtly.  Drinks easily right now.  I don't think this will get better but should drink well for five to seven more years.

This is a second wine of Chateau Montrose.  Tasted blind, with a tasting group, this was disappointing.  It finished in last place for me and close to that for the group.  It is a fine wine, but more was expected once the label was revealed.  Purple in color, shimmering bright and opaque.  The nose has cherries, black cherries and spice.  On the palate, light tannins and sour cherries.  Easy drinking.  It is a blend of 52% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 13% Cabernet Franc.  Right now, the Merlot dominates.  Of course, with some, the Cabs could wake up and get the party started.  Based

What an amazing wine.  This is one of the more "affordable" Cabernet's from Realm.  It is still very expensive, but this is some of the best that Napa has to offer.  It is about 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.   Purple in color, opaque and shining bright.  The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, cedar, spice and char.  Just a gorgeous texture.  Lush and velvety but with enough cut to not be cumbersome.  Plenty of cassis and blueberry fruit with underlying tobacco and chart.  Long finish.  This is still young but just delicious.  With time, this will show more complexity although

On release, these were big, bold wines made, at least in part, by John Kongsgaard.  Of course, its now 21 years since vintage and one wold be hard pressed to call this anything but right bank if tasting blind.  Part of that is one doesn't expect a Napa Merlot to age this well.  It does have 10% Syrah in the blend so that may be part of it.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is dusty with cherries, black cherries, slight cedar and some earthy funk.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Black cherry fruit with a touch of dark chocolate and underlying earthiness.  This is complex and also vib