Central Valley Merlot

Duckhorn Vineyards

Napa Valley Merlot 2023

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Deep purple in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, black plums, light cedar, black tea, tobacco leaf, spices and light chocolate notes.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, currants, oak, light licorice, spices, dark chocolates, bitter herbs and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This Merlot from Napa Valley is still very young, but already enjoyable, even by itself. Rich and fruit forward. Nicely balanced and tangy. Showing nice complexity already, tangy and interesting.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 7 to 10 years, and has good potential to become a 93+ point wine.

Wine Spectator 92 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.

A blend of 78% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 15 months in (40% new) French Oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$45.
— 2 days ago

Karyn, Paul and 12 others liked this

Sea Smoke

Southing Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023

delicious biodynamic Sta Rita pinot. tons of salinity and characteristic terroir. — 6 days ago

Masseto

Toscana Merlot 2020

Incredibly lucky to even taste this, way outside of what I'm familiar with. First thing i noticed is how concentrated the nose is, extremely aromatic, red fruit with a creamy note and oak that is perfectly integrated. Normally I can smell when an ABV is this high but not with this wine. I can't believe how perfectly balanced it is - tannins, fruit, acidity, oak is all the perfect exact amounts so that nothing stands out on its own, but it has such concentrated flavor that everything stands out at the same time — a month ago

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010

A perfect wine. Balanced and complex. A gorgeous first hit of plum with a hint of cherry. So broad fruit at first but then settles on the tongue with a noise terror of tannin. No bitterness just smooth and lovely. Girgeous wine. 2010 vintage gift bottle from Donna and Anders — a month ago

Paul, Dave and 1 other liked this

Harlan Estate

Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 2004

Opened and decanted for about 2 hours

Evolved from being tight and Bordeaux like to eventually giving off some red fruits and having a kirsch like flavor

Fairly robust and a lot of depth.
— 2 months ago

Bob, Tom and 4 others liked this

Daou Vineyards

Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon

It’s National Red Wine Day! Let me see your wine! — 8 days ago

Tom, Ted and 4 others liked this
Dawn E.

Dawn E.

@Sharon B I didn't know, but I just posted! Cheers 🍷

Château Lascombes

Margaux Merlot Blend 2016

2016 vintage. A decade has allowed this to blossom a bit. Revealing super-subtle complexities now that frequently get lost in appraisals as they posit as fleeting impressions versus unimpeachable, primary truths. Medium body. 8.12.26. — 24 days ago

Doug, Bob and 16 others liked this

Continuum

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015

Delicious 🍷!!!! — a month ago

Jan, Neil and 1 other liked this

Austin Hope

Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Fabulous! Love 100ml format. — a month ago

Dave and David liked this
Dave

Dave

It is good, but boy! The price on this has really shot up the last 3 years.

Belle Glos

Clark & Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018

Ming L
9.2

The house style is still here with ripe, slightly over extracted blue fruits, baking spices, cocoa, and a plush velvety palate. But the fruits become less confectionary and some savory components have emerged. Acidity seems more apparent. Really nice integration.

I think Pinot bottlings from Belle Glos are at their best with 5-8 years bottle aging. This is another proof.
— 5 days ago

Joel, Tom and 1 other liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2001

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2001 Monte Bello pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, an intoxicating mix of exotic Eastern spices, some cocoa, inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate? The wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and impeccably balanced. To my palate, this bottle has reached the age when Monte Bello starts to really become interesting. What a delight! Drink now with some air, through 2051. — 14 days ago

Juan, Jeroen and 11 others liked this

Tenuta San Guido

Guidalberto Toscana Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2023

Dark, lush fruits. Soft tannins, but a peppery finish. Great with my Veal Milanese. — a month ago

Concha y Toro

Don Melchor Puente Alto Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Very good wine just not for me, I normally drink a lot of Napa valley wine and French wine. I’m not saying it’s a bad wine I’m just saying I guess I have a profile I enjoy more. I held the wine for 10 years, chilled and decanted for 1 hr, 1.5 hr, and then 2 hrs. I never experienced the normal oak, cigar, leather. You know all the taste profiles the pros mention. I enjoyed it but was still disappointed. I have one more bottle 2015 that I will drink in 2030. Maybe I’ll love it. I drank a younger bottle and really enjoyed it. It was almost overwhelming and hard to finish of course I was in las Vegas at a hotel enjoying the view from my hotel of the Bellagio fountains which made this spectacular both the wine and the view. Which was years ago but a special wine and a memory goes a long way. Especially when you get up in age. — a month ago

Marchesi Antinori

Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore Red Bordeaux Blend

Dark tannins, cherries, fig jam and long minerals # — a month ago