Tag Archives: merlot

Kestrel Vintners ‘Falcon Series’ Merlot 2015, Yakima Valley, USA

12 Saturday Sep 2020

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This semi opaque Merlot is a light shade of purple in the glass.  The nose gives me red berries, cherry and anise- it’s very enticing.  On the palate it has a juicy intro with currants, more of that licorice note and some really integrated oak.  There is a modicum of tannic bite, but it is very lithe.  The mid palate has cocoa powder to go around the currants and some strawberry.  Nicely balanced acidity leads to a smooth mouthfeel that is super easy to drink.  The finish has a touch of dryness, a hint of acidity and loads of red fruits.  This wine has matured nicely for what it is and I am thoroughly enjoying it.  It drinks well by itself but I would also put it up against Filet, roast Game Hen or even Lasagna.  89 points from me makes this $25 wine a 3 star effort.  Really yummy.  Drink till 2024.  Salut….

Lady of The Mandrake Warrior and Craftsman 2016, Paso Robles, California

25 Tuesday Aug 2020

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Dark purple, opaque.  The nose is chock full of blackcurrants, spicy oak and some dusty tobacco.  The palate is stark- dark and brooding with blackcurrants, oolong tea, nice gentle tannins and a touch of acidity.  The midpalate is a bit edgy with some oak influence, charred wood, dark fruit and an increasing dryness from the tannins that are ramping up.  The finish is really enjoyable- a nice dry mouthfeel, decent acidity and gobs of fruit.  The blackcurrants are really delicious.  This is a yummy wine for everyday that will cellar nicely for a few years and be a hit whether you are serving steaks or pizza.  Drink till 2025.  90 points and 5 stars for this $20 effort.  Ps.  The label is one of coolest out there.  Salut….

Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon 2016, Spain

23 Sunday Aug 2020

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This blend shows up as very dark purple in the glass.  On the nose I get blackberry reduction, charred oak, black tea and blueberries.  The palate is sublime- dark fruits intertwined with lush oak, bramble, black tea and fine grained tannins.  The mid palate is very satisfying.  Gobs of blackberry, lashings of wood, crunchy tannins and juicy acidity all come together.  The wine finishes semi dry with good mouthfeel and a medium length serving of those delicious, ripe fruits.  Figs also come into play right at the end with the last vestige of gum searing tannins. This is a young wine that can be enjoyed now if you like them very dry.  I would drink till 2030 with all sorts of roasted meat, venison in particular.  Yummy stuff.  91 points from me and at $26, it get 5 stars.  Buy a few for the cellar, it will reward you.  Tempranillo 75%, Cab Sav 12%, Shiraz 9%, Merlot 3% and Petit Verdot at 1%.Salut….

Gundlach-Bundschu Estate Vineyard Merlot 2016, Sonoma Valley, USA

29 Wednesday Jul 2020

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Pretty dark and broody in the glass.  The nose gives me leather, smoke and a touch of oak alongside dark plums.  The palate is a bit obscure, the fruit is battling with a volatility that’s throwing me off.  I do get Charcoal, blackberries, more plum and that smoky leathery component.  It’s a rather interesting combo that really takes off on the mid palate, where the wine finally comes together.  Medium grade tannins don’t punish the gums but give the wine a nice structure.  They caress over the decent length finish that has a long, dry presence to go with the black berry and charcoal notes I tasted.  Overall this wine was much better on night 2, after the Virtual tasting #6.  I’m going 89 points and for $29 it gets 3 stars.  Drink till 2024.  Salut….

Clarendon Hills Brookman Merlot 2010, South Australia

08 Monday Jun 2020

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A slightly murky purple in the glass, which I find normal for this winery and their older vintages.  The nose is interesting, if not a touch gamy.  Ripe plums, violets, blackberry ganache and bacon fat.  On the palate it’s much more ‘normal’.  Mature purple fruits, black cherry kirsch, oak and stewed plum.  I also get some smoky wood notes that carry me into the mid palate where I’m greeted by some tame tannins that just add a nice touch of dryness to the gums.  More black fruits and tobacco. The finish is quite dry but not astringent.  The fruit fades quickly and the wine does show a balance of acidity.  It’s all black tea, dry gums and some blackberries.  Overall it’s tasty but lacks technical merit.  At 10 years of aging it should be showing stronger, perhaps this vintage peaked early.  I’m a huge fan of this winery, this being the first Merlot I have tried from them.  It’s a bit of a disappoint but still gets 90 points from me.  I was hoping for a showstopper.  Drink till 2025. $28 and 3 stars.   Salut….

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou ‘La Croix de Beaucaillou’ 2010, Saint-Julien, France

05 Friday Jun 2020

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It’s inky, brooding, opaque and shows fine legs in the glass.  On the nose I get graphite, plums, oaky vanilla and cedar.  On the palate there are black currants, green plums, black tea and dry tannins.  The mid palate is very astringent with more tea, strange tannins, some black fruit and not much acidity.  I’m not enjoying this wine very much, too off-balance and way too dry without fruit to back it up.  The finish is very dark and austere- over-steeped tea, some plums and a woodsy note.  The grip of the tannins hold on for a while but the fruit fades quickly.  Overall a disappointing wine from a great Bordeaux vintage.  86 points from me, the pros went much higher but I don’t see it.  It may mellow out in the near future.  Drink till 2025.  For $75 it gets  1 star and a pass from yours truly.  Salut….

Bodegas Nekeas Vega Sindoa Merlot 2018, Navarra, Spain

27 Wednesday May 2020

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The third SplashWine in the lineup is a Merlot from Spain.  It’s a dull shade of purple and nearly see through.  On the nose I get cherry, raspberry and oregano.  On the initial palate it is somewhat sweet with cherry juice, more red fruit melange and tart acid.  The mid palate is not so sweet and the proper flavors come around.  Raspberries and sour cherry are more like it.  The wine finishes quickly, with some red fruit, crunchy tartness and a trace of tannins.  83 points from me and 1 star for this $12 wine.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 713 Merlot 2017, Carneros, California

23 Saturday May 2020

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This Merlot has a really deep purple hue in the glass with very nice thin legs.  The nose is plummy with anise and blueberry notes.  On the initial palate I get inky dark berries, some iodine, black tea and really nice gentle tannins.  The mid palate is a bit more gripping with the fine grained tannins, they start to cling to the gums.  Black cherry and more plum are hitting me up with some slight oak notes.  The finish is a touch dusty with some spice box and leather.  Plums are my main theme with this wine and the tannic structure is really good.  Juicy, dry and built for the medium haul.  I like this wine- it’s easy going yet has some depth and structure to it.  Drink till 2027.  91 points from me and at $18 a pop- 5 stars.  Cellar some for later.  Salut….

Chateau Greysac 2015, Medoc, France

20 Wednesday May 2020

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The nose on the third wine of our virtual tasting was wild.  Gamy AF, with loads of mushroom, forest floor, bacon fat and some semblance of black fruits.  On the palate it was much more manageable and in line with expectations.  Bramble, blackberry reduction, leather and some really nice tannins all came together on the palate.  The wine smoothed out some on the mid palate and it showed some nice balance between the fruit, the tertiary flavors, tannins and acidity.  The funk wore off but there were trace elements of morel mushrooms, leather and blackberry.  The finish was where this wine finally came on pointe.  Good fruit presentation, some nice touches of those secondary flavors and a decent amount of astringency from the lithe tannins.  Overall I really enjoyed this wine, but the nose was offputting for many on the tasting.  91 points for me.  Drink till 2026, but let it breathe for at least an hour to help dispel the funk.  For $20, it gets 5 stars.  Salut….

Tommasi Le Prunee Merlot Venezie IGT 2017, Italy

24 Friday Jan 2020

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A lighter shade of purple and semi opaque in the glass with thick legs showing.  The nose is a bit off-putting.  I fear it may be corked as I’m getting stewed plums meet bacon fat.  The palate does not confirm any fault- maybe the nose needs to waft a bit.  On the initial I get raspberry and toffee.  It’s strange but intriguing.  There’s a warmth to it that I like.  Cinnamon and cloves mingle with those red berries on the mid palate and some fine grained tannins appear.  The finish is a little thin but offers more red fruits and some fruit cake.  There’s a lot of spices involved here, they seem to clash a bit with the primal fruits.  Acidity is decent and the finish is of medium length.  I kinda like this wine even though it’s atypical and heavily into the spice.  I don’t know offhand what to pair it with but drink till 2023.  88 points and for $14 it’s a 3 star wine.  Salut….