Tag Archives: merlot

Virginie Thunevin 2009

04 Wednesday Sep 2013

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I’m starting to sound like a broken record….. 2009 Bordeaux has got to be one of the finest vintages ever made, anywhere. This bottle is no exception. For $16, you get a good dose of red berry and spice on the nose. It caresses the mouth with great ripe tannins, berry, spice and cedar. A tad young as the tannic component is still in the forefront, but not obtrusive. Good balance and a long finish. This wine reminds me a lot of the Carpe Diem I just drank. Very juicy, bold and mouthwatering. Based mainly on Merlot, Cab Sav and Cab Franc are in the blend a’ la Right Bank. I forgot to mention this Domaine’s heritage: Jean Luc Thunevin of Bordeaux fame created this wine alongside his much pricier “Garagiste” wines and his talents really show. I found out that WS gave it 89, I’m going 91 and for the money—-5 stars baby. You can’t go wrong with this wine, it should last at least until 2018. Salut….

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Murrieta’s Well ‘Los Tesoros’ Merlot 2010

02 Monday Sep 2013

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Served on a Virgin America flight. I was pleasantly surprised, after it had a chance to breath that is. Initially, overly tannic and sharp. Once I gave it 30 minutes, very smooth and tasty- with plums and chocolate mixing it up with a eucalyptus tinge . The initial surge of dryness let up and mellowed to a delightful framework of mouth coating tannins and balanced acidity. I got nothing on the nose because it was served in a plastic cup, on a pressurized airplane. The finish, lingering. I had to upgrade my initial thoughts- this is a 90 point wine and 4 stars…. delicious. If you like Metlot , go for it! Salut….

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Ty Caton Upper Bench Merlot 2011

01 Sunday Sep 2013

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Great fruitiness on the nose with hints of Cherry and Plums. The plum component gets a dose of dark currants and perhaps a vegetal thingy… Very smooth and rounded, this wine is balanced and the tannins are fine. This wine drinks beautifully by itself and will do so for another 6 years minimum. 91 points and at $27 it’s a 4 star offering.

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MontGras Merlot Reserva 2011

31 Saturday Aug 2013

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A very basic Merlot that won’t break the bank. Purple ink in the glass, it had a decent nose of plums and herbs. On the palate, slightly off balance for some reason and the tannins were green. Does that make any sense to you? Let me explain… The dryness in the mouth is caused by the tannins, which in this case are not quite ripe. This results in a roughness, rather than a smooth dryish sensation. Once past the tannic grip, a mellow blend of plum compote and some mintyness combine with a certain oaky component. Not delicious, but okay. This wine was only $9, but I feel it only warrants 2 stars for me. Technically speaking, I would imagine it gets 84 points. There are way better wines out there for the same price, move along. Salut….
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Scheid ‘Odd Lot Red’ 2010

28 Sunday Apr 2013

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A bottle that was brought by a friend and served with some steak and chicken.  It took no time to sniff out the two basic ingredients here, Syrah and Merlot.  Without trying to be rude, my host asked what I thought of this wine…..  “Make-up”.  I can’t describe it any better, there was a certain fakeness to this wine that really did not agree with me.  On the other hand, it is an easy drinker that is a sure crowd-pleaser for what it is.  However, at $20 plus per bottle, a major pass in my books.  I really did not care for the almost candy-like flavor of the cherry and strawberry fruit.  The tannins were very slight, but the wine was indeed balanced.  I hate being a wine downer, but this one was just not for me.  Technically speaking, I would imagine it is an 86 point wine, but for the price- 2 stars.

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Barboursville Merlot Reserve 2008

01 Friday Feb 2013

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From the cellar door- this is a stunning wine. Plain and simple, I love this 4 year old. I will start with the rich purple color, the complex nose, layered palate and end on a mouthwatering finish that lasts and lasts.

Take a breath……… On the nose I am getting Bordeaux-like aromas of blackberry, tobacco and earth. A full on palate-attack of layered red and dark berries mixed with an earthiness and leather. Excellent balance between acidity, tannins and alcohol pave the way to a long finish. A serious 5 star wine that I imagine deserves 90+ points. Loving it… Who knew Virginia could bang out such rockin Merlot?

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Chateau De Lisse 2009

19 Saturday Jan 2013

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A St. Emilion from the great 2009 vintage that is Merlot based. Unfortunately I forgot to make notes and can only recall liking this wine a great deal. Not overly tannic, drinking nicely now with several years ahead. This is the kind of wine I really enjoy finding. It offers classic Bordeaux qualities, at a very affordable price and can be consumed without the customary cellaring. I would drink this wine with a host of dishes, including meats and pasta. A 4 star effort with potentially 88 points going for it.

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Montgras Merlot Reserva ’11

10 Thursday May 2012

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The fourth wine in our tasting, the Reserva Merlot from Colchagua in Chile.  A decent bottle, but not really sure where they come up with calling it a reserve wine.  Lots of blue fruit and a nice nose give way to a basic Merlot that is pretty well balanced and has a gentle tannic structure.  Not for the long term, it will bring instant gratification to a party and not break the bank.  In the mouth, the Merlot is tasty, in that South American kind of way.  I did not detect any off-balance, but the lack of much acidity makes me wonder if this wine is able to last past……  Who knows, just get some to pop and pour- you won’t be disappointed.  3 stars from me and potentially an 86 point wine if they ever score it.

Magdelaine ’02

30 Monday Jan 2012

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From St. Emilion, this property has a strong pedigree albeit from a lackluster vintage.  90% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, this wine is smooth, balanced and ‘classic’ in style.  It is not a powerful wine, but rather an elegant offering.  The nose offers nice fruit, the initial attack is somewhat subdued.  The mid-palate is balanced and delicious.  The tannins are poking around, not obtrusive, yet holding it together quite nicely.  The pro’s were all over the shop with this one- 92 from the boys at WS but a measly 15/20 from across the pond.  At ten years of age, it is at a typical Bordeaux drinking window and I doubt it will get better.  Another 3 years and it is over for this one.  I would give it 3 stars. PS. if you remember my previous post about losing a bet- I won one back, and this was the payoff.

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Garraud ’00

03 Saturday Dec 2011

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Another Moxie find, this one brings back some memories.  I first came across it’s sibling, Chateau Treytins at my local wine shop, buying up their ’95 and ’96 stock for about $16 per bottle.  This was an amazing find and one of my all time QPR (Quality Price Ratio) home runs.  The wine was beautiful, mature, full of fruit, great nose and the structure to withstand further aging.  When I tried to look for more, they were out, but the clerk recommended the Garraud as an even better alternative.  Same family, different grapes and composition.  Not as good.  Heavy on the Merlot, whilst the Treytins has more Cab Franc (you know how much I like the Franc).  I felt it was lacking something, just couldn’t pinpoint it.  I have had several vintages of this wine and can honestly say that it is a good effort, but my preference is for the cheaper one (Treytins).  However, the family make yet another wine, their top cuvee- L’Ancien.  Made predominantly with Merlot, from the Lalande-de-Pomerol appellation, it is a true beaut.  I met the winemaker at our local, where he talked about the wine and signed my 2000 vintage.  It was really good.  I never took a picture of it, yet remember it as profound.  So there you have it, 3 good wines, relative inexpensive for Bordeaux and each with it’s own make up and character.  The Garaud ’00 for your info should get 3 stars and the pros gave it an average of 85 points.  Not bad.