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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.8 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 92 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by SARED on 7/27/2022 & rated 91 points: 90-91 (967 views) | | | Tasted by TexasBob on 5/23/2021 & rated 88 points: Very pretty dark garnet with violet edges. Mega purple with a hint of sulfur on the nose. Rich blackberry with a highly engineered taste. (1036 views) | | | Tasted by Jonny d on 9/12/2019 & rated 91 points: Medium Purple. Nose of dark fruits and herbs. Dark fruits, eucalyptus, and savory herbs on palate. Medium-length finish. I'm not usually a fan of Merlot-based wines, but I found this surprisingly appealing. (1535 views) | | | Tasted by michigan dogs on 4/27/2018 & rated 88 points: I rated a previous bottle 87, so maybe this is a touch better. rather simple wine, decent flavor and acidity, but not something I will buy again. Certainly didn't have the experience of other posters. (2503 views) | | | Tasted by rmh66 on 4/13/2018 & rated 91 points: Needs at least an hour of air. Forward aromas of sweet dark fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry, plum), some raspberry, earth, herbs, hints of tobacco and new leather. Blackberry, tart cherry, plum, spice, earth, and herbs on the palate. Good acidity, mostly integrated fine tannins, medium-long finish. Some alcohol spiciness that settles with air. Tasty. Overall, this was a really fun bottle with enough complexity to keep things interesting. (2264 views) | | | Tasted by Baron Slick on 2/8/2018 & rated 92 points: Youthful, brooding, and reminiscent of a Left Bank Bordeaux, this is initially tight, but two hours of air brings out black fruit, currant, and floral aromas that frame flashy tension and lovely ripeness. Bright and structured on the palate, with a vibrant streak of plummy flavors that toggle with fancy oak nuances. Shows poise and restraint through the long finish. Outstanding. (2178 views) | | | Tasted by schott on 10/28/2017 & rated 90 points: Dark red violet. Medium opaque. Medium legs. Strong alcohol on the nose and very tight initially, but promising. After 30 minute decant, much better balance. Medium red and black fruit flavors, some spice, some bitters. Medium to high alcohol. Medium tannins for a red of this composition. Medium length on the finish. I think the consensus ratings on this are pretty accurate 89-90 pts. (2300 views) | | | Tasted by casport on 9/23/2017 & rated 90 points: Meh it was just okay (2019 views) | | | Tasted by annerk on 9/16/2017: Young, give it another 5+ (1628 views) | | | Tasted by austintx1 on 8/16/2017 & rated 92 points: This is a remarkable bottle of wine. It's got a leather / tobacco taste on the front end but finishes with fruit and even a bit of spice. There's an old world taste to this wine, but full bodied like a Napa Cab. I am fan! (1413 views) | | | Tasted by sabrage on 1/4/2017: Moved to wine keeper 01/03 (1925 views) | | | Tasted by prg435 on 6/21/2016 & rated 92 points: Blackberry and plum dominate with hints of cedar and cola. No tertiary aromas. Very round and fleshy in palate no doubt from Merlot percentage. Medium acid and round tannins. Decent sentiment during decant. Drinks well, but in 1-2 more years even better. Met Aaron Potts before at NVV Educator Academy. Nice guy. Nice bottle. (2473 views) | | | Tasted by jviz on 6/4/2016 & rated 92 points: 50% merlot, 25% cab sauv, 25% cab franc.
ruby with no brown to the edge yet. aroma of plum, fig, cherry, sage. palate follows with strong cherry, sandalwood and plum. Very restrained but expert use of oak and rather heavily tannic (I suppose from the cab franc?). Long dry finish. Still a lot of brightness to this wine. I thought it was deceptively Italian in style, drank a lot like a Brunello. Very enjoyable. (2372 views) | | | Tasted by cos65 on 2/14/2016: Juicy plummy, red fruits, moderate oak without being too over the top. Nice now, but plenty of balance to hold. From 375 (2589 views) | | | Tasted by gf2182 on 12/11/2015 & rated 87 points: was definitely an interesting bottle... I'd call it a bit disjoint or maybe "rustic" would be a better term, didn't quite come together, but still very pleasurable (2750 views) | | | Tasted by msuwine on 11/27/2015 & rated 93 points: A beautiful Merlot-based blend that offers both softness and depth - and is drinking wonderfully right now. Dark red in color; medium in body; nose of cedar and spice. Balanced tastes of blackberry, milk chocolate, and graphite. 14.5% alcohol. A well-integrated blend of 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. For the money, this blend is very hard to beat. (2521 views) | | | Tasted by daydrinker on 9/14/2015: Quite tart on the PNP but I'm digging it. (2121 views) | | | Tasted by CWilliam on 7/24/2015 & rated 91 points: PNP and served with pasta. Dark red color. Throwing some sediment. Plum, black cherry, graphite on nose. On palate, black cherry, blackberry with medium body, medium+ acidity & medium+ finish. Very enjoyable and a nice balanced wine. 91+ Would buy again. (2152 views) | | | Tasted by Brownvino on 2/19/2015 & rated 90 points: Decanted for two hours. Nice color and nose. short to medium after taste. Good but not great. (2387 views) | | | Tasted by BigBoy_Sonoma on 12/14/2014 & rated 90 points: Dark fruit, cassis, extremely herbal, white pepper, finishes with some oak. Good length on the finish. A- (2643 views) | | | Tasted by ageverett on 11/27/2014 & rated 92 points: We included this in our Thanksgiving day lineup. This option allowed for more fruit than the Syrah and the Cab that we had open. Very consistent experiences with this wine; right bank style on the fruit, and very expressive. Easy drinker that we have consistently enjoyed. Very good with food. (2750 views) | | | Tasted by michigan dogs on 11/25/2014 & rated 87 points: 1st day I liked it, 2nd day had faded alot, somewhat disappointing. Fruit was surprisingly absent (2380 views) | | | Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 5/31/2014 & rated 91 points: Black-tinged very dark red violet color; appealing, aromatic, tart currant, tobacco, cedar nose; tasty, poised, creamy textured, tart black fruit, tar, cedar, dried berry palate; medium-plus finish (53% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon) 91+ points (1051 views) | | | Tasted by bluedog on 5/23/2014 & rated 93 points: Love it. (3267 views) | | | Tasted by kstoddard on 4/24/2014: Blind Night (Jeff): The fruit was completely absent in this wine. Showed much better on release. (3401 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2012, IWC Issue #162
(Blackbird Vineyards Arise Proprietary Red Wine Oak Knoll Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (5/31/2014)
(Blackbird Vineyards Arise) Black-tinged very dark red violet color; appealing, aromatic, tart currant, tobacco, cedar nose; tasty, poised, creamy textured, tart black fruit, tar, cedar, dried berry palate; medium-plus finish (53% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon) 91+ points 91 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (4/14/2012)
(Blackbird Vineyards Arise) Dark ruby color; tart cassis, tart currant nose; tight, tart currant, tart cassis, cedar palate; medium-plus finish (53% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon) 90 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (10/2/2011)
(Blackbird Vineyards Arise) From 50 ml tasting sample - very dark red violet color; poised, tart cassis, currant, cedar, tart berry, tart black fruit nose; tart berry, tart currant, tart plum, tart blackberry, roast coffee palate with polished, sweet tannins; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish 90+ points (53% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon) 90 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Blackbird Vineyards Producer website
Purchased by Michael Polenske in 2003, Blackbird Vineyards (a former walnut orchard first planted with 5, 717 Merlot vines in 1997) is now an ultra premium label in its own right. Fittingly, the word 'Merlot' is French patois for 'little blackbird.'
An early harbinger of Blackbird's potential arose when Mia Klein of Dalla Valle fame created a Blackbird Vineyard designate for her highly acclaimed 1999 Selene Merlot (no less than 95% of the fruit in the bottle must be from the named vineyard).
Three of the top wine critics in the industry - Robert Parker, Stephen Tanzer, and Wine Spectator's James Laube - scored this wine in the 90s.
Since the premier release of our 2003 vintage, Blackbird Vineyards' winemaking team has handcrafted truly expressive wines with a focus on the varieties of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. By utilizing the natural advantage of a
10-acre estate vineyard which produces exceptional Merlot in the Oak Knoll District-along with meticulously sourcing fruit of comparable quality-our portfolio reflects artisanal, terroir-driven wines of pedigree with each vintage.2009 Blackbird Vineyards AriseBlend: 53% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon.Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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