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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.7 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 266 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by dfcrutcher on 7/9/2023 & rated 92 points: Good deep color. Fair amount of sediment. Lots of good deep black fruit. Nice acidic balance. Soft mocha flavors. Still drinking very nicely. No hurry. (556 views) | | | Tasted by dfcrutcher on 11/6/2021 & rated 91 points: Decanted for about 2 hours. Soft and supple with faded semi-aged tannins. Blueberry with other unidentifiable fruit flavors, and a hint of salinity. Almost, but not quite, glyceriney. Holding up well; no hurry to drink, but probably in a long slow decline.
Very nice wine for as old as it is, and for a varietal that performs with mixed results in CA. (1150 views) | | | Tasted by JGirl on 9/3/2021 flawed bottle: This wine has either aged past it’s enjoyable drinking window or it was corked. This wine smelled terrible and after 1 glass each, we said no more. (1197 views) | | | Tasted by dkwins on 8/29/2020 & rated 95 points: Even better from the magnum. This exceeded my already high expectations from a Pride merlot. Very smooth and fairly full bodied. A real treat. (1609 views) | | | Tasted by BBinSC on 8/22/2020 & rated 95 points: 94-95: Shocked at this wine. Pride makes beautiful wine, but I didn't expect this wine to be so young and vibrant. Nose screamed North Coast, ripe black and blue fruit, earth, and a touch of heat. First sip just held in my mouth, fruit tannins are still lively and thick. Excellent integration of oak, finish goes on and on. Stood above the Pomerol before it. Smashing - might be wine of the night. (1591 views) | | | Tasted by murand on 8/4/2020 & rated 87 points: Smooth deep cherry, blackberry. Drinking very well- stored properly years more (1303 views) | | | Tasted by Ridgerunner on 5/19/2020 & rated 93 points: wonderful mountain character (1056 views) | | | Tasted by Michigan Mostberg on 3/1/2020 & rated 93 points: From magnum, agonizing over. A little brighter or riper fruit expression would've been welcome with tonight's rack of lamb. Outstanding, but sad for this era to be over. Drink-up! (1146 views) | | | Tasted by Michigan Mostberg on 1/3/2020 & rated 95 points: Buckeye76 nailed this wine back in March '19. The wine hasn't budged, this bottle maybe even intensified from described. Easily 5 great yrs ahead for this wine, the absolute pinnacle of CA merlot production, none better than this, only different. The last of several btls and halves purchased on release, 1 magnum left to agonize over opening. (819 views) | | | Tasted by Shiff5 on 12/7/2019: temple sinai dinner (811 views) | | | Tasted by Chris M. on 7/7/2019: WS 94 Top 100 #34 (1112 views) | | | Tasted by buckeye76 on 3/16/2019 & rated 94 points: Surpassed expectations. Currants, black cherries, plums, chocolate, coffee, licorice, earthiness, and hints of floral. Medium to full bodied, nice complexity, and a very smooth medium to long finish (1237 views) | | | Tasted by Roentgen Ray on 9/28/2018 & rated 96 points: Opaque garnet to brick colors.
Rich and aromatic.
Mocha, ripe blueberry, menthe, and dusty mineral aromatics.
Long and rich finish. Very balanced.
Full bodied and long legged. (1533 views) | | | Tasted by jts_brown on 6/16/2018 & rated 97 points: Wow this wine was singing. Just Woow!!!!
Drank from magnum (2011 views) | | | Tasted by Roentgen Ray on 4/15/2018 & rated 94 points: Wow, this bottle was spectacular with dark fruit, amazing balance and energy, and an inviting structure. (1866 views) | | | Tasted by melissa01leonard@gmail.com on 4/5/2018 & rated 91 points: Drinking well, but I would not wait any longer to drink it. (1683 views) | | | Tasted by ajfret01 on 2/1/2018: Smooth and jammy. Drinking well. (1766 views) | | | Tasted by moxielady on 10/15/2017 & rated 93 points: Drinking well, full and fruity (1722 views) | | | Tasted by kdregister on 9/7/2017 & rated 93 points: Celebrated 17mile half dome hike! (1568 views) | | | Tasted by Winowhyno on 4/9/2017 & rated 92 points: Fantastic....smooth...fruity....perfect....just sorry it is my last bottle!!!! (3121 views) | | | Tasted by EricDilda on 4/2/2017 & rated 91 points: cedar, currant on nose, blackberry, prune. ready now (3022 views) | | | Tasted by Night Train on 2/11/2017 & rated 91 points: Unlike a previous bottle, this one was plenty rich. In fact, it looked, smelled, felt, and tasted like a .....Pride Merlot (which, for me at least, is high praise). It will probably go a few more years, but I can't imagine it getting any better. (3291 views) | | | Tasted by Ellenkf on 1/9/2017 & rated 90 points: Velvety, extracted fruit and power. Popped and poured without a lot of contemplation. (3026 views) | | | Tasted by davidandrose on 12/23/2016 & rated 91 points: Final bottle, 10 months after most recent tasting. Pop and pour, and as good as this will get, maybe a little past peak. Wine has a thick, port-like grip on the stems. Heavy cigar and tobacco aroma along with cedar. Dark fruits have a modest sour note, along with white pepper and spice box. Throwing off light sediment thoughout the bottle. 10 months ago I said drink up during '16; mission accomplished, and timing holds. Would not hang on to this much longer if I had more. (2849 views) | | | Tasted by budman on 9/22/2016 & rated 92 points: Sedimentary, but still going strong!! (1980 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2010, IWC Issue #150
(Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot Napa County/Sonoma County) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Pride Mountain Vineyards Producer websiteMerlotMerlot is a dark blue–colored wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color of the grape. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in tannin.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 North CoastThe North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA) in California, covering more than three million acres, includes Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties, and portions of Marin and Solano counties. (see The Wine Institute for more information) |
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