April 6, 2013 - Drinks well with nice layers and integrated tannins. Quite nice.
July 19, 2012 - This still needs some air to open up. It is ripe, but classically dry, with nice structure of acids and tannins. The heat is the only drawback. It really was drinking well after about an hour or two. 88 upon pop, 89-90 at peak. Probably 90. Mouthcoating tannins tht are drying in a good way. Well done. Just pick slightly earlier.
January 20, 2012 - Wish I had more.
December 23, 2011 - OK...high score I know...but this is really great. I remember a bottle of 1997 St Francis Merlot I had and it was outstanding....this is the same. Really right bank bordeaux. Nose of plum, cola, spice. perfectly integrated raspberry, blueberry, plum, cola, spice...tannins for a strong backbone...but really nicely integrated. 45 second finish. OK....really, really good QPR and wish I had a full case.
December 5, 2011 - PnVnD let air for 3hrs. Purple crimson almost opaque with a pinkish rim. Plum cherry with a touch sage and earth and a hit of oak on the nose. Medium weight with stemmy tannins. Leathery plum cassis and cherry with tobacco earth and cedar notes. Enough acid to keep it balanced. Overall a bit disjointed and not enough to suggest there is something to join up. OK for the money but at the same time confirms the challenge of merlot.
December 1, 2011 - These were good and some were bad... interesting.. :)
November 27, 2011 - Siliar notes to last time. Very elegant and nicely balanced. Somewhat classical. Needs 30 minutes of air to get going. Some herbal notes and earthy licorice come forth to balance the elegant fruit. 89+. Well made.
September 16, 2011 - 89-90. This needs a bit of air for the more complex elements to appear, but this is very good. Elegant, balanced, ripe, but not overextracted and fairly classically dry. I like this a lot. Has a bit of earth and pencil lead to balance out the nice fruit.
August 16, 2011 - PnV. Dark crimson purple almost saturated with plum rim. Smoky cassis and plum jam aroma. Medium weight with powdery cocoa tannins. Smoky cassis plum and tobacco flavors. Really opened up over the couple hours from opening to writing this note. At first did not like it at all. Definitely needs more time or a good decant. Drying cherry skin finish. Better than the last bottle not as good as the first. Will be careful with the next bottle as it is my last.
Day 3 - poured off to a half bottle and left in the fridge. Has opened up beautiful nice rich mellow fruit, plush tannins. Really does need time. +2 from original score.
July 28, 2011 - Superb merlot, with a delicious nuanced nose of violets, cherries, and earth. Palate corresponds with deeper red berry notes added. I recommend a 2-3 hour decant, but this seemed ready to roll from opening. If you open for friends, make sure you have more than one bottle!