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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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Nose of menthol, mint, cherry. Beautiful purple sparkling color with red edges. Deep charged rasberries, cassis, creme, menthol, long smooth finish. Great bones in this merlot...
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PnVnD let air for .5hrs. Dark claret purple almost opaque with crimson rim. Plummy cassis and cedar nose with a blackberry blossom note. Medium weight with silky espresso tannins. Blackberry jam sour cherries and dark chocolate on the palate. Real dark chocolate on the mid-palate. Medium finish of cherry skin and oak char. Nicely balanced. Really opened up over the course of 2hrs. Should have bought more.
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Needs some air. Quite a nice wine. Becomes drier and more complex with air. This is nicely balanced with nice acidity not overextracted. Full bodied but not overextracted. This could get to 90 pts with time. Tannic structure suggests several years til decline. Very nice.
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4/6/2013 - Watchster wrote: 90 Points
Drinks well with nice layers and integrated tannins. Quite nice.
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7/19/2012 - winegr wrote: 89 Points
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.
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1/20/2012 - DesMarteau wrote: 92 Points
Wish I had more.
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12/23/2011 - DesMarteau wrote: 94 Points
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.
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12/5/2011 - df1962 wrote: 87 Points
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.
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12/1/2011 - TAratari wrote:
These were good and some were bad... interesting.. :)
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11/27/2011 - winegr wrote: 89 Points
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.
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9/16/2011 - winegr wrote: 89 Points
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.
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8/16/2011 - df1962 wrote: 90 Points
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.
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7/28/2011 - apspr wrote: 91 Points
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!
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6/20/2011 - TAratari wrote: 89 Points
same as above
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6/20/2011 - TAratari wrote: 89 Points
So good - jammy and tasty
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6/12/2011 - DesMarteau wrote: 91 Points
Nose of menthol, mint, cherry. Beautiful purple sparkling color with red edges. Deep charged rasberries, cassis, creme, menthol, long smooth finish. Great bones in this merlot...
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6/1/2011 - df1962 wrote: 86 Points
No formal notes. Found it a bit flabby and not as good as previous bottle.
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5/19/2011 - df1962 wrote: 90 Points
PnVnD let air for .5hrs. Dark claret purple almost opaque with crimson rim. Plummy cassis and cedar nose with a blackberry blossom note. Medium weight with silky espresso tannins. Blackberry jam sour cherries and dark chocolate on the palate. Real dark chocolate on the mid-palate. Medium finish of cherry skin and oak char. Nicely balanced. Really opened up over the course of 2hrs. Should have bought more.
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5/13/2011 - winegr wrote: 89 Points
Needs some air. Quite a nice wine. Becomes drier and more complex with air. This is nicely balanced with nice acidity not overextracted. Full bodied but not overextracted. This could get to 90 pts with time. Tannic structure suggests several years til decline. Very nice.
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4/16/2011 - TAratari wrote:
Jammy, Yummy, Just damn good.
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