Pop and pour, followed over 2 hrs. Sadly my last bottle, this is as good as Merlot gets. In a great place but no rush if you don’t decant. Enough said.
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Opened and allowed to breathe, undecanted, for an hour. Slightly pruny and high in alcohol upon opening and for the first hour.
Dark, watery blackberry and black cherry fruit dominates. This packs a great punch for a 10-year-old Merlot but I’ll drink remaining bottles during the course of this year to minimize risks noted from the pruny opening. My wife who normally rates wines 2 point below me pushed this to 93-4.
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Consistent with previous bottles; notes of mocha, cherry cola, and plums. More precision and grip on the palate compared to the 09 switchback ridge merlot which we had earlier in the evening.
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The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound; popped, poured and consumed over the course of dinner (duck). A black-purple core with no bricking. On the nose, scents of black cherry, ripe plums, and chocolate. Medium to full bodied, with a lush texture, good concentration and a long finish. Unabashedly hedonistic, with loads of fruit and well integrated alcohol.
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A great medium to full bodied merlot. Nice bouquet, ripe mouth coating textured blackberry and black cherry. It all comes together with well integrated fine tannins and a nice finish. It’s drinking really well now.
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Pop and pour, followed over 3 hours. Opened up w a classic and fruity Foley nose, Sweet nose, very nicely balanced. This is in a great place 90 minutes after opening, with currants as a dominant flavor with soft blackberry in the background.
I’ve got two more bottles and will drink with in the next 12 to 18 months as I think this is presently at peak.
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Pop and poor. Certainly fine but I think this particular bottle has overly aged and is past its peak; purchased at auction, while most of my bottles were purchased directly from the winery. Just a little too sweet in every regard with a shallow structure and finish.Again, I think this is more related to the bottle then to the vintage overall. Still have three more to try.
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Nose shows eucalyptus, alcohol, plum. Nice coating of the palate with lush dark berries. Bright finish that polishes the palate and lingers for 15-20 seconds. Great on its own or paired with just about anything. Plenty of life ahead but nearing its window with minimal air time.
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Can't believe I haven't popped one of these in nearly 3 years, and its been a year since anyone posted a CT note. Decanted and allowed to sit for an hour, followed over 3 hours. At 1hr there's heat and dark fruit on the nose; leather, pepper and flavored pipe tobacco as well. Profile is extraordinarily well-integrated - ripe black cherry and other dark fruits, smooth and refined yet with a mouthfeel that's neither lush nor silky. I'd venture this is within a year of hitting its peak, longer if a popnpour. Aging like a solid calicab, which makes it a classic Foley merlot.
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Mpls Wine Club Napa Blind tasting with cabs, merlot and chard (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red-purple color. Decanted for 1.5hrs, drank 1 glass blind over 45 minutes. Nose is very fruit forward, big black fruits of cassis, blackberry liqueur, ripe, pepper with caramel and herbs emerging later. The palate is full bodied and concentrated, nicely textured, blackberry, blackberry liqueur, black pepper, and a moderate amount of heat. This did settle down over time; young, needs 2 years.
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Big style wine. Blackberries, spice, coffee, minerals and a little heat. The heat blew off and the wine evolved in the glass. This is young and should improve with some time. Medium to long finish.
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i'm amazed this is an '09 Merlot. It's still a little backward, even after being open for three hours. I don't get a ton for fruit, but the early body is very tight and angular. I don't get how this will develop, but I'm not understanding the 93.3 rating on this wine. Maybe I need to open, decant and then pour after a couple of hours.
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Try this. Amazing depth. Black fruits with layers of flavors. Match it against your friends older cab and watch them pick this as the winner. Great wine and super value.
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Decanted approx. 4 hours ... Berry bright with a hint of spice. Not as rich or deep as the '07 we had last year. Milk chocolate and vanilla for an unctuous mouthfeel. Medium-long finish. Lots of life left. ... New Year's Eve 2012
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A spectacular crowd pleasing effort. I tried this at a tasting a couple weeks ago alongside some really nice stuff and adored the flavor profile. I had to buy a bottle of this to have on hand for the holidays. The bottle I opened at home with company absolutely hit the spot. It's *not* all simple primary grape-ape stuff. There's gorgeous milk chocolate and savory notes paired with bold fruit notes. It's fairly high octane with alc in the upper-15% range. But it didn't bother me. Really nice stuff. I'll buy more. Highly recommended for those who like big reds from California.
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Decanted and consumed over 4 hours. Again, heavy notes of green at first, but as we neared the end of the bottle this was really singing - showed classic Foley depth and structure, and more layers than I've seen in earlier tastings of this wine. Still a fair amount of oak, but hte fruit blend in nicely with the longer drinking window.
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Crimson red with intense blackberry jam and oak on the nose. Blackberry, blueberry, vanilla and sweet tea on the palate. I know, that sweet tea description is a little bit weird . . . but there is a little sweetness on the finish, and like tea, the tannin is present; for some reason this unusual similarity occurred to me. You feel the gentle heat of the wine all the way down as it gently massages the back of the throat.
This is still very young, but while there is plenty of time, there is also no reason to wait for a decadent treat.
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Wonderful. the first hour the wine had a peppery tone that hit you immediately and then rich red fruit finished it off. The peppery tone dissipated and it was replaced with velvety chocolate and vanilla tones. Great wine.
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Decanted and immediately consumed. I thought this was too green out of the decanter, with some green olive notes that I didn't enjoy; the Vinturi removed the olive taste but made the wine softer than Mrs Davidandrose preferred. Not as "chewy" as one expects from Foley wines, but still an enjoyable merlot that's definately still in its youth. There's an oaky tightness to the wine, but the tannins are silkier and more approachable than you expect. Dark fruit, blueberry, vanilla, sweetened coffee. Will be fund to watch this wine evolve over the years.
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Decanted for 2 hours, and still had to use a vinturi to get this to open up. Very young, high in alcohol and tasting quite green without sufficient air. But with time, this shows a typical Foley pedigree and should turn into a fine merlot.
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12/8/2023 - pipegarcia wrote: 92 Points
Classic mountain merlot with a lot of plum fruit. Sweet and silky. Still few year more of life.
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9/8/2020 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pop and pour, followed over 2 hrs. Sadly my last bottle, this is as good as Merlot gets. In a great place but no rush if you don’t decant. Enough said.
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8/6/2020 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
just a gem from the recesses of the cellar
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5/12/2019 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened and allowed to breathe, undecanted, for an hour. Slightly pruny and high in alcohol upon opening and for the first hour.
Dark, watery blackberry and black cherry fruit dominates. This packs a great punch for a 10-year-old Merlot but I’ll drink remaining bottles during the course of this year to minimize risks noted from the pruny opening. My wife who normally rates wines 2 point below me pushed this to 93-4.
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3/4/2019 - tbabes wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with previous bottles; notes of mocha, cherry cola, and plums. More precision and grip on the palate compared to the 09 switchback ridge merlot which we had earlier in the evening.
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2/10/2019 - tbabes wrote: 91 Points
The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound; popped, poured and consumed over the course of dinner (duck). A black-purple core with no bricking. On the nose, scents of black cherry, ripe plums, and chocolate. Medium to full bodied, with a lush texture, good concentration and a long finish. Unabashedly hedonistic, with loads of fruit and well integrated alcohol.
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11/10/2018 - Rusinl Likes this wine: 94 Points
A great medium to full bodied merlot. Nice bouquet, ripe mouth coating textured blackberry and black cherry. It all comes together with well integrated fine tannins and a nice finish. It’s drinking really well now.
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10/13/2018 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pop and pour, followed over 3 hours. Opened up w a classic and fruity Foley nose, Sweet nose, very nicely balanced. This is in a great place 90 minutes after opening, with currants as a dominant flavor with soft blackberry in the background.
I’ve got two more bottles and will drink with in the next 12 to 18 months as I think this is presently at peak.
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8/4/2018 - pjhr wrote: 91 Points
Tasty blackberry and black cherry aromas and flavors with mocha, cassis, and oak notes on the moderate finish, let down by a bit too much heat.
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12/14/2017 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 89 Points
Pop and poor. Certainly fine but I think this particular bottle has overly aged and is past its peak; purchased at auction, while most of my bottles were purchased directly from the winery. Just a little too sweet in every regard with a shallow structure and finish.Again, I think this is more related to the bottle then to the vintage overall. Still have three more to try.
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8/4/2016 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose shows eucalyptus, alcohol, plum. Nice coating of the palate with lush dark berries. Bright finish that polishes the palate and lingers for 15-20 seconds. Great on its own or paired with just about anything. Plenty of life ahead but nearing its window with minimal air time.
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12/5/2015 - 1964vintage wrote: 93 Points
Excellent. Aromatic, deep, rich, nicely layered, with long finish. Lots of life ahead of it but drinking well right now too.
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11/1/2015 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Can't believe I haven't popped one of these in nearly 3 years, and its been a year since anyone posted a CT note. Decanted and allowed to sit for an hour, followed over 3 hours. At 1hr there's heat and dark fruit on the nose; leather, pepper and flavored pipe tobacco as well. Profile is extraordinarily well-integrated - ripe black cherry and other dark fruits, smooth and refined yet with a mouthfeel that's neither lush nor silky. I'd venture this is within a year of hitting its peak, longer if a popnpour. Aging like a solid calicab, which makes it a classic Foley merlot.
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10/2/2014 - galewskj wrote: 91 Points
1.5 hour decant. The fruit and sweetness jump out at you, like a blackberry/raspberry spice pie. Creme de casis also. Nice fruit.
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9/27/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Mpls Wine Club Napa Blind tasting with cabs, merlot and chard (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red-purple color. Decanted for 1.5hrs, drank 1 glass blind over 45 minutes. Nose is very fruit forward, big black fruits of cassis, blackberry liqueur, ripe, pepper with caramel and herbs emerging later. The palate is full bodied and concentrated, nicely textured, blackberry, blackberry liqueur, black pepper, and a moderate amount of heat. This did settle down over time; young, needs 2 years.
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9/27/2014 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 91 Points
Big style wine. Blackberries, spice, coffee, minerals and a little heat. The heat blew off and the wine evolved in the glass. This is young and should improve with some time. Medium to long finish.
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7/23/2014 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
i'm amazed this is an '09 Merlot. It's still a little backward, even after being open for three hours. I don't get a ton for fruit, but the early body is very tight and angular. I don't get how this will develop, but I'm not understanding the 93.3 rating on this wine. Maybe I need to open, decant and then pour after a couple of hours.
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8/3/2013 - purpleteeeth wrote: 93 Points
Soft mouthfeel. Delicious and lush. Chocolate and leather on the palette with little tannin. Great wine.
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7/21/2013 - Bill Ingram Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this merlot, and I don't drink many. Will replace in my cellar. Very full mouth feel, fruity and great finish.
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6/10/2013 - BK29 wrote: 94 Points
Bill Johnson is right on the money. Stellar.
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6/7/2013 - Bill Johnson Likes this wine: 94 Points
I rarely post twice on a wine. This is a merlot for non merlot drinkers. See previous posting. Get it and be surprised. A beautiful wine
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3/30/2013 - mlwhitfi wrote: 94 Points
Deep layers of flavor. Leather, tar, minerality and plums. All subtlety integrated in a smooth finish.
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1/29/2013 - Bill Johnson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Try this. Amazing depth. Black fruits with layers of flavors. Match it against your friends older cab and watch them pick this as the winner. Great wine and super value.
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12/31/2012 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted approx. 4 hours ... Berry bright with a hint of spice. Not as rich or deep as the '07 we had last year. Milk chocolate and vanilla for an unctuous mouthfeel. Medium-long finish. Lots of life left. ... New Year's Eve 2012
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12/25/2012 - RobertDwyer Likes this wine: 94 Points
A spectacular crowd pleasing effort. I tried this at a tasting a couple weeks ago alongside some really nice stuff and adored the flavor profile. I had to buy a bottle of this to have on hand for the holidays. The bottle I opened at home with company absolutely hit the spot. It's *not* all simple primary grape-ape stuff. There's gorgeous milk chocolate and savory notes paired with bold fruit notes. It's fairly high octane with alc in the upper-15% range. But it didn't bother me. Really nice stuff. I'll buy more. Highly recommended for those who like big reds from California.
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12/14/2012 - davidandrose wrote: 94 Points
Decanted and consumed over 4 hours. Again, heavy notes of green at first, but as we neared the end of the bottle this was really singing - showed classic Foley depth and structure, and more layers than I've seen in earlier tastings of this wine. Still a fair amount of oak, but hte fruit blend in nicely with the longer drinking window.
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12/3/2012 - brianngibson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Crimson red with intense blackberry jam and oak on the nose. Blackberry, blueberry, vanilla and sweet tea on the palate. I know, that sweet tea description is a little bit weird . . . but there is a little sweetness on the finish, and like tea, the tannin is present; for some reason this unusual similarity occurred to me. You feel the gentle heat of the wine all the way down as it gently massages the back of the throat.
This is still very young, but while there is plenty of time, there is also no reason to wait for a decadent treat.
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11/2/2012 - jaxpaj wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful. the first hour the wine had a peppery tone that hit you immediately and then rich red fruit finished it off. The peppery tone dissipated and it was replaced with velvety chocolate and vanilla tones. Great wine.
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10/9/2012 - wino31 wrote: 95 Points
Typically terrific Foley merlot: tons of fruit, good complexity, great mouthfeel, long finish. This will only get better over the next 10 years.
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9/13/2012 - wino31 wrote: 95 Points
Typically terrific Foley merlot: tons of fruit, good complexity, great mouthfeel, long finish. This will only get better over the next 10 years.
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8/17/2012 - davidandrose wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and immediately consumed. I thought this was too green out of the decanter, with some green olive notes that I didn't enjoy; the Vinturi removed the olive taste but made the wine softer than Mrs Davidandrose preferred. Not as "chewy" as one expects from Foley wines, but still an enjoyable merlot that's definately still in its youth. There's an oaky tightness to the wine, but the tannins are silkier and more approachable than you expect. Dark fruit, blueberry, vanilla, sweetened coffee. Will be fund to watch this wine evolve over the years.
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3/27/2012 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding, but needs time. I opened this after the sexual chocolate didn't work out. Seemed more like a cab dominated blend.
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2/12/2012 - davidandrose wrote:
Decanted for 2 hours, and still had to use a vinturi to get this to open up. Very young, high in alcohol and tasting quite green without sufficient air. But with time, this shows a typical Foley pedigree and should turn into a fine merlot.
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