I think this was my last bottle of the 2010 Switchback merlot, unfortunately (still had the $24.99 price sticker!). Still dynamite, still full of delicious fruit; some tannins still noticeable. I expect this will be drinking well for at least another 6-8 years (probably more).
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Another gorgeous Switchback merlot. Still some tannic grip but the delicious fruit carries the wine. Went great with grilled sausage. Many years of excellent drinking ahead!
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Super. Lovely fruit. Still some tannins to resolve. After drinking through 4-5 bottles of 1999 Pride merlot in the last year - which have been bursting with fruit and simply fantastic - this 2010 Switchback (of which I also have had several) makes me wonder if it’ll be similarly superb like the 1999 Pride in another 10-12 years. (If I can keep my hands off)
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Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Floral notes on the nose including violets followed by plums and a hint of chocolate with a bit of wet cement. Flavors of dried plums, currants and raspberries. Tangy acidity, resolved tannin, full bodied. Drink now.
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A bit disappointing. Cooperage sits forward on the nose, across the palate and well into the finish with big cedar box and vanilla...I’m guessing this fruit was disappointing so they tried multiple toast levels and mixes of new/used oaks. Seems mostly American oak but perhaps some Hungarian.
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The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound; popped, poured and consumed over the course of 2 days. Dark color with no obvious signs of age. Notes of super ripe black fruits, chocolate, and fruit cake. Medium to full bodied, with good concentration and a round texture. Made in a very hedonistic and "modern" style, so missing a bit in terms of delineation and depth, but a very good wine for what it is trying to be.
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Opened about 45 minutes before tasting, and it did not change a whole lot over the ensuing 90 minutes. Baby fat gone, with just a slight hint of sweetness. Great balance at this point in time. Nice nose - berries and a hint of smoke. Dark cherries, a little chocolate, and traces of herbaceous stuff. Rich, but not cloying, and a very solid finish. Matched up well with grilled duck boobs. Probably at its peak.
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Coravin’d a glass a few nts ago, balance of the bottle was a pop and pour, reflected in these comments. Smooth and enjoyable though slightly less depth than night one. Fruit isn’t the strength of this....not sure if it’s the coravin or reflective of the vintage; tea, faint cigar, dark but faint blue-black fruit.
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Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of boysenberry, plum, flowers and dark chocolate. Flavors of plums, chocolate covered cherries and black berries. Medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink ove the next couple of years.
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Nose of muted dark fruit, black tea. Structure is fading but still present, with a faint sweetness mid-palate. Very good, but I’d argue it’s a little bit past its peak. Will drink remaining bottle with in the next six months
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It has been over two years since I last tried a bottle, this time we opened a magnum 4 hours before dinner. Dark fruit on the nose, the palate was dark berry, plum, some cedar and mocha. The finish was long and smooth.
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Purple in color. 14.2% ABV. Amazing nose of blue fruits, crushed stones and flowers. Big, dense and complex with a sweet fruit profile. Currants, cassis liqueur and cocoa powder on the palate. The finish is long and silky with fine grained tannins. At first blush this wine seems to be slightly less concentrated than previous vintages but it picks up weight with time in the glass. The nose itself is worth the price of admission. Classic Bob Foley and a benchmark for California Merlot. Drink over the next 2-4 years.
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I was a little apprehensive about this, fearing it would be some kind of Napa parfait. Right now, it seems to be transitioning from parfait to table wine. Still plenty rich, with delicious blueberry fruit, but not noticeably sweet and surprisingly complex (smoke and some herbal characteristics). Really solid, rich finish. I'm guessing it will peak in late 2017 or 2018.
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Drinking very well now, but need some time to open up. This is a big juice wine with loads of fruit upfront and a little bit of jammyness through the mid body, which should subside with age. However I found the wine well-balanced With tar, crushed granite and some smoke, although the smoke is a little sweet and develops more in the finish than in the nose. Fruit at this point lingers through the finish but is balanced by soft tannins and good structure.
Best to decant this wine
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Decanted and followed over 2.5 hours. Throws off classic blueberry nose as the cork is popped. With time, blue fruit, pine tar and eucalyptus on the nose. Medium-light in weight, there are some green notes that just don't blow off during my drinking window, hidden behind ripe cherry, herbs de provence, faint pepper. Drink during '16 or '17
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A little pencil lead, dark, dusty fruit on the nose. Jammy, rich dark fruit, plum and blueberry with a definitive hint of creme brulee. Long finish. Excellent wine.
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Bright blueberry and violets upon opening, along with creosote; light in weight with a watered-down mouthfeel that makes this very easy to drink in spite of its brief finish. Flavor is generally sweet blue fruit, somewhat extracted as noted in other notes. Still don't believe this will have great longevity, but Bob did a great job producing a solid wine from an off year.
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Didn't keep notes, but recall it being quite extracted. Deep, viscous, rich and velvety. Lots of ripe fruit (maybe too much) with nice secondary aromas, but the finish was somehow awkward. Not bad at all, but one of those wines that equalled less than the sum of its parts.
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The final bottle of wine of our SNL 40th anniversary dinner, we pnp'd, this is such a great bottle of merlot. Smooth as silk, plums and berries on the palate and a long finish.
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Dinner with Parents (Novi, MI): WOTN for the group, by far (although most of the group had previous high opinions of this wine). Silky smooth tannins, yet with enough structure to stand up to an array of food thrown at it. Outstanding.
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We PNP'd and this wine, it opened quickly and was still excellent. Dark fruit on the nose, the plate was fruit forward with hints of bark and pencil with a nice long finish. I cannot go into more detail as it was the 6th bottle of wine of the Halloween dinner but by far the best.
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Was hesitant to purchase at first given how off the year was, but Kelly held some for me to sample as a courtesy. Great wine, very approachable. Won't have the same life as many other SRs but is drinking great right out of the bottle. Foley blue-fruit upon opening, but quickly dissipates. Vanilla, tight black fruit, some wood.
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Wow. Really nice, well integrated, smooth wine. It's young and this was a 375 so time will only make this better. That said, don't be afraid to pop one open now as it's really drinking nicely.
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8/13/2023 - kabert Likes this wine: 93 Points
I think this was my last bottle of the 2010 Switchback merlot, unfortunately (still had the $24.99 price sticker!). Still dynamite, still full of delicious fruit; some tannins still noticeable. I expect this will be drinking well for at least another 6-8 years (probably more).
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9/3/2022 - kabert Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another gorgeous Switchback merlot. Still some tannic grip but the delicious fruit carries the wine. Went great with grilled sausage. Many years of excellent drinking ahead!
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5/28/2022 - kabert Likes this wine: 92 Points
Super. Lovely fruit. Still some tannins to resolve. After drinking through 4-5 bottles of 1999 Pride merlot in the last year - which have been bursting with fruit and simply fantastic - this 2010 Switchback (of which I also have had several) makes me wonder if it’ll be similarly superb like the 1999 Pride in another 10-12 years. (If I can keep my hands off)
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6/10/2020 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
WIML93
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Floral notes on the nose including violets followed by plums and a hint of chocolate with a bit of wet cement. Flavors of dried plums, currants and raspberries. Tangy acidity, resolved tannin, full bodied. Drink now.
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1/7/2020 - rinnocenzi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful merlot, drink over next 5 years
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12/3/2019 - Rick 4 Wine wrote: 89 Points
A bit disappointing. Cooperage sits forward on the nose, across the palate and well into the finish with big cedar box and vanilla...I’m guessing this fruit was disappointing so they tried multiple toast levels and mixes of new/used oaks. Seems mostly American oak but perhaps some Hungarian.
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2/15/2019 - tbabes wrote: 90 Points
The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound; popped, poured and consumed over the course of 2 days. Dark color with no obvious signs of age. Notes of super ripe black fruits, chocolate, and fruit cake. Medium to full bodied, with good concentration and a round texture. Made in a very hedonistic and "modern" style, so missing a bit in terms of delineation and depth, but a very good wine for what it is trying to be.
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10/15/2018 - Night Train Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened about 45 minutes before tasting, and it did not change a whole lot over the ensuing 90 minutes. Baby fat gone, with just a slight hint of sweetness. Great balance at this point in time. Nice nose - berries and a hint of smoke. Dark cherries, a little chocolate, and traces of herbaceous stuff. Rich, but not cloying, and a very solid finish. Matched up well with grilled duck boobs. Probably at its peak.
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6/18/2018 - emf Likes this wine:
Aging well, was a full bodied Merlot.
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3/29/2018 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 91 Points
Coravin’d a glass a few nts ago, balance of the bottle was a pop and pour, reflected in these comments. Smooth and enjoyable though slightly less depth than night one. Fruit isn’t the strength of this....not sure if it’s the coravin or reflective of the vintage; tea, faint cigar, dark but faint blue-black fruit.
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2/16/2018 - JohnOnWine wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding. Drinks like a cab.
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12/9/2017 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of boysenberry, plum, flowers and dark chocolate. Flavors of plums, chocolate covered cherries and black berries. Medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink ove the next couple of years.
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12/3/2017 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose of muted dark fruit, black tea. Structure is fading but still present, with a faint sweetness mid-palate. Very good, but I’d argue it’s a little bit past its peak. Will drink remaining bottle with in the next six months
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9/30/2017 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
It has been over two years since I last tried a bottle, this time we opened a magnum 4 hours before dinner. Dark fruit on the nose, the palate was dark berry, plum, some cedar and mocha. The finish was long and smooth.
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4/10/2017 - tomlee wrote: 92 Points
Purple in color. 14.2% ABV. Amazing nose of blue fruits, crushed stones and flowers. Big, dense and complex with a sweet fruit profile. Currants, cassis liqueur and cocoa powder on the palate. The finish is long and silky with fine grained tannins. At first blush this wine seems to be slightly less concentrated than previous vintages but it picks up weight with time in the glass. The nose itself is worth the price of admission. Classic Bob Foley and a benchmark for California Merlot. Drink over the next 2-4 years.
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1/31/2017 - kanab ram Likes this wine:
Popped and poured from a 375 bottle. Still singing with plenty of life. Lots of ripe dark fruit and nice complexity.
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1/15/2017 - DCSteve wrote: 92 Points
This wine is just singing right now. Pop and pour. A little tight a first but within 15 - 20 minutes really opened up. Smooth finish. Drink up!
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10/22/2016 - Night Train Likes this wine: 91 Points
I was a little apprehensive about this, fearing it would be some kind of Napa parfait. Right now, it seems to be transitioning from parfait to table wine. Still plenty rich, with delicious blueberry fruit, but not noticeably sweet and surprisingly complex (smoke and some herbal characteristics). Really solid, rich finish. I'm guessing it will peak in late 2017 or 2018.
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8/27/2016 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 91 Points
Best about 30 mins after decanting. Similar to prior notes.
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2/10/2016 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very well now, but need some time to open up. This is a big juice wine with loads of fruit upfront and a little bit of jammyness through the mid body, which should subside with age. However I found the wine well-balanced With tar, crushed granite and some smoke, although the smoke is a little sweet and develops more in the finish than in the nose. Fruit at this point lingers through the finish but is balanced by soft tannins and good structure.
Best to decant this wine
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2/5/2016 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted and followed over 2.5 hours. Throws off classic blueberry nose as the cork is popped. With time, blue fruit, pine tar and eucalyptus on the nose. Medium-light in weight, there are some green notes that just don't blow off during my drinking window, hidden behind ripe cherry, herbs de provence, faint pepper. Drink during '16 or '17
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1/3/2016 - flwinos wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Didn't need too much air time to get into a nice place.
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11/21/2015 - MatLot Likes this wine: 91 Points
Belle explosion de fruits, un peu complexe, prêt à boire maintenant ne pas trop carafer, excellent ! Trop $...
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9/3/2015 - Billiken Likes this wine: 93 Points
A little pencil lead, dark, dusty fruit on the nose. Jammy, rich dark fruit, plum and blueberry with a definitive hint of creme brulee. Long finish. Excellent wine.
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7/26/2015 - Goodjob! Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very ready to drink. Good but poor QPR at 60$
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6/21/2015 - markcic wrote: 92 Points
Same as previous notes - dark fruit with hints of fresh berries, palate is alive with black berry, cedar and chocolate. A long finish
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5/6/2015 - davidandrose Likes this wine:
Bright blueberry and violets upon opening, along with creosote; light in weight with a watered-down mouthfeel that makes this very easy to drink in spite of its brief finish. Flavor is generally sweet blue fruit, somewhat extracted as noted in other notes. Still don't believe this will have great longevity, but Bob did a great job producing a solid wine from an off year.
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4/20/2015 - millerarner wrote: 90 Points
Didn't keep notes, but recall it being quite extracted. Deep, viscous, rich and velvety. Lots of ripe fruit (maybe too much) with nice secondary aromas, but the finish was somehow awkward. Not bad at all, but one of those wines that equalled less than the sum of its parts.
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2/15/2015 - markcic Likes this wine: 91 Points
The final bottle of wine of our SNL 40th anniversary dinner, we pnp'd, this is such a great bottle of merlot. Smooth as silk, plums and berries on the palate and a long finish.
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12/20/2014 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dinner with Parents (Novi, MI): WOTN for the group, by far (although most of the group had previous high opinions of this wine).
Silky smooth tannins, yet with enough structure to stand up to an array of food thrown at it. Outstanding.
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11/1/2014 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
We PNP'd and this wine, it opened quickly and was still excellent. Dark fruit on the nose, the plate was fruit forward with hints of bark and pencil with a nice long finish. I cannot go into more detail as it was the 6th bottle of wine of the Halloween dinner but by far the best.
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10/15/2014 - maitredgreg2 wrote: 95 Points
94+, notes to come when I figure out all that's going on in this bottle. Mmm Mmm :-~
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6/2/2014 - brianngibson wrote: 91 Points
Nice fruit and very approachable, yet certainly not green or light in palate.
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1/25/2014 - pauljr1121 wrote: 92 Points
Maybe my favorite Napa Merlot, Excellent currant and spice with a rugged characteristic. Would probably benefit from 3-5 more years.
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11/30/2013 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Was hesitant to purchase at first given how off the year was, but Kelly held some for me to sample as a courtesy. Great wine, very approachable. Won't have the same life as many other SRs but is drinking great right out of the bottle.
Foley blue-fruit upon opening, but quickly dissipates. Vanilla, tight black fruit, some wood.
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8/16/2013 - dlcass wrote: 92 Points
Wet oak; inky character. Leather
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6/8/2013 - ghobby wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding wine; long finish, great fruit
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4/21/2013 - emf wrote:
Very dark red in color, wine improved over time. Lots of dark fruit aromas and tastes with a supple mouth feel and smoothing tannins.
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12/30/2012 - rerail84 wrote:
Drank at Christmas. Closed down. Decanted for 2-3 hours before any life started to show. From half bottle.
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12/15/2012 - absolutvodka wrote: 93 Points
This wine is fantastic. Dark as night but smooth as silk. Almost brooding.
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12/2/2012 - DCSteve wrote: 93 Points
Wow. Really nice, well integrated, smooth wine. It's young and this was a 375 so time will only make this better. That said, don't be afraid to pop one open now as it's really drinking nicely.
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