Just getting some secondary notes; blueberry, slate, and anise on the nose; the faintest whiff of leather lets you know some aging has transpired; medium bodied threw me off my typical massive cab endeavors but complements the nose nicely with some brightness remaining. Fruit is almost all still there, with predominate notes of underripe blueberry and boysenberry. Tannins are refined but not completely gone indicating more than a few years left. Great QPR and its aging well...I discontinued Merryvale almost a year ago due to bandwidth, but this makes me miss them oh so much
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Excellent Napa Cab, very interesting in nose and some other grape varieties blended in: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot. More than 20 months in French oak, bribgs dark berry fruit with some volatile acidity note towards sweet nail varnish and oak note. One of the bests I ever had.
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4th Saturday Brown Bagger (T&L's): Nonblind. Cassis and black fruit on the nose and palate. Full-bodied with medium/firm tannins and abundant dark fruit. Subtle oak spice on the palate. Very nice.
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Got just 20 min of open time before drinking. Dark berries, Semi dry ... acidic Missing something for me so balance is a bit off. Was fine with a big roast. Probably could have used decanting a bit longer. Pretty good and enjoyable, but past its prime.
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Pleasurable from start to finish with no decant. Ripe fruit, spices, dry with good acidity, smooth tannins, nice finish. A small pour saved overnight in the bottle was just as good 18 hours later. This is at a great place in it's aging curve right now.
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Ok... if you still have one of these bad boys, POP IT OPEN... NOW! This is my last, of 6.... and, it was on the verge of gone. Pretty much undrinkable when first opened, very acidic. After 2 minutes in the decanter, I could tell it was getting better... took about an hour before this wine came back to something really nice.
Dark ruby red, medium bodied with a smooth texture, light tannin.
Fairly dry, not a lot of floral notes. Mostly dark berries, smoky chocolate and blackberry.. finishes with a nice mix across the tongue in a finish lasting 8-10 seconds.
Definitely not as good as previous bottles. No need to wait any longer.
4th Saturday Group brown bagger (R&D's): Nonblind with dinner, courtesy of T&L. Nice dark fruit, has a Merlot-like plushness to it. Dark fruit on the palate; hint of vanilla in the finish.
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Dark currant, vanilla, toast, milk chocolate and earth with a hint of olive tapenade. Focused and assertive flavours; complex and well-balanced. Long, toasty currant finish. 4.5/5
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What a pleasure to drink. PnP, no decant needed. Ripe red and black fruit, a hint of eucalyptus, baking spices. Well integrated tannins, long finish. Excellent!!
Great bottle! PnP. Dark fruit and toasty vanilla oak. The two are really starting to integrate. Tannins are still firm and the acidity is lively. Drink or hold.
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Still a very bold Napa Cab with tons of life left. Deep, rich fruit and cedar on the nose. Bold palate, with notes of plum and oak. Big, but nuanced tannins. Will hold for 7+ years, but might not improve much. Might also surprise and evolve into a well-integrated top tier bottle. A good value.
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Surprisingly good. Dark purple in color. Black fruit on the nose with similar flavors on the palate with bits of spice and cedar. Punches well above it's price point. If scoring 92-94.
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Compared side by side with 2010 Chateau Senejac. Decanted 1 hour before drinking. Served with NY strip, grilled veggies, Pesto Penne pasta and green salad. Expressive nose of black currants and a hint of eucalyptus. On the palate, black fruits (not too forward) with a modest amount of cedar and spice. Long finish. Really nice! Drink or hold. Dad and I both give the edge to the Merryvale over the Senejac. Both wines presented very similarly but the Senejac had a less expressive nose and was more tannic.
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Blackberry-black currant liqueur, good spiced wood, but not too much sweet oak; a little coffee and fresh tobacco. Medium chalky tannins, good medium plus acidity, quite high alcohol. Could probably use a little time to integrate better, but a nice little number. At the moment benefits from an hour of air. Will last a good while. 14.6%, $60. 90+
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Nice balance, a little lighter in body than expected at this price point, a little 2 dimensional, although nice classic Napa fruit with cedar and eucalyptus on finish.
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After an hour, the Jamminess fades into a velvety smooth and delicious Cab. Great finish. Drinks like a much more expensive Cab--excellent value for those who like a Caymus, Quintessa, or Checkerboard for the velvet-silky texture. This does not express itself right from the bottle. Must decant to let this breathe and open into a wonderful bottle.
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Agreed this wine has a beautiful color. Over-delivered for the price. Drinks more like a Phelps bottle. Still tight however, give it a good decant or let it have a few more years in the cellar.
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Samples on a Saturday: Aromas of plum cake, fig paste, also violets and roses, eucalyptus, tobacco and soil. Fresh acid, but grippy structure, the plums, currants and mulberries combine to form a rich but an almost crunchy mouthfeel. Lots of spice, clove, rose hips and tobacco. Needs cellaring or a very long decant. Includes 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot, aged 23 months in 50% new French oak barrels.
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Merryvale Luncheon (Del Frisco's Chicago): Plush, rich, velvety. Cool blue fruit. Super ripe plum and dark cherry. Oak and major spice box. Body and round. Classic big Napa styling basically. A little much for my palate but still enjoyable for this style.
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You get what you pay for! At the end of a Riedel Glass tasting, the owner pulled out the stops (or corks) and treated the attendees to this bad boy Cab. You will definitely find "merriment" in this Merryvale selection. It what all Cabs want to be when they grow up!
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3/14/2024 - Wremmer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful.
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6/20/2021 - Ralphie1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful bright Cab!
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12/8/2020 - EpochMD Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just getting some secondary notes; blueberry, slate, and anise on the nose; the faintest whiff of leather lets you know some aging has transpired; medium bodied threw me off my typical massive cab endeavors but complements the nose nicely with some brightness remaining. Fruit is almost all still there, with predominate notes of underripe blueberry and boysenberry. Tannins are refined but not completely gone indicating more than a few years left. Great QPR and its aging well...I discontinued Merryvale almost a year ago due to bandwidth, but this makes me miss them oh so much
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5/4/2020 - Slater70 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fabulous cab. Definitely herbal notes on the nose, opening nicely to reveal cassis, silky tannins. One of my favorite cabs.
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1/13/2020 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still drinking well, herbal tone is present at first, but red fruit comes through with air.
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1/11/2020 - JPvdR wrote:
Your rating: 5 Fantastic refined and full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon
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11/10/2019 - andreguima Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent Napa Cab, very interesting in nose and some other grape varieties blended in: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot. More than 20 months in French oak, bribgs dark berry fruit with some volatile acidity note towards sweet nail varnish and oak note. One of the bests I ever had.
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10/8/2019 - Risky Likes this wine: 92 Points
Heavy, smooth, dark berry
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4/27/2019 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (T&L's): Nonblind. Cassis and black fruit on the nose and palate. Full-bodied with medium/firm tannins and abundant dark fruit. Subtle oak spice on the palate. Very nice.
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12/25/2018 - Insane Diego wrote: 90 Points
Got just 20 min of open time before drinking.
Dark berries, Semi dry ... acidic
Missing something for me so balance is a bit off.
Was fine with a big roast.
Probably could have used decanting a bit longer.
Pretty good and enjoyable, but past its prime.
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7/29/2018 - racerchris Likes this wine:
Pleasurable from start to finish with no decant.
Ripe fruit, spices, dry with good acidity, smooth tannins, nice finish.
A small pour saved overnight in the bottle was just as good 18 hours later.
This is at a great place in it's aging curve right now.
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7/22/2018 - masterbevo@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ok... if you still have one of these bad boys, POP IT OPEN... NOW! This is my last, of 6.... and, it was on the verge of gone. Pretty much undrinkable when first opened, very acidic. After 2 minutes in the decanter, I could tell it was getting better... took about an hour before this wine came back to something really nice.
Dark ruby red, medium bodied with a smooth texture, light tannin.
Fairly dry, not a lot of floral notes. Mostly dark berries, smoky chocolate and blackberry.. finishes with a nice mix across the tongue in a finish lasting 8-10 seconds.
Definitely not as good as previous bottles. No need to wait any longer.
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6/23/2018 - greedy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pretty good. Gave this 6 hour decant. Really beautiful nose of brambled red berries.
Fruit still going strong and nice acidity. This wine has lots left in the tank
Would buy again.
Proves my point that Napa cabs are often drank too early.
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3/24/2018 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
4th Saturday Group brown bagger (R&D's): Nonblind with dinner, courtesy of T&L. Nice dark fruit, has a Merlot-like plushness to it. Dark fruit on the palate; hint of vanilla in the finish.
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3/20/2018 - Double-A Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark currant, vanilla, toast, milk chocolate and earth with a hint of olive tapenade. Focused and assertive flavours; complex and well-balanced. Long, toasty currant finish.
4.5/5
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2/15/2018 - Angle Gold Likes this wine: 91 Points
Typical green pepper on the nose and palate. Dark fruit, dark in glass. Drinking well.
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2/3/2018 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Smooth on the palate with dark cherry and a little dusty tannin. Opens up with some air.
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12/24/2017 - mtyson29 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Loved it.
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11/17/2017 - racerchris Likes this wine: 93 Points
What a pleasure to drink.
PnP, no decant needed.
Ripe red and black fruit, a hint of eucalyptus, baking spices.
Well integrated tannins, long finish.
Excellent!!
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10/22/2017 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark and rich fruit on the medium to full body. Not as much pepper as when this was younger.
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10/13/2017 - CabIPA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great bottle! PnP. Dark fruit and toasty vanilla oak. The two are really starting to integrate. Tannins are still firm and the acidity is lively. Drink or hold.
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8/9/2017 - kkleg Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still a very bold Napa Cab with tons of life left. Deep, rich fruit and cedar on the nose. Bold palate, with notes of plum and oak. Big, but nuanced tannins. Will hold for 7+ years, but might not improve much. Might also surprise and evolve into a well-integrated top tier bottle. A good value.
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6/30/2017 - ecola Likes this wine: 91 Points
Seems to have shed the green pepper flavor of it's youth and has become more intense with dark berry and toasty cedar.
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6/14/2017 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still drinking well. Takes some time to open up.
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5/29/2017 - racerchris Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really nice with a steak!
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4/14/2017 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rich and intense dark fruit with a bit of herb action. Drinking very well.
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3/9/2017 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still drinking very well, smooth and soft.
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12/16/2016 - racerchris Likes this wine:
Here's to Brad! (drycab)
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10/20/2016 - dontime wrote:
Surprisingly good. Dark purple in color. Black fruit on the nose with similar flavors on the palate with bits of spice and cedar. Punches well above it's price point. If scoring 92-94.
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7/17/2016 - kkleg Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for about two and a half hours before this note was written. Very little sediment thrown.
The fruit dominates the palate, with just a whiff of cedar. Similar on the palate. Very bold wine, with a long finish.
This is definitely a big Napa Cab and won't be confused with anything else. Great QPR at $25.
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6/21/2016 - BeaverBob Likes this wine: 91 Points
Happy Fathers Day to me. What a treat.
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6/17/2016 - racerchris Likes this wine: 93 Points
Compared side by side with 2010 Chateau Senejac.
Decanted 1 hour before drinking.
Served with NY strip, grilled veggies, Pesto Penne pasta and green salad.
Expressive nose of black currants and a hint of eucalyptus.
On the palate, black fruits (not too forward) with a modest amount of cedar and spice. Long finish. Really nice! Drink or hold.
Dad and I both give the edge to the Merryvale over the Senejac.
Both wines presented very similarly but the Senejac had a less expressive nose and was more tannic.
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2/25/2016 - Benj Likes this wine: 90 Points
Blackberry-black currant liqueur, good spiced wood, but not too much sweet oak; a little coffee and fresh tobacco. Medium chalky tannins, good medium plus acidity, quite high alcohol. Could probably use a little time to integrate better, but a nice little number. At the moment benefits from an hour of air. Will last a good while. 14.6%, $60. 90+
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12/30/2015 - arnold2015 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice balance, a little lighter in body than expected at this price point, a little 2 dimensional, although nice classic Napa fruit with cedar and eucalyptus on finish.
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12/5/2015 - BigGDaddy wrote: 94 Points
After an hour, the Jamminess fades into a velvety smooth and delicious Cab. Great finish. Drinks like a much more expensive Cab--excellent value for those who like a Caymus, Quintessa, or Checkerboard for the velvet-silky texture. This does not express itself right from the bottle. Must decant to let this breathe and open into a wonderful bottle.
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8/12/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Spice blue and green fruits.
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1/21/2015 - ZACHWHITE wrote: 91 Points
Agreed this wine has a beautiful color. Over-delivered for the price. Drinks more like a Phelps bottle. Still tight however, give it a good decant or let it have a few more years in the cellar.
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1/8/2015 - sengerjs Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very good. Gorgeous color. Big jammy nose. Purchased in mixed case from Bounty Hunter.
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9/9/2014 - brianspross wrote: 91 Points
Big tasty red. I would drink this one again.
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6/14/2014 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 92 Points
Samples on a Saturday: Aromas of plum cake, fig paste, also violets and roses, eucalyptus, tobacco and soil. Fresh acid, but grippy structure, the plums, currants and mulberries combine to form a rich but an almost crunchy mouthfeel. Lots of spice, clove, rose hips and tobacco. Needs cellaring or a very long decant. Includes 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot, aged 23 months in 50% new French oak barrels.
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6/9/2014 - ecola Likes this wine: 91 Points
Red cherry, toasty cedar, espresso, very tight with gripping tannins. Needs some bottle time or some serious decanting.
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4/30/2014 - beezer6 wrote: 89 Points
Merryvale Luncheon (Del Frisco's Chicago): Plush, rich, velvety. Cool blue fruit. Super ripe plum and dark cherry.
Oak and major spice box. Body and round. Classic big Napa styling basically.
A little much for my palate but still enjoyable for this style.
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3/20/2014 - PoetofPurpose Likes this wine: 90 Points
You get what you pay for! At the end of a Riedel Glass tasting, the owner pulled out the stops (or corks) and treated the attendees to this bad boy Cab. You will definitely find "merriment" in this Merryvale selection. It what all Cabs want to be when they grow up!
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