Right out of the bottle I find a fragrant Bordeaux nose; musty leather, tobacco, earth and clay. Cherry, kirsch are well balanced with mature tenants that still has several years left.
This is a solid wine that is unlike any new world Merlot and comes across more like a Cabernet dominant blend. Good for at least 2027, I've got one more bottle I'll drink in 2 to 4 years.
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One-hour decant through an aerating funnel. No sediment. Wine was clear; purple from bowl to rim. In the glass: more chocolate and plum notes that from my 10/30/2020 note. As always with a young merlot from Pahlmeyer, deep fruit to please the olfactory senses. In the mouth: lots of fruit as foretold by the nose. Chocolate, blackberry and plums. Nice balance of fruit and acid. The wine continues to integrate in the bottle. Finish still seems a little short for a wine with this much fruit. Each year seems to add a little more complexity so I have high hopes for my remaining bottles. I added a point from my 2020 note.
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Opened for 5 hours, then a quick double decanted to begin consuming 3 hours later.
This was a waooo wine, it’s bold, give a feeling of a Cabernet, well integrated oak, fruit and tannins. The mid palate is fantastic and the finish is good.
Give it plenty of air or wait a couple of year for the PRIME TIME…
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Love me easy drinkin Pahlmeyer Merlot, but this was a bit one note when I wanted some more musicality like I get from the 2016 Pahlmeyer. Bright fruits, sweet, a bit flat on the finish. Nice perfume in the glass. Still worthwhile but wanted a slightly more interesting flavor profile and silkiness that can notch a Pahlmeyer Merlot a point or two higher in my book.
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Dark red; deep blackberries, lots of it; soft, light caramel, some licorice, slightly flat neutral aftertaste, but with quite some power; fine, but not sure it is in its right place, lacking something
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Big fruit forward merlot with medium acidity and medium+ tannins. Plum, blackberry, cocoa and a hint of green herbs. Lisa loved this! From Third and Hollywood in Columbus.
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This soft and delicious Merlot has improved in the two years since I tasted it last (2/19 - 92 points), with an integrated profile and silky mouthfeel that represent California Merlot at its most enjoyable. I wouldn't call this wine ambitious, but it sure is tasty.
Cherry red in color and medium in body, the wine offers more full aromas of black cherry, menthol, and bay leaf. Flavors of smashed blueberry, fresh strawberry, and dried herbs, with a elegant and lifted finish (that is no longer tart or sour). Blend of 96.5% Merlot, 2.5% Malbec, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% alcohol. This has enough verve to go for several more years, but it's delicious now.
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Blackberry, sage and dried herb aromas. Tastes of juicy black cherry and blackberry fruit. Fine frained, integrated tannins. Finish notes of chocolate, cinnamon, fresh acidity and a pop of feuity sweetness.
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Discovered a bottle previously coravan’d and finished the balance as a pop and pour. On the thin side compared to the darker and richer Merlots we generally enjoy but an easy going, enjoyable wine that paired well with scallops.
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Medium dark red; fresh red fruit, some orange and light caramel; fresh rounded with firm body, alcohol, good acidity level, firm grip, some depth; nice and likeable - on the heavier side
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Briefly decanted then immediately poured.Nose is a bit nondescript, but this is bottle number 5 or six this evening.;Definitely New World, maybe a bit like La Jota Merlot? Either way, it’s enjoyable on its own or with food but lacks the layering and depth I would like to see at this price point.
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One-hour decant. Slightly better than my last experience almost one year ago (11-15-2019). Time has been good to this wine as it integrates. Still a very enjoyable crowd-pleasing fruit bomb, it does lack complexity but its deliciousness makes up for it with a steak dinner. Particulars are in line with my earlier note.
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Opened at 11am to be consumed at night. It was bold, firm tannins, good acidity, a bit peperly taste. I believe the best years of this wine are still ahead...
HOLD. 91+
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Decided to PnP this bottle to determine if I need to hold on to the rest. The color is a deep purple with no hints of age. The oak is minimal and well integrated at this time. It definitely has a big mouthfeel with lots of chocolate-covered blueberry flavors. Served blind, I could definitely see people thinking that this is a cabernet and not a merlot. The tannins are also minimal and the wine is very balanced and almost too easy to drink. The taste lasts about 15-20 seconds after swallowing. While this is a great wine to drink, I am not sure that this wine will last another 10 to 15 years. I think it is at its peak and will be a pleasure to drink over the next 3 to 5 years.
Big, rich, blackberry fruit forward Merlot with terrific concentration and secondary notes of cassis, milk chocolate and vanilla on the finish. Needs about an hour for the tannins to become silky smooth but absolutely delicious when they integrate with the fruit.
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Opened about 3 hours before consumption. Rich, fruity and forward; notes of plum, cocoa, cassis and vanilla. Very primary and fruit driven. Perhaps not the most complex wine, but loads of fun to drink.
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Opened at 1pm to be consumed around 3pm. It was tied and felt like Syrah, after one hour it was getting a little better but the greeness didn’t go away so we placed it in the decanter for another 30 min and boom, it needed time and oxigent. It wasn’t great as we expected but ended up much better that began. I presume this wine need to be lay down for a few more years and always decant from the start.
90++
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Darkest ruby in the glass, this extracted, full-bodied effort shares a nose and palate of blackberry, raspberry and oak. The finish comes up a wee bit short. Given how much I enjoyed tasting earlier, more complex vintages of this wine (especially, the cool 2011 vintage), I was more than a little disappointed
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Some very varied reviews here. I thought it was pretty good (for a Merlot?) and I’m not persuaded it will improve materially over the next several years. Little evident of unresolved tannins to my mind. Good fruit good balance and good with roast lamb.
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Deep, dark reddish-purple in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blueberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty notes, some mint, dried herbs, spices & a hint of oak/vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a good concentration of balanced & smooth texture, plush, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, boysenberries & plums with spices, herbs & minerals. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & airing, but may develop further with additional aging. A nice steakhouse wine with decent structure but not a lot of complexity or depth.
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We agree with DRBAD, a disappointment, especially at $80. Much more subdued than the Pahlmeyer Merlots I remember, just a nice $25 food wine. Oh well, this bottle will save me a lot of money 'cause I won't be tempted to buy any again. I guess when it's over, it's over.
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Deep ruby red colour with hints of purple. Pronounced nose with cherry, blackberry, dark plum, cedar, tobacco, vanilla and sweet spices. Pronounced taste of cherry, blackberry, dark plum, cedar, tobacco, black pepper, sweet spices and vanilla. Long and dry finish. Medium acidity. Medium (+) tannins. Full body. A good Californian Merlot. Goes well with beef or lamb.
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Another fruit-forward Napa wine at another steakhouse. Wine had a bold red currant aroma when decanted. One hour or so later, nose was a bit subdued, but not much. Again, nose was deep but of red currants, not black ones; a bit softer than I expected. Color was purple from bowl to rim, no lightening of the wine. In the mouth, fruit was deep and powerful, lots of extract from all that California sun. Ripe, not hard, tannins; not flabby but acid did not induce saliva as some fruit bombs do. Red currants, cocoa and some slate in the mouth. Long finish, no chalk or green. Having never had this producer's Merlot before, I was not sure where to score it. It was certainly very good, but I do question the QPR. It was, however, a crowd pleaser at the table.
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Disappointing. Lacking the body and texture I was expecting from a well regarded Napa Merlot. Definitely not voluptuous or ripe. Fruits were subdued. Some chocolate and fig and spice on the finish. In this price range I'd stick with Seavey or Duckhorn single vineyard Merlots.
This was remarkable now. Fruit forward. No tannins. Smooth start amd finish. Amazing. Not sure how aging would make it better. The entire table loved it.
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Winebar [1 Rosé, 3 Whites, 8 Reds, & 7 *shared* bottles] from 09/27/19 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): “96.5% Merlot, 2.5% Malbec, & 1% C.S. from the Pahlmeyer Estate & Las Amigas Vyds, harvested 9/4-10/10/15; Grape clusters were gravity-fed onto a vibrating table where 2 screens sifted out materials other than grapes, & we removed by hand any fruit that did not pass visual inspection. After gentle destemming, individual berries were hand-sorted again to ensure that only the best grapes were delivered to the fermenters. The fruit underwent 5 days of cold maceration & 2-6 wks of primary fermentation before gentle basket press. We aged the wine in 85% new Seguin Moreau Icone & Taransaud FR oak barrels for 20 mos.” 2,200 cases made & release March 2018.
N: A melding of RIPE berries, pyrazines, & vanilla
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish, boysenberry frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which pretty much works itself out by the LONG, balanced, PLEASANT with a tangy/swtness to the FEW, dusty tannins. For now & into, probably through, '22. 14.5% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 96 pts Suckling, 95 WE + "Cellar Selection" @ $90, 93-95 WA (Parker), 92 Vinous (Galloni), & 91 WS. [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]
Decanted for an hour and smitten. Boysenberry liqueur, bakers’ chocolate, plum, black olive and dried cherry. Satin and crushed velvet during every phase of the luxurious palate, as the finish echoes on. So enjoyable today. So enjoyable tomorrow. So enjoyable twenty years from now. There’s a lift of acidity that adds freshness and a little oak, with vanilla at the very end. The body is voluptuous, with a steady backbone. Drink now -.
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With the qualifier of, “Well, as Merlots go, it’s pretty good.” Decent structure and grip. Not a ton of complexity or depth to speak of, but carries itself with some nice crunchy red and black cherry and blackberry seed flavors. Seems a little unsettled and angular in its delivery, but a decent enough sipper if you’re not looking to have your mind blown. Better with food.
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Dream Big - California Wine Tasting (Stockholm, Sweden): Medium body, chalky tannins, balanced acidity, cocoa, varm chocolate fondant, blueberry and blackberry, punch praline. All is very well structured, nothing seems out of place. Will improve.
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This ripe and bright Merlot is still another 6-12 months from entering its drinking window. Cherry red in color; medium in body; and nose of raspberry, cocoa powder, and warm herbs. Tastes of mountain blueberry, menthol, and pepper, with a tight and tart finish. Blend of 96.5% Merlot, 2.5% Malbec, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% alcohol. The acidity gives this a bright future, but I won't touch my other bottle until 2020 or later.
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2/25/2024 - Winedad53 wrote: 92 Points
A bit of front-end pickle barrel needed time to blow off to reveal a deep core of black fruit, pine and cocoa.
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11/12/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 92 Points
45 min of air ….picked up color and weight. Soft cherry , strawberry, graphite, crushed stones, flower pedals. Soft , easy to drink .
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4/3/2023 - davidandrose wrote: 93 Points
Right out of the bottle I find a fragrant Bordeaux nose; musty leather, tobacco, earth and clay. Cherry, kirsch are well balanced with mature tenants that still has several years left.
This is a solid wine that is unlike any new world Merlot and comes across more like a Cabernet dominant blend. Good for at least 2027, I've got one more bottle I'll drink in 2 to 4 years.
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6/15/2022 - catlady wrote: 94 Points
Wow! Poured and noticed the great nose immediately. Took to dinner BYOB--paired with duck and prime rib. Have to figure out how to get more.
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10/11/2021 - OenophilistMN Likes this wine: 90 Points
One-hour decant through an aerating funnel. No sediment. Wine was clear; purple from bowl to rim. In the glass: more chocolate and plum notes that from my 10/30/2020 note. As always with a young merlot from Pahlmeyer, deep fruit to please the olfactory senses. In the mouth: lots of fruit as foretold by the nose. Chocolate, blackberry and plums. Nice balance of fruit and acid. The wine continues to integrate in the bottle. Finish still seems a little short for a wine with this much fruit. Each year seems to add a little more complexity so I have high hopes for my remaining bottles. I added a point from my 2020 note.
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9/25/2021 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened for 5 hours, then a quick double decanted to begin consuming 3 hours later.
This was a waooo wine, it’s bold, give a feeling of a Cabernet, well integrated oak, fruit and tannins. The mid palate is fantastic and the finish is good.
Give it plenty of air or wait a couple of year for the PRIME TIME…
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8/18/2021 - Nontaco wrote: 92 Points
Love me easy drinkin Pahlmeyer Merlot, but this was a bit one note when I wanted some more musicality like I get from the 2016 Pahlmeyer. Bright fruits, sweet, a bit flat on the finish. Nice perfume in the glass. Still worthwhile but wanted a slightly more interesting flavor profile and silkiness that can notch a Pahlmeyer Merlot a point or two higher in my book.
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5/24/2021 - ralaspech wrote: 91 Points
Tasted side-by-side with Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot 2017. This showed lovely, luscious typical merlot fruit but was a little short on the finish.
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5/2/2021 - Miceri Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red; deep blackberries, lots of it; soft, light caramel, some licorice, slightly flat neutral aftertaste, but with quite some power; fine, but not sure it is in its right place, lacking something
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4/25/2021 - ralaspech wrote: 93 Points
Big fruit forward merlot with medium acidity and medium+ tannins. Plum, blackberry, cocoa and a hint of green herbs. Lisa loved this! From Third and Hollywood in Columbus.
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3/15/2021 - eadsaaron Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sugar plum and chocolate cream!
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2/28/2021 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
This soft and delicious Merlot has improved in the two years since I tasted it last (2/19 - 92 points), with an integrated profile and silky mouthfeel that represent California Merlot at its most enjoyable. I wouldn't call this wine ambitious, but it sure is tasty.
Cherry red in color and medium in body, the wine offers more full aromas of black cherry, menthol, and bay leaf. Flavors of smashed blueberry, fresh strawberry, and dried herbs, with a elegant and lifted finish (that is no longer tart or sour). Blend of 96.5% Merlot, 2.5% Malbec, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% alcohol. This has enough verve to go for several more years, but it's delicious now.
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2/27/2021 - OldHick95 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blackberry, sage and dried herb aromas. Tastes of juicy black cherry and blackberry fruit. Fine frained, integrated tannins. Finish notes of chocolate, cinnamon, fresh acidity and a pop of feuity sweetness.
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1/6/2021 - kr522 wrote: 87 Points
Was hopeful this would be delightful drinking, but frankly it was too sweet and one note (raisin). Not really easy going enough to kick back and enjoy
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12/19/2020 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Discovered a bottle previously coravan’d and finished the balance as a pop and pour. On the thin side compared to the darker and richer Merlots we generally enjoy but an easy going, enjoyable wine that paired well with scallops.
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12/5/2020 - Miceri Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium dark red; fresh red fruit, some orange and light caramel; fresh rounded with firm body, alcohol, good acidity level, firm grip, some depth; nice and likeable - on the heavier side
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11/13/2020 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Briefly decanted then immediately poured.Nose is a bit nondescript, but this is bottle number 5 or six this evening.;Definitely New World, maybe a bit like La Jota Merlot?
Either way, it’s enjoyable on its own or with food but lacks the layering and depth I would like to see at this price point.
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10/30/2020 - OenophilistMN Likes this wine: 89 Points
One-hour decant. Slightly better than my last experience almost one year ago (11-15-2019). Time has been good to this wine as it integrates. Still a very enjoyable crowd-pleasing fruit bomb, it does lack complexity but its deliciousness makes up for it with a steak dinner. Particulars are in line with my earlier note.
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9/11/2020 - srwatters Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of my all time favorite Napa Merlots. Supple and silky with plenty of nuance like a right bank Bordeaux. Not your grandma's Merlot!
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9/9/2020 - Justinwine wrote: 93 Points
I've drank a handful of these. This was awesome! Really drinking well.
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6/13/2020 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened at 11am to be consumed at night. It was bold, firm tannins, good acidity, a bit peperly taste. I believe the best years of this wine are still ahead...
HOLD. 91+
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6/6/2020 - NephroBoy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decided to PnP this bottle to determine if I need to hold on to the rest. The color is a deep purple with no hints of age. The oak is minimal and well integrated at this time. It definitely has a big mouthfeel with lots of chocolate-covered blueberry flavors. Served blind, I could definitely see people thinking that this is a cabernet and not a merlot. The tannins are also minimal and the wine is very balanced and almost too easy to drink. The taste lasts about 15-20 seconds after swallowing. While this is a great wine to drink, I am not sure that this wine will last another 10 to 15 years. I think it is at its peak and will be a pleasure to drink over the next 3 to 5 years.
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6/4/2020 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big, rich, blackberry fruit forward Merlot with terrific concentration and secondary notes of cassis, milk chocolate and vanilla on the finish. Needs about an hour for the tannins to become silky smooth but absolutely delicious when they integrate with the fruit.
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6/1/2020 - mdefreitas wrote: 92 Points
Opened about 3 hours before consumption. Rich, fruity and forward; notes of plum, cocoa, cassis and vanilla. Very primary and fruit driven. Perhaps not the most complex wine, but loads of fun to drink.
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4/23/2020 - Golfer70 wrote:
Unbelievable Merlot. Drinks like a fruity Cab. Delicious
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4/4/2020 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened at 1pm to be consumed around 3pm. It was tied and felt like Syrah, after one hour it was getting a little better but the greeness didn’t go away so we placed it in the decanter for another 30 min and boom, it needed time and oxigent. It wasn’t great as we expected but ended up much better that began. I presume this wine need to be lay down for a few more years and always decant from the start.
90++
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3/30/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine: 90 Points
Darkest ruby in the glass, this extracted, full-bodied effort shares a nose and palate of blackberry, raspberry and oak. The finish comes up a wee bit short. Given how much I enjoyed tasting earlier, more complex vintages of this wine (especially, the cool 2011 vintage), I was more than a little disappointed
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1/29/2020 - Puligny33 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Some very varied reviews here. I thought it was pretty good (for a Merlot?) and I’m not persuaded it will improve materially over the next several years. Little evident of unresolved tannins to my mind. Good fruit good balance and good with roast lamb.
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1/11/2020 - Vinnut wrote: 89 Points
Deep, dark reddish-purple in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blueberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty notes, some mint, dried herbs, spices & a hint of oak/vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a good concentration of balanced & smooth texture, plush, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, boysenberries & plums with spices, herbs & minerals. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & airing, but may develop further with additional aging. A nice steakhouse wine with decent structure but not a lot of complexity or depth.
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1/8/2020 - seijaro Likes this wine: 90 Points
We agree with DRBAD, a disappointment, especially at $80. Much more subdued than the Pahlmeyer Merlots I remember, just a nice $25 food wine. Oh well, this bottle will save me a lot of money 'cause I won't be tempted to buy any again. I guess when it's over, it's over.
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12/23/2019 - Pluecht Likes this wine: 94 Points
Amazing. Hold.
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11/19/2019 - SuperSomm wrote:
Deep ruby red colour with hints of purple. Pronounced nose with cherry, blackberry, dark plum, cedar, tobacco, vanilla and sweet spices. Pronounced taste of cherry, blackberry, dark plum, cedar, tobacco, black pepper, sweet spices and vanilla. Long and dry finish. Medium acidity. Medium (+) tannins. Full body. A good Californian Merlot. Goes well with beef or lamb.
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11/15/2019 - OenophilistMN Likes this wine: 88 Points
Another fruit-forward Napa wine at another steakhouse. Wine had a bold red currant aroma when decanted. One hour or so later, nose was a bit subdued, but not much. Again, nose was deep but of red currants, not black ones; a bit softer than I expected. Color was purple from bowl to rim, no lightening of the wine. In the mouth, fruit was deep and powerful, lots of extract from all that California sun. Ripe, not hard, tannins; not flabby but acid did not induce saliva as some fruit bombs do. Red currants, cocoa and some slate in the mouth. Long finish, no chalk or green. Having never had this producer's Merlot before, I was not sure where to score it. It was certainly very good, but I do question the QPR. It was, however, a crowd pleaser at the table.
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10/18/2019 - DrBad wrote: 88 Points
Disappointing. Lacking the body and texture I was expecting from a well regarded Napa Merlot. Definitely not voluptuous or ripe. Fruits were subdued. Some chocolate and fig and spice on the finish. In this price range I'd stick with Seavey or Duckhorn single vineyard Merlots.
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10/10/2019 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 90 Points
2019 Hennepin Lake Charity Event (Minneapolis, MN): Overpriced wine would come to mind but still very enjoyable. Red currants, black licorice, plum, oak and minerals. A bit of heat on the finish.
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10/6/2019 - KTelaak_Buffalo Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was remarkable now. Fruit forward. No tannins.
Smooth start amd finish. Amazing. Not sure how aging would make it better. The entire table loved it.
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9/28/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [1 Rosé, 3 Whites, 8 Reds, & 7 *shared* bottles] from 09/27/19 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): “96.5% Merlot, 2.5% Malbec, & 1% C.S. from the Pahlmeyer Estate & Las Amigas Vyds, harvested 9/4-10/10/15; Grape clusters were gravity-fed onto a vibrating table where 2 screens sifted out materials other than grapes, & we removed by hand any fruit that did not pass visual inspection. After gentle destemming, individual berries were hand-sorted again to ensure that only the best grapes were delivered to the fermenters. The fruit underwent 5 days of cold maceration & 2-6 wks of primary fermentation before gentle basket press. We aged the wine in 85% new Seguin Moreau Icone & Taransaud FR oak barrels for 20 mos.” 2,200 cases made & release March 2018.
N: A melding of RIPE berries, pyrazines, & vanilla
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish, boysenberry frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which pretty much works itself out by the LONG, balanced, PLEASANT with a tangy/swtness to the FEW, dusty tannins. For now & into, probably through, '22. 14.5% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 96 pts Suckling, 95 WE + "Cellar Selection" @ $90, 93-95 WA (Parker), 92 Vinous (Galloni), & 91 WS. [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]
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7/26/2019 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for an hour and smitten. Boysenberry liqueur, bakers’ chocolate, plum, black olive and dried cherry. Satin and crushed velvet during every phase of the luxurious palate, as the finish echoes on. So enjoyable today. So enjoyable tomorrow. So enjoyable twenty years from now. There’s a lift of acidity that adds freshness and a little oak, with vanilla at the very end. The body is voluptuous, with a steady backbone. Drink now -.
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4/26/2019 - csimm wrote: 90 Points
With the qualifier of, “Well, as Merlots go, it’s pretty good.” Decent structure and grip. Not a ton of complexity or depth to speak of, but carries itself with some nice crunchy red and black cherry and blackberry seed flavors. Seems a little unsettled and angular in its delivery, but a decent enough sipper if you’re not looking to have your mind blown. Better with food.
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3/14/2019 - thunberg wrote: 93 Points
Dream Big - California Wine Tasting (Stockholm, Sweden): Medium body, chalky tannins, balanced acidity, cocoa, varm chocolate fondant, blueberry and blackberry, punch praline. All is very well structured, nothing seems out of place. Will improve.
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2/26/2019 - msuwine wrote: 92 Points
This ripe and bright Merlot is still another 6-12 months from entering its drinking window. Cherry red in color; medium in body; and nose of raspberry, cocoa powder, and warm herbs. Tastes of mountain blueberry, menthol, and pepper, with a tight and tart finish. Blend of 96.5% Merlot, 2.5% Malbec, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% alcohol. The acidity gives this a bright future, but I won't touch my other bottle until 2020 or later.
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