bought on release and cellar stored. Perfect color and live nose upon opening...a bit syrupy in the first 2 mins...30 mins of air it lightens, bramble berries, blue berries, raspberries....a bit of cinnamon. NO real signs of age here! could go 10 more easily.
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Bought on release and have cellared since. Every time I taste the Palomas I think of sitting in Barb and Jim’s kitchen drinking these fabulous wines while petting their dog. These wines just keep getting better and better.it still amazes me. Yes, it has dark plum and other strong, dark fruits, but when just the taste and smell of the wine 18 years later brings back such amazing memories - you know this wine was made with love and care by two special people.
bought on release...cellar storage since. wow...really gets better with age. less candied than a mid life version...bosyenberries, raspberries, cassis, hint of vanilla, spice....long finish...integrated...layered. best of the case so far and have one left that I'm in no hurry to chase down.
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Fantastic Merlot from the Barbara and Jim Richards era. Made by two wonderful and amazing people! 2002 Paloma Merlot Napa Valley. Alc 14.8% Still dark purple with minimal clearing at the edge. Inviting nose of ripe plums and blackberry and some forest floor. Great palate attack with layers of mostly black fruit and silky texture. Long finish. Really an amazing wine with still a few years ahead Bravo
Bought at release and cellared at 56 degrees
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When first poured, this was amazingly rich and vibrant with dark cherries on the palate. As it aired it fell apart unfortunately, so it is time to drink these (and NO decant). Can't guarantee the conditions since it was on the shelf at the wine store for who knows how long.
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It’s holding well however it won’t get any better. As of now it’s mellow and low or none-existent tannins. It will have been much better if we started the day with it but after an AO ERA and Schader RBS its very difficult to stand up...
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Sweet upfront black cherry an plummy flavors. Nice backbone of acid. This comes across a bit one dimensional, but lovely none-the-less. No rush to drink up, but at its peak.
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4th of July Weekend Wines - A nice selection; 7/1/2016-7/5/2016 (Out and about over the weekend): Tremendous showing for this bottle. We all stopped to comment on how good this was. Purple in color. The nose features dark cherries with cherries, slight spice, and a hint of chocolate and roasted herbs. On the palate, this has a great juicy texture. Deep and layered with plenty of dark cherry fruit intermixed with dry earthiness. Long finish. Went great with food. The bottle got drained very quickly.
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This wine is still drinking beautifully 13 years later! Plenty of blueberry and vanilla. Delicious, soft and opulent. Carries itself like a french merlot rather than a Napa merlot. Very sexy and hard to put down.
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Drinking very well right now, and I wouldn't think it'd improve. No danger of going downhill immediately, but I don't see a reason to hold. Aromatic and soft, with graceful dark cherry and plum notes, both on the nose and palate. Very little tannin, just lots of easy-to-love fruit. Long finish. The only knock is its lack of real complexity.
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From Sue's cold cellar, this looks very youthful. Aromas of chocolate covered cherries, plums and blackberry. Full-bodied and still quite firm but with an abundance of dark fruit underneath. Plum, blackberry, cherry and chocolate with a subtle hint of vanilla on the long finish.
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Wow, this is really drinking nice. Smooth dark cherries and a little chocolate. Just another example of a Paloma that did not drink well young but really blossomed later in its life. This would easily beat a 2001 in a blind tasting today.
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SonkinCellars Partners Meeting (The Barn): A sentimental wine opened for my partners Tom and Kathy. Pop and pour. The nose has camphor, dark cherries, slight chocolate. Still tasting youthful. It probably would have benefitted from some air. Showing a nice layered complexity on the palate. Smooth and juicy. Great dark cherry fruit. Nice balance. Long finish. I wish I had more time with this, but it was getting late.
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Deep red, not much nose but fruit forward, medium body with primarily dark cherry overtones and good finish. Although two years beyond recommended drinking window, still vibrant and a very nice pour.
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Some great wine for the end of 2013 (Our home): Wow, another wine that far exceeded expectations. The nose is great with dark cherries, dust, cocoa, dark chocolate. IIRC, this was a vintage that didn't sell after the hype of 2001 WSWOTY. It seems much more backward than that wine but may out live it if this bottle is representative. Just starting to unwind and show real complexity. Lush and rich and very Californian, it is drinking beautifully.
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Popped and poured. Uh oh. Something's off. Smells like port. Tastes like port upfront, then singing acidity and no fruit, then a not so lovely alcohol burn. Hope it's an off bottle.
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It's lost a lot of its youthful intensity. Maturing and smoothing out. Still blueberry and chocolate, but not as creamy. Still has a round texture on the midpalate, but ends a little abruptly. I doubt these will get much better, so I'd go ahead and drink em if you got em.
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Not exactly a typical, varietally correct, Merlot, but very tasty nonetheless. Plenty of black fruit, with some chewy tannins and a nice acid structure.
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Still drinking well. I get chocolate and cherries, with an almost seamlessly integrated oak. The sweet cherries and vanilla oak play off each other very well. Herbalness, a, hint of baking spices, some medium textured tannins, and adequate acidity I'm not so oak tolerant and find myself a little surprised to be writing this note. Very well done and even more impressive for a 11 yr old Cali Merlot. Held up fairly well on day two.
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I decanted this wine for about two hours. This wine still has a tremendous amount of fruit in it and it was so well-balanced that after 10 years I'm pleased to say it's worth 95 points.
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Some funk on the nose at first but dissipated after 1/2 hour. This wine is on it way out. Fruit had no hint of ripeness but after an hour was a bit classy with some mint a tobacco and chocolate. I recommend drinking these up ASAP. 86pts.
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Decanted and drank over 2 hrs. Held up surprisingly well for a 10 yr old Merlot. Big concentrated Merlot, with plenty of fruit on the nose, well integrated tannins and a medium lengthy finish. Very enjoyable!
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Huge difference from the last bottle. Very interesting nose with lots of floral notes. Palate was long and varied ranging from milk chocolate to a finish that had notes of carbon. Medium concentration and well integrated tannins. The wine is in a good place now.
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Sweet red cherries with chocolate on the palate, plus that herbal mountain quality. Simply delicious with years ahead of it. Undervalued at auction, if you can find it at cellartracker's 36.60 price buy it all!
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Filling in w/the Friday Brown Bag Group (Paul & Alyce's): Deep color with smoky herb and dark frut aromas. Tannins are integrating though still quite evident. Flavors of caramel, blue fruit and oak. Finishes nicely. I did not pick this out as a Merlot.
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Opened and poured. Dark and youthful appearance with no bricking. Very expressive wine. Licorice, vanilla, and blueberry pie that carries over to the palate. Medium- to full-bodied with a bit of unresolved tannins. Acidity keeps things fresh. Solid wine.
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Still nice and very forward as you would expect from CA Merlot. Still has a bit too much oak showing for my preference, but if your looking for hedonistic concentrated Merlot, Paloma is usually a safe bet to whet the appetite.
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New years dinner wine, popped and poured. Quite closed upon opening, both nose and palate. In about 20 minutes it began to open and was open and kickin for the 2+ hours it was opened. Dark chocolate, rich plum - massive and really really good.
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Tasted from decanter over 3 hours. Big and rich. This evolved over time (not always for the better), with the last glass being the best. Concentrated fruit with mocha and chocolate (which was most evident in the last glass). Long finish. 88-91.
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The OC Blind Wine Crew goes Italian (Il Barone Ristorante, Newport Beach, CA): Served blind. Nose of baked berry pie with Graham cracker crust. Very rich and extracted palate. Another one that was hard to identify the variety due to the style. Though not something I really enjoyed as this was going a bit too far for me I was surprised at how well its held up in reference to the style.
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OC Blind Wine Crew Does Dinner and Italian (Il Barone in Newport Beach, CA): Served blind. Plum sauce, powdered cocoa, black fruit, milk chocolate bar, decadence. As Nordie called it "slutty"......concur! There are occasions when I can drink this wine and really enjoy it, as I did last night. Surely not old world but hey Rob, if you a few of these left in your cellar, I'll buy one from you. Big but still in line and my WOTF.
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Jun 7/8: 2002 Paloma napa merlot WS93/RP90 (14.8%). Minor rant here. I've been enjoying Paloma merlots since the 1996 vintage. Well-crafted wines, very cab-like structure, built for aging. Here's the problem with chasing ratings (or perhaps the risk of buying secondary market wines with sketchy provenance). I bought a few bottles of the 2001 at release (from both the winery and retail); liked the wine a lot; bought more at various auctions later. Also bought a few bottles of the 2002 at release. The aftermarket 2001s were very tired/way over-the-hill; end result was a big waste of money. Recently opened a 2002. A breath of fresh air! All the mocha and red fruit flavor, structure, and length that was missing in the last few 2001s I opened. Conclusion: buy producers I like at release and cellar the wines properly, and stop gambling in the secondary market on high-score wines. Rant out. Oh yeah, my score: RF95, comparable to the better bottles of the 2001 I tasted.
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Drank at Morton's with friends. Very nice bottle as always with Paloma. Quite jammy to taste but I have a feeling that these are now beginning to show their age. My advice is to drink these sooner rather than later.
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Double-decanted for about 2 hours before consuming. Color was deep purple with plenty of dark fruit on the nose. Full-bodied with primary fruit still dominating any other secondary characteristics going on. Great tannins and acidity that were beginning to integrate, unlike that of the '06 that I had last year. 91 pts now, but there are lots of stuff going on that I hope can evolve into something even better in the future.
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Once again, a simply wonderful Paloma with all of its tell tale red fruit mixed with cocoa. Great nose, great texture and long finish. I don't think this has budged much since my last bottle nearly two years ago. Delicious.
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Opened at home and drank right away. I'm a big fan of these wines but for some reason tonight, it didn't shine. The colour was mild with a slight orange tinge to it. It had a jammy bouquet with not too strong acidity. Fairly mild tannins and body as well with a short finish. Weird as I have had these many times before and none with this result.
More good stuff from the great 2002 and still going strong. Black cherries coated in dark chocolate with cab-like notes of cassis. Still showing lots of oak, but well balanced and structured.
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Opened and served immediately. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of plums, currants and dark berries that carries through to the palate. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink over the short term.
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Drinking extremely well right now as it pretty seemless from front to finish. Has really rounded out and has tons of lush sweet fruit. Top shelf Ca Merlot if you like the style. I think these are pretty much ready to go at this point.
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Last bottle of Paloma in my cellar, sad to say. Popped and poured. Slightly translucent with a touch of tawny. Bottle sweet brown sugar nose. Rich, luscious sweet red and black fruit with more brown sugar on the palate. A suggestion of mocha chocolate. Seamless, ready to go. Highly pleasurable.
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Consumed at a friend house at dinner. Did not take detailed notes but this was outstanding. It is drinking beautifully and brought all the typical Paloma characteristics; mocha, raspberries, cassis, cherries, etc. Extremely smooth, good balance and a long finish. I opened this 4 hours prior to drinking (no decanting). This is the right time to consume this IMHO. I hope this is not my last bottle as CT states though :-(
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Wow. I am in love with Paloma Merlot. Such a consistent producer and certainly one of the overall finest Merlots in California. Beautiful ripe round lush red fruit. Raspberries and beautiful red cherries all over the place. CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE!!! This wine screams chocolate covered cherries. Tons of well integrated oak dispalying nice vanilla notes as well. The palate is ultra focused showing more chocolate covered red berries. I literally taste the chocolate on my tongue after the wine dissipates. The finish is 40 seconds long with moderate high acidity, tannins and alcohol. This is a superb merlot by any standards. Grab a bottle of any vintage of Paloma Merlot and you will be happy.
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A nice dark red coloring without any bricking on the rim. Fruit forward nose of cherry, berries including red berries, and some vanilla. An initial herbal green streak faded after the botle had been open for approx. 30 minutes. Very smooth, no tannins and an easy drink but; it lacked some of the typical merlot flavors such as pepper and spice. If the label hadn't told me, I would not have recognized the wine as merlot.
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Double decanted and rested for 1 hour. Touch of sediment at bottom. Fruit forward on the nose, with smells of blackberry and oak. Lots of heat from alcohol. Tastes similar to the smells, with some improvement and mellowing as the bottle sat. Fairly one-dimensional as others have written--not much complexity or nuance. Easy drinking tannins. Not really my style and reminded me of a cheaper Napa Valley Cabernet, such as a Caravan. Somewhat of a disappointment given the price, Paloma reputation, and my expectations based on Paloma Merlots I have had previously.
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Aroma of plum and dark berries. Silky mouthfeel with light-medium body. Fruit forward flavors of black cherry and a hint of chocolate. Moderate acidity with a slight tannin bite. Short finish with some alcohol heat. Wine tasted from the bottle, after 1 hour decant and 2 days after opening. Best flavor was after 1 hour decant. I had tasted the 2001 vintage a couple years ago, but this bottle did not have the complexity or richness that I remember from the prior vintage.
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Beautiful texture and mouthfeel - quite velvety, no sign of tannin - but somewhat one dimensional and very fruit forward, somewhat acidic. I seem to recall more complexity when I tasted this four years ago. Maybe sat on this one a bit too long. Drink 'em if you got 'em.
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Interesting because this bottle was much more youthful than the last I had, not that it was tired at all. Still very fruit foward with dark fruits and chocolate on the nose. Still a nice full palate and in fact a very nice steak wine right now. Finishes with a touch of sour cherry and velvet tannin.
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Just didn't have it tonight. Cough syrupy and tired. Got a little better with air time but not much. I love this producer so I'm a bit disappointed. Still have 4 2001's socked away....hope they're ok! Enjoyed after Edina Homecoming Parade with a brownie.
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I love Paloma - actually I like Barbara and love her wines. This is a very good "new world" merlot. Ripe, dark cherry flavors dominate - with perhaps a hint of leather and chocolate. Well balanced and ripe -- except for the mellow edges, this could be mistaken for a cabernet . My wife noted that it was better alone or with cheese than with food -- and I agree with her completely. We had it both before dinner and then with some steaks - and it was much better before the food. Lots of life left in this, but probably will not improve significantly.
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Very pleasing aromatics. Clean, pure fruit flavors are impeccably balanced and fully integrated in this excellent Merlot. A beaatiful food wine. Sadly, our last bottle.
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Part of a dinner party/blind tasting. Wine was paired with a Mexican style Braised shredded Beef salad. Nose of leather, lots of cherries, tasted of pencil shavings and Cherries. Had a lingering finish with lots of balanced tannins
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Mellowing to the palate a bit but not physically showing any signs. Really drinks pretty smooth right out of the bottle with lots of dark red and blue fruit. I'd say start drinking these if you have been holding...I will drink my remainder with 1-2 yrs.
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Tasted March 20, 2008. Opened and served immediately. Really good from the get go. Dark garnet color in the glass with a lovely vibrant hue. Attractive fruity nose of plums and berries. Solid, fruity flavors of plums, currants and berries. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Clean on the palate and nicely balanced. Drink now or over the short to medium term if you'd prefer.
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One of the best merlots I can ever remember drinking. Definitely in it's prime. A beautiful wine without a hint of alcohol. I will drink my last bottle over the coming year. I decanted this wine for two hours as suggested by a previous poster which really helped allow the wine to open up.
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Similar flavor profile as previous bottle, with the addition of some blueberry. This bottle took about 2 hours to open, but once it did, it was outstanding.
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($50) This was showing nicely with delicious chocolate and mocha aromas on the nose with more black currant fruit on the palate and a finish with more chocolate and mocha. Nice.
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tasted like a nice young bordeaux. good fruit initially but faded after an hour or so (drank over two). moderate tannins with a touch of oak/ smoke on the aftertaste. I'll try the next bottle in about a year.
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A solid CA merlot. Just enough complexity to keep it interesting, though hard to mistake this for anything but new world. Chocolate, cherries, leather, and spice. Medium-full body and medium-long finish. Just a trace of heat at the end (watch the serving temp). Plenty of life left in this wine.
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The best performance of this wine so far. The most surprising thing to me is how red currents have exploded on the nose and palate in ways that I don't remember from earlier bottles. The nose offers up some raspberry, some kirsch, a touch of spice and those sweet smelling currants. The palate follows with two definite waves of sweet current, some blueberry notes and tell-tale chocolate (but very much milk chocolate, not cocoa in this). The wine is developing simply delightfully. No hints of anything falling off - just a wonderful melange of ripe CA goodness.
I'd love to see this with another 3-5 years under its belt and plan to! Hard to resist now though.
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Best showing yet. Nose was incredibly appealing, full of chocolate, leather and a bit of funk. Full to medium bodied, juicy and flavorful, this is a great merlot.
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Another excellent bottle of this wine. Actually better than I remember it, of course the fruit is abundant and it really seems to be rounding out nicely. This is much better than either the 03 or 04 which Ive had recently.
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Had at La Matera in Guadalajara with Luis, Ale & Vane.
Not nearly as good as the 2001. It is missing the hedonism, cristallized fruit and bombacious personaity of its older sibling. This is still good, but not a blockbuster.
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different than I remembered it. A bit more of Merlot's herbal component than a year and a half ago. The roasted coffee is still there along with ample fruit and chocolate notes on the finish. Spring Mountain fruit rocks. Very nice.
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14.8% alcohol. regular participants of the program will know that i reported on the 02 corte riva merlot last night, and i wasn't too complimentary about it. controversy ensued, and i pulled this wine from the cellar as a follow up. it's tannic, somewhat tight (not decanted...feel free), chocolate-laced, and it is simmering in oak. the difference is that this wine has fruit to burn, no heat on the finish, it doesn't taste overtly alcoholic, and it retains a semblance of balance. it's a flippin' big merlot, but it's not over extracted. this wine will probably be a huge crowd pleaser, and i'm on board for the ride. cellar rats can squirrel this away for years, it's got plenty of structure and excellent aging potential. recommended.
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No question about the Dark fruit...its there in abundance. I think its really mellowed out some though but still very much fruit foward. Not sure its better than it was on release. Hoping it will get there though. Shedding tons of sediment
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Brought to an offline at Pinot Envy's home. This was a thick concentrated Merlot. Lots of chocolatey fruit notes with plum mixed in. I recently had the 1997 and 1999 vintages of this wine which I liked better. They seemed to present a much better balance. 91 points.
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Popped and poured. More earthy and complex aromas than prior bottles. Almost like silk in texture, but with depth and balance that is lacking in most Merlots.
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Part of the merlot flight on Darcee's 42nd - Was the favorite of three of the women who loved the sexy,smooth velvety texture. Decanted three hours prior to drinking and was showing very well. Nice fruit, solid yet soft structure but little mountain fruit that i would expect. Very enjoyable and certainly a crod pleaser!
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Let breath in a decanter for 2 hours...at about hour 3...really impressive core fruit nose with complex fruit fireworks. Young..nicely balanced and well made. Will mature nicely because of the great balance and concentration.
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($50) Rich mocha chocolate. Wet earth nose. Dark fruit. Touch toast. Palate initially less appealling. More woody, unbalanced. Softer when retasted, but still off in the finish. The leftovers tasted better the next day, but it never came together to my satisfaction.
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Succulent nose of red fruit and dust. The palate opens to broad flavors of cassis, blackberry jam, orange zest, cola. Finishes fairly long with more delicious fruit. Med-full bodied. Decanted 1.5 hr. Very nicely done. Drink or hold
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I dont think this is as good as the Pride of the same vintage, but this is a wonderful wine. It is showing great now with about an hour or so of air in the decanter. Loads of blackberry, coffee grounds and a hint of chocolate as the night went on. Medium to full body, and just a slight hint of mint. Had with wood grilled Maitre d' butter topped T-bones. Perfect match. If you have a few of these left don't hesitate to pop one now. It's showing its stuff. I have marked the rest now - 2008.
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Reminded me of the 2001 after it had some air. I brought this to a USA vs Italy offline (in anticipation of the world cup match) and it was the WOTN (voted so by 7 of 10). Velvety, luscious with raspberry and molten chocolate. Not decanted, it was opened 4 hours before the first pour and allowed to breath gently in the cellar.
A true star from CA. Not over the top, not overripe, everything in perfect balance yet the fruit is the star attraction.
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Decanted (for breathing purposes) for about an hour....wow...showing it's best in it's life with me. Great mouthfeel. Great balance. Nice up front CA/Napa fruit...hints of chocolate complexity, nice basic tannins. Really good stuff that flows and changes flavors.
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Best showing yet for this wine. A rather hedonistic, full throttle merlot showing lots of ripe (not overdone though) fruit with a nice spicy, chocolatey finish. Has the structure to age a while, but is showing pretty well now.
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Decanted for 30 minutes. Full-bodied wine that is medium garnet in color. On the nose, dark cherries and lightly toasted oak. On the palate, black cherry, plums, dark chocolate, and vanilla. Well-balanced wine that is full of fruit...pretty silky mouthfeel. The structure is there, too, but the very long 30-40 second finish is just a touch hot. Very good wine that could use another year or two.
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Wow! What a difference a bottle makes. I wanted to try another bottle because the first one I tried was bad. This had gobs of chocolate, mocha and plums. Beautifully balanced with a lengthy finish. I only wish my first bottle hadn't been corked as now I'm down to one bottle remaining.
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No score given as this bottle did not seem right to me. This was open for about two hours prior to tasting. My first taste indicated no fruit. After about three hours, I detected only glycerin and a slight vegetal (green pepper) taste. I got none of the chocolate and coffee etc. that everybody else seems to rave about. I will revisit this tonight, but I suspect it was a bad bottle.
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Drank this on Christmas Eve to start the night. Inky black. On the nose, the vanilla aroma from new oak seemed dominant, but it receaded with aeration. Gorgeous, intense dark berry fruit packaged in a deeply flavored, dense wine with a full bodied taste and very ripe tannin. This wine seemed more balanced than the last 2001 I had. There is no heat on the finish here. This is a beauty of an extreme California wine.
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This was my first bottle from a case and was opened two hours before serving along side a prime grade rib-eye (bbq'd in sub zero weather!).
There's the tell tale intensity and concentration that you expect from Paloma but compared to the 2001, this finishes tight with a tannic bite.
After another 90 minutes, that finish has mellowed, the result of which is one amazing wine. This ain't no flabby Merlot - it's mountain brute force at its best.
While the 2001 is seductive and smooth, the 2002 has all that along with a wild side that I love. I think that this wine has years of evolution too am not in any rush. It will be great to watch it evolve. In a couple of years, I can see this earning 94 points.
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Tasting note from memory. Stefani's Wine tasting party. This wine needs at least an hour of decanting, it will certainly disappoint if you try it before. The development and openness that occurs in the last 15 minutes are starling. Drank over 2 hours and continued to improve until it was gone. Massively focused and concentrated, vanilla, oak, raspberry, syrupy liqueur kirsch, chocolate, it's all there. The nose comes alive and the tannins are soft and melt away into the fruit. I do recall being more impressed with the 2001, but the 2002 is still a fabulous wine.
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If served blind, I would have guessed Aussie Shiraz (or something along the lines of Shotfire Ridge Barossa). Dark and concentrated, the nose offers aromas of raspberry liqueur, creme de cassis and vanilla/oak. Full bodied and luscious with in your face ripe fruit, and no heat (a plus). With aeration the finish becomes persistent and lengthens, though for me, this lacked the coffee/mocha element I expect in a Calif merlot. It is a very nice bottle of wine nonetheless, and for my tastes ready to drink now for its hedonistic style and fun factor...nevermind nuances.
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Nice example of California mountain fruit. Chocolate, mocha, plum, dark red fruit, and some spice. Oak present but not overwhelming. Given that I generally prefer "old world" wines, this wine showed the positive side of early accessability in California. Nice with Hoisin spiced park roast -fruit stood up to the sweeter sauce.
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Not as rich and plush as the 01 but still very nice Merlot. Roasted coffee, plum and cherries. Zesty acidity keeps it focused. Nice dark chocolate and sweet tannins on the finish.
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Deep purple. Open right out of the bottle. Georgeous notes of sweet coffee, chocolate and plum. I was able to imagine a bit of popcorn smell that has been noted by others. Palate dominated by up front black raspberry and chocolate. Almost jam-like, but not in a bad way. Mouthfeel is very smooth, though not too heavy. Mild tannins and moderate finish. A lovely example of mountain merlot. Some saved for tomorrow night. Will try to remember to update.
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This wine offers nicely concentrated texture with a huge nose of mocha chocolate and tons of dark red berries. I wish it was a bit more complex. However, it's a very hedonistic wine that screams "drink me for Valentine's Day." It's a very sexy and sensual wine to be enjoyed with the loved ones.
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This was a delighful, but simple wine, at least at this stage. It was opened, but not decanted for a couple of hours. The cherry and mocha flavors were very nice and distinct. Unfortunately, it did not have some of the herb and spice flavors that the '01 had at similar stage. Went perfect with the tri-tip we were serving. Still, a little disappointing given how much I liked the '01.
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($45) Black and White: Tasted next to the Pride 1999, this was much more fruit forward and crowd pleasing, but with similar red berry and mocha flavors. More plush and "sweet" overall with slightly less complexity.
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Fruit bomn with berries ( blueberries and stawberries) with hints of dark chocolate. This is a fun wine for those that enjoy fruit....little complexity going on here.
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This wine is drinking beautifully right now. More approachable than the 2001 is at this stage, this is the kind on wine that makes Myles' comment about "No @#*$ing Merlot" seem inane. Lush, dark fruits and perfectly balanced, this wine is the complete package.
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Big, lively, deep & rich. Brooding purple. Dense nose. Some more time may open it up more. Dense & layered on the palate. Lot's of chocolate, black fruit , smooth tannins carry on to a med-long finish. A real crowd pleaser.A/A-
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Deep ruby with an intense nose of ripe black fruits. Medium to full bodied with a velvety mouthfell, like a succulent chewy, blueberry pie. Well integrated fine grained tannins and finishes with nice chocolatey overtones. Some mild mouth drying tannins on the finish, but drinking very nicely now. Not as complex as the 2001 but very well made fruit driven Merlot.
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Northern California with DeTapas: Blind Red 4 - Deeply colored with sweet candied cherry and red currant fruit. Powdered sugar. More sweet red berry fruit. Good. I like this more than I did a couple weeks ago.
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($51) Cocoa with a lovely piercing mint nuance. Medium-full bodied turning a bit tight in the finish. Really good though. The finish is the week spot. The roughness here seems like it could youthfulness or an overexposure to oak.
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Wow. I have spent more time giving away these wines than drinking it sure goes well at school auctions but I had better keep a few. This is nice. I had the 2001 about a year ago and I don't believe I liked it this much. Dark color good clarity. Deep fruit, expresso and buttered popcorn on the nose. On the palate thick rich fruit and chocolate. Looking forward to my Rib Eye tonight
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What a great expresso coffee and rasberry jam nose. awesome palate, huge but light as a feather, with lazer focus cherries, rasberries, moccha, vanila, clove, chocolate, but what mouthfeel! this was viscous in texture but danced on the palate, the finish was monumental and lingering. i was hoping that i wouldn't like this wine b/c i can't find it - but wow, its similar to the 2002 Pride merlot with a little more balance and class. VERY impressive.
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Chocolate, chocolate and chocolate. Wow, this wine is fully of chocolate! :) The nose jump out the glass with chocolate, plum, dark berries & cedar. While it's not as concentrated as the '01 but the core fruit is still dense and powerful. In the mouth, it's viscous and mouthfilling, with soft and round tannins. It finished a bit hot in the beginning but after 30 minutes in the glass it was as smooth as silk with a lasting finish. Great job, Jim & Barb.
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8/28/2022 - DesMarteau wrote: 95 Points
Wow….integrated , complex , rich and decandant
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1/17/2022 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 94 Points
bought on release and cellar stored. Perfect color and live nose upon opening...a bit syrupy in the first 2 mins...30 mins of air it lightens, bramble berries, blue berries, raspberries....a bit of cinnamon. NO real signs of age here! could go 10 more easily.
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7/19/2021 - Frijole wrote:
deep dark burgundy, little clarity, ruby hue
Nose: plum, licorice, chocolate, tobacco, dirt, touch oak
Pal: plum, chocolate, tobacco, minerals, silver, earth, cola, dirt, black pepper, clove, minerals, touch oak
Feel: full, round
Finish: long
T9
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9/6/2020 - glitzysue Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bought on release and have cellared since. Every time I taste the Palomas I think of sitting in Barb and Jim’s kitchen drinking these fabulous wines while petting their dog. These wines just keep getting better and better.it still amazes me. Yes, it has dark plum and other strong, dark fruits, but when just the taste and smell of the wine 18 years later brings back such amazing memories - you know this wine was made with love and care by two special people.
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5/10/2020 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 95 Points
bought on release...cellar storage since. wow...really gets better with age. less candied than a mid life version...bosyenberries, raspberries, cassis, hint of vanilla, spice....long finish...integrated...layered. best of the case so far and have one left that I'm in no hurry to chase down.
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11/9/2019 - ssouth wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic Merlot from the Barbara and Jim Richards era. Made by two wonderful and amazing people!
2002 Paloma Merlot Napa Valley. Alc 14.8%
Still dark purple with minimal clearing at the edge. Inviting nose of ripe plums and blackberry and some forest floor. Great palate attack with layers of mostly black fruit and silky texture. Long finish. Really an amazing wine with still a few years ahead
Bravo
Bought at release and cellared at 56 degrees
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9/7/2019 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 90 Points
When first poured, this was amazingly rich and vibrant with dark cherries on the palate. As it aired it fell apart unfortunately, so it is time to drink these (and NO decant). Can't guarantee the conditions since it was on the shelf at the wine store for who knows how long.
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4/12/2019 - Mneumeier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Maybe the best of the night. And up against some big wines. Drinking wonderful. PnP.
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9/16/2018 - gteran76 wrote: 91 Points
It’s holding well however it won’t get any better. As of now it’s mellow and low or none-existent tannins. It will have been much better if we started the day with it but after an AO ERA and Schader RBS its very difficult to stand up...
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5/12/2018 - S. Lorin wrote:
Market Table
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10/7/2017 - KenK Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sweet upfront black cherry an plummy flavors. Nice backbone of acid. This comes across a bit one dimensional, but lovely none-the-less. No rush to drink up, but at its peak.
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10/7/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 87 Points
Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind (Chevalier Fine Wines - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind alongside Redigaffi 2002. This was very rich and opulent, but came across as top-heavy and off balance. Starts out very tasty and fun, but with little substance behind.
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9/3/2017 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still a very nice drink featuring lots of chocolate cherries with a velvet texture, just bit warming on the finish.
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4/11/2017 - Vinolicious97 wrote: 91 Points
Yummy. Hamburgers on the deck
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3/9/2017 - Vinolicious97 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still drinking well, 2 bottles left, cork fell apart but was a save,
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11/13/2016 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
Second Sunday Group: Paloma Merlot Vertical (Our house): Chocolate and cherry notes. Has some tannin to shed, with flavors of currants and cherry. Decent finish. Good, if not exciting.
My #5, Domino's #6
Group #4, 37 pts
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7/4/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
4th of July Weekend Wines - A nice selection; 7/1/2016-7/5/2016 (Out and about over the weekend): Tremendous showing for this bottle. We all stopped to comment on how good this was. Purple in color. The nose features dark cherries with cherries, slight spice, and a hint of chocolate and roasted herbs. On the palate, this has a great juicy texture. Deep and layered with plenty of dark cherry fruit intermixed with dry earthiness. Long finish. Went great with food. The bottle got drained very quickly.
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6/16/2016 - bambam Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is drinking really well. I agree that this is near its peak. Drink in the next few years.
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5/15/2016 - kas wrote: 95 Points
Really great tonight
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4/5/2016 - tiggerevnstn Likes this wine: 92 Points
Seems close to peak - should not hold much longer.
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9/2/2015 - DNABog wrote: 94 Points
This wine is still drinking beautifully 13 years later! Plenty of blueberry and vanilla. Delicious, soft and opulent. Carries itself like a french merlot rather than a Napa merlot. Very sexy and hard to put down.
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5/14/2015 - Frijole wrote:
dark brownish red, little clarity, amber hue
Nose: cassis, white pepper, clove, milk chocolate, vanilla, thyme, tarragon, touch oak
Pal: cassis, tar, tobacco, clove, white pepper, milk chocolate, black pepper, vanilla, cola, thyme, tarragon, spice, touch oak, complex
Feel: medium, full
Finish: medium, long
T9
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11/24/2014 - BRR Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very well right now, and I wouldn't think it'd improve. No danger of going downhill immediately, but I don't see a reason to hold. Aromatic and soft, with graceful dark cherry and plum notes, both on the nose and palate. Very little tannin, just lots of easy-to-love fruit. Long finish. The only knock is its lack of real complexity.
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7/27/2014 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
From Sue's cold cellar, this looks very youthful. Aromas of chocolate covered cherries, plums and blackberry. Full-bodied and still quite firm but with an abundance of dark fruit underneath. Plum, blackberry, cherry and chocolate with a subtle hint of vanilla on the long finish.
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5/26/2014 - bambam Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow, this is really drinking nice. Smooth dark cherries and a little chocolate. Just another example of a Paloma that did not drink well young but really blossomed later in its life. This would easily beat a 2001 in a blind tasting today.
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5/23/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
SonkinCellars Partners Meeting (The Barn): A sentimental wine opened for my partners Tom and Kathy. Pop and pour. The nose has camphor, dark cherries, slight chocolate. Still tasting youthful. It probably would have benefitted from some air. Showing a nice layered complexity on the palate. Smooth and juicy. Great dark cherry fruit. Nice balance. Long finish. I wish I had more time with this, but it was getting late.
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4/13/2014 - colowino wrote: 90 Points
Deep red, not much nose but fruit forward, medium body with primarily dark cherry overtones and good finish. Although two years beyond recommended drinking window, still vibrant and a very nice pour.
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1/1/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Some great wine for the end of 2013 (Our home): Wow, another wine that far exceeded expectations. The nose is great with dark cherries, dust, cocoa, dark chocolate. IIRC, this was a vintage that didn't sell after the hype of 2001 WSWOTY. It seems much more backward than that wine but may out live it if this bottle is representative. Just starting to unwind and show real complexity. Lush and rich and very Californian, it is drinking beautifully.
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12/27/2013 - BobbyG83 wrote: 95 Points
This wine is incredible!
This has always been a preferred label in my household, but this vintage seems like it is really rocking right now
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11/16/2013 - winotoo wrote: 90 Points
Still holding up. Not terribly complex but tasty.
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8/22/2013 - JFish wrote: flawed
Popped and poured. Uh oh. Something's off. Smells like port. Tastes like port upfront, then singing acidity and no fruit, then a not so lovely alcohol burn. Hope it's an off bottle.
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6/2/2013 - irish87 Likes this wine: 90 Points
It's lost a lot of its youthful intensity. Maturing and smoothing out. Still blueberry and chocolate, but not as creamy. Still has a round texture on the midpalate, but ends a little abruptly. I doubt these will get much better, so I'd go ahead and drink em if you got em.
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2/16/2013 - stevenjstein wrote: 94 Points
Not exactly a typical, varietally correct, Merlot, but very tasty nonetheless. Plenty of black fruit, with some chewy tannins and a nice acid structure.
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2/13/2013 - suttonri wrote:
Still drinking well. I get chocolate and cherries, with an almost seamlessly integrated oak. The sweet cherries and vanilla oak play off each other very well. Herbalness, a, hint of baking spices, some medium textured tannins, and adequate acidity I'm not so oak tolerant and find myself a little surprised to be writing this note. Very well done and even more impressive for a 11 yr old Cali Merlot. Held up fairly well on day two.
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1/12/2013 - Share 67 wrote: 95 Points
I decanted this wine for about two hours. This wine still has a tremendous amount of fruit in it and it was so well-balanced that after 10 years I'm pleased to say it's worth 95 points.
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10/7/2012 - snekse wrote: 84 Points
If you have any left, drink it up. It's past starting to decline.
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7/13/2012 - tfharris wrote: 91 Points
Very good and still kicking!
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5/6/2012 - prettydeceextrap wrote: 96 Points
(A) Wow. Excellent, even without much air. Blue fruit, vanilla, cream. Nose is huge and the texture is amazingly smooth. Fantastic merlot character.
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1/23/2012 - DNABog wrote: 86 Points
Some funk on the nose at first but dissipated after 1/2 hour. This wine is on it way out. Fruit had no hint of ripeness but after an hour was a bit classy with some mint a tobacco and chocolate. I recommend drinking these up ASAP. 86pts.
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1/18/2012 - folsomarndt wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and drank over 2 hrs. Held up surprisingly well for a 10 yr old Merlot. Big concentrated Merlot, with plenty of fruit on the nose, well integrated tannins and a medium lengthy finish. Very enjoyable!
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12/20/2011 - djdaqm wrote: 93 Points
Huge difference from the last bottle. Very interesting nose with lots of floral notes. Palate was long and varied ranging from milk chocolate to a finish that had notes of carbon. Medium concentration and well integrated tannins. The wine is in a good place now.
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12/10/2011 - suttonri wrote:
Sweet red cherries with chocolate on the palate, plus that herbal mountain quality. Simply delicious with years ahead of it. Undervalued at auction, if you can find it at cellartracker's 36.60 price buy it all!
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11/27/2011 - emf Likes this wine:
Dark red in color with aromas of dark fruit and some oak. mouth filling with lots of dark cherries and plums. Long finish, very smooth and mellow.
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6/10/2011 - hgoodyear wrote: 80 Points
Very disappointing. Grotesquely fruit-bombed.
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4/24/2011 - DNABog wrote: 94 Points
This wine is still drinking beautifully 10 years later! Plenty of blueberry and vanilla. Delicious and opulent.
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4/4/2011 - cubswinws wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. Drinking very well now and likely for 4-5 years to come.
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4/1/2011 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Filling in w/the Friday Brown Bag Group (Paul & Alyce's): Deep color with smoky herb and dark frut aromas. Tannins are integrating though still quite evident. Flavors of caramel, blue fruit and oak. Finishes nicely. I did not pick this out as a Merlot.
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2/18/2011 - AlexHop wrote: 92 Points
Nice, saturated. Super long finish.
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2/5/2011 - DoubleD1969 wrote: 92 Points
Opened and poured. Dark and youthful appearance with no bricking. Very expressive wine. Licorice, vanilla, and blueberry pie that carries over to the palate. Medium- to full-bodied with a bit of unresolved tannins. Acidity keeps things fresh. Solid wine.
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2/3/2011 - knlowery wrote: 91 Points
great wine. not quite the 2001 but still fabulous
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1/29/2011 - Ekoostik wrote:
Still nice and very forward as you would expect from CA Merlot. Still has a bit too much oak showing for my preference, but if your looking for hedonistic concentrated Merlot, Paloma is usually a safe bet to whet the appetite.
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1/3/2011 - fisk15 wrote: 94 Points
New years dinner wine, popped and poured. Quite closed upon opening, both nose and palate. In about 20 minutes it began to open and was open and kickin for the 2+ hours it was opened. Dark chocolate, rich plum - massive and really really good.
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11/27/2010 - DesMarteau wrote: 93 Points
Great.
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11/19/2010 - cubswinws wrote: 93 Points
Big beefy merlot. Definitely a cabernet lover's merlot. A great drink still very youthful. No rush on this wine.
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8/21/2010 - WinePT wrote: 90 Points
Tasted from decanter over 3 hours. Big and rich. This evolved over time (not always for the better), with the last glass being the best. Concentrated fruit with mocha and chocolate (which was most evident in the last glass). Long finish. 88-91.
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7/8/2010 - Hercules wrote: 93 Points
Great wine. Still drinking very well. Great body and structure with a lot of fruit.
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6/26/2010 - WetRock wrote:
The OC Blind Wine Crew goes Italian (Il Barone Ristorante, Newport Beach, CA): Served blind. Nose of baked berry pie with Graham cracker crust. Very rich and extracted palate. Another one that was hard to identify the variety due to the style. Though not something I really enjoyed as this was going a bit too far for me I was surprised at how well its held up in reference to the style.
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6/26/2010 - Frank Murray III wrote:
OC Blind Wine Crew Does Dinner and Italian (Il Barone in Newport Beach, CA): Served blind. Plum sauce, powdered cocoa, black fruit, milk chocolate bar, decadence. As Nordie called it "slutty"......concur! There are occasions when I can drink this wine and really enjoy it, as I did last night. Surely not old world but hey Rob, if you a few of these left in your cellar, I'll buy one from you. Big but still in line and my WOTF.
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6/8/2010 - ricko wrote: 95 Points
Jun 7/8: 2002 Paloma napa merlot WS93/RP90 (14.8%). Minor rant here. I've been enjoying Paloma merlots since the 1996 vintage. Well-crafted wines, very cab-like structure, built for aging. Here's the problem with chasing ratings (or perhaps the risk of buying secondary market wines with sketchy provenance). I bought a few bottles of the 2001 at release (from both the winery and retail); liked the wine a lot; bought more at various auctions later. Also bought a few bottles of the 2002 at release. The aftermarket 2001s were very tired/way over-the-hill; end result was a big waste of money. Recently opened a 2002. A breath of fresh air! All the mocha and red fruit flavor, structure, and length that was missing in the last few 2001s I opened. Conclusion: buy producers I like at release and cellar the wines properly, and stop gambling in the secondary market on high-score wines. Rant out. Oh yeah, my score: RF95, comparable to the better bottles of the 2001 I tasted.
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6/4/2010 - Rosengoo wrote: 92 Points
Drank at Morton's with friends. Very nice bottle as always with Paloma. Quite jammy to taste but I have a feeling that these are now beginning to show their age. My advice is to drink these sooner rather than later.
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5/14/2010 - DoubleD1969 wrote: 91 Points
Double-decanted for about 2 hours before consuming. Color was deep purple with plenty of dark fruit on the nose. Full-bodied with primary fruit still dominating any other secondary characteristics going on. Great tannins and acidity that were beginning to integrate, unlike that of the '06 that I had last year. 91 pts now, but there are lots of stuff going on that I hope can evolve into something even better in the future.
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3/15/2010 - ken-yyz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Once again, a simply wonderful Paloma with all of its tell tale red fruit mixed with cocoa. Great nose, great texture and long finish. I don't think this has budged much since my last bottle nearly two years ago. Delicious.
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3/13/2010 - Rosengoo wrote: 90 Points
Opened at home and drank right away. I'm a big fan of these wines but for some reason tonight, it didn't shine. The colour was mild with a slight orange tinge to it. It had a jammy bouquet with not too strong acidity. Fairly mild tannins and body as well with a short finish. Weird as I have had these many times before and none with this result.
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1/27/2010 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
This is still drinking very well. Similar notes as before with the addition of some blueberry tonight.
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1/22/2010 - MJTed wrote: 93 Points
More good stuff from the great 2002 and still going strong. Black cherries coated in dark chocolate with cab-like notes of cassis. Still showing lots of oak, but well balanced and structured.
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1/8/2010 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted January 8, 2010.
Opened and served immediately. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of plums, currants and dark berries that carries through to the palate. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink over the short term.
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12/12/2009 - Hbgsurgeon wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. 92
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11/22/2009 - Ekoostik wrote: 92 Points
Drinking extremely well right now as it pretty seemless from front to finish. Has really rounded out and has tons of lush sweet fruit. Top shelf Ca Merlot if you like the style. I think these are pretty much ready to go at this point.
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8/5/2009 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 94 Points
Last bottle of Paloma in my cellar, sad to say. Popped and poured. Slightly translucent with a touch of tawny. Bottle sweet brown sugar nose. Rich, luscious sweet red and black fruit with more brown sugar on the palate. A suggestion of mocha chocolate. Seamless, ready to go. Highly pleasurable.
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6/26/2009 - Scruff wrote:
Consumed at a friend house at dinner. Did not take detailed notes but this was outstanding. It is drinking beautifully and brought all the typical Paloma characteristics; mocha, raspberries, cassis, cherries, etc. Extremely smooth, good balance and a long finish. I opened this 4 hours prior to drinking (no decanting). This is the right time to consume this IMHO. I hope this is not my last bottle as CT states though :-(
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5/25/2009 - psoals wrote: 93 Points
Absolute merlot perfection in a bottle. It's not going to get any better, but at the same time, it still has some legs.
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3/23/2009 - tiggerevnstn wrote: 91 Points
Showing marvelously. Nicely balanced, deceptively elegant.
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3/10/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 93 Points
Wow. I am in love with Paloma Merlot. Such a consistent producer and certainly one of the overall finest Merlots in California.
Beautiful ripe round lush red fruit. Raspberries and beautiful red cherries all over the place. CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE!!!
This wine screams chocolate covered cherries. Tons of well integrated oak dispalying nice vanilla notes as well.
The palate is ultra focused showing more chocolate covered red berries. I literally taste the chocolate on my tongue after the wine dissipates.
The finish is 40 seconds long with moderate high acidity, tannins and alcohol. This is a superb merlot by any standards.
Grab a bottle of any vintage of Paloma Merlot and you will be happy.
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2/12/2009 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92. Consistent with the previous bottle. Drink or hold over the shorter term.
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1/31/2009 - spotfin wrote: 92 Points
This is in a good place right now. Dark cherries, mocha, chocolate, long finish.
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1/18/2009 - mdefreitas wrote: 87 Points
Football & Merlot @ Howard's 2009 (Old Greenwich, CT): Relatively light in color. Sweet, confected fruit. Somewhat thin.
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1/17/2009 - vinolovers wrote: 89 Points
A nice dark red coloring without any bricking on the rim. Fruit forward nose of cherry, berries including red berries, and some vanilla. An initial herbal green streak faded after the botle had been open for approx. 30 minutes. Very smooth, no tannins and an easy drink but; it lacked some of the typical merlot flavors such as pepper and spice. If the label hadn't told me, I would not have recognized the wine as merlot.
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12/24/2008 - djdaqm wrote: 88 Points
Double decanted and rested for 1 hour. Touch of sediment at bottom. Fruit forward on the nose, with smells of blackberry and oak. Lots of heat from alcohol. Tastes similar to the smells, with some improvement and mellowing as the bottle sat. Fairly one-dimensional as others have written--not much complexity or nuance. Easy drinking tannins. Not really my style and reminded me of a cheaper Napa Valley Cabernet, such as a Caravan. Somewhat of a disappointment given the price, Paloma reputation, and my expectations based on Paloma Merlots I have had previously.
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11/30/2008 - Surfdoc wrote: 89 Points
Aroma of plum and dark berries. Silky mouthfeel with light-medium body. Fruit forward flavors of black cherry and a hint of chocolate. Moderate acidity with a slight tannin bite. Short finish with some alcohol heat. Wine tasted from the bottle, after 1 hour decant and 2 days after opening. Best flavor was after 1 hour decant. I had tasted the 2001 vintage a couple years ago, but this bottle did not have the complexity or richness that I remember from the prior vintage.
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11/22/2008 - hkfoebee wrote:
Plenty of sediment. Not as bright and fruit forward as previous bottles. Nonetheless, pretty good regardless. Went well with 3-cheese lasagna.
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11/1/2008 - CP wrote: 88 Points
Beautiful texture and mouthfeel - quite velvety, no sign of tannin - but somewhat one dimensional and very fruit forward, somewhat acidic. I seem to recall more complexity when I tasted this four years ago. Maybe sat on this one a bit too long. Drink 'em if you got 'em.
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10/17/2008 - Ekoostik wrote: 92 Points
Interesting because this bottle was much more youthful than the last I had, not that it was tired at all. Still very fruit foward with dark fruits and chocolate on the nose. Still a nice full palate and in fact a very nice steak wine right now. Finishes with a touch of sour cherry and velvet tannin.
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10/3/2008 - scooter260 wrote: 86 Points
Just didn't have it tonight. Cough syrupy and tired. Got a little better with air time but not much. I love this producer so I'm a bit disappointed. Still have 4 2001's socked away....hope they're ok! Enjoyed after Edina Homecoming Parade with a brownie.
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9/1/2008 - Rex66 wrote: 94 Points
One of Napa's premier Merlots. In a wonderful place right now, this is drinking beautifully.
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7/19/2008 - rickspicks wrote: 90 Points
I love Paloma - actually I like Barbara and love her wines. This is a very good "new world" merlot. Ripe, dark cherry flavors dominate - with perhaps a hint of leather and chocolate. Well balanced and ripe -- except for the mellow edges, this could be mistaken for a cabernet . My wife noted that it was better alone or with cheese than with food -- and I agree with her completely. We had it both before dinner and then with some steaks - and it was much better before the food. Lots of life left in this, but probably will not improve significantly.
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7/12/2008 - John wrote: 81 Points
nothing special. seems like an aussie merlot. very kool-aid 'ish
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6/16/2008 - 6831 wrote: 92 Points
Very pleasing aromatics. Clean, pure fruit flavors are impeccably balanced and fully integrated in this excellent Merlot. A beaatiful food wine. Sadly, our last bottle.
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6/14/2008 - JWA wrote: 94 Points
Part of a dinner party/blind tasting. Wine was paired with a Mexican style Braised shredded Beef salad. Nose of leather, lots of cherries, tasted of pencil shavings and Cherries. Had a lingering finish with lots of balanced tannins
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5/31/2008 - Ekoostik wrote: 91 Points
Mellowing to the palate a bit but not physically showing any signs. Really drinks pretty smooth right out of the bottle with lots of dark red and blue fruit. I'd say start drinking these if you have been holding...I will drink my remainder with 1-2 yrs.
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5/4/2008 - spotfin wrote: 92 Points
Full bodied, chocolate, plum, tobacco, excellent.
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3/20/2008 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92,PURPLE93
Tasted March 20, 2008. Opened and served immediately. Really good from the get go. Dark garnet color in the glass with a lovely vibrant hue. Attractive fruity nose of plums and berries. Solid, fruity flavors of plums, currants and berries. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Clean on the palate and nicely balanced. Drink now or over the short to medium term if you'd prefer.
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3/11/2008 - Screameagle wrote: 94 Points
One of the best merlots I can ever remember drinking. Definitely in it's prime. A beautiful wine without a hint of alcohol. I will drink my last bottle over the coming year. I decanted this wine for two hours as suggested by a previous poster which really helped allow the wine to open up.
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3/9/2008 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Similar flavor profile as previous bottle, with the addition of some blueberry. This bottle took about 2 hours to open, but once it did, it was outstanding.
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3/4/2008 - ChillyWino wrote: 90 Points
Nice red fruits and chocolate on the nose. Very rich and lush. In a great drinking window.
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2/23/2008 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($50) This was showing nicely with delicious chocolate and mocha aromas on the nose with more black currant fruit on the palate and a finish with more chocolate and mocha. Nice.
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2/22/2008 - kas wrote: 93 Points
tasted like a nice young bordeaux. good fruit initially but faded after an hour or so (drank over two). moderate tannins with a touch of oak/ smoke on the aftertaste. I'll try the next bottle in about a year.
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2/14/2008 - Wineosseur wrote: 92 Points
A solid CA merlot. Just enough complexity to keep it interesting, though hard to mistake this for anything but new world. Chocolate, cherries, leather, and spice. Medium-full body and medium-long finish. Just a trace of heat at the end (watch the serving temp). Plenty of life left in this wine.
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2/8/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
2nd Annual Freeman Caves Weekend for VinoCellar.com; 2/8/2008-2/10/2008 (Various Sonoma County Locations): Served as part of the 2nd Annual Freeman Caves Weekend for VinoCellar.com. Served at the John Ash dinner. Tight tannins with dark black berry notes with an orange fruit finish. Good.
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2/8/2008 - Winetex wrote: 90 Points
90+
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12/25/2007 - PMH GMU wrote: 94 Points
Awesome wine
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12/21/2007 - ken-yyz wrote: 94 Points
The best performance of this wine so far. The most surprising thing to me is how red currents have exploded on the nose and palate in ways that I don't remember from earlier bottles. The nose offers up some raspberry, some kirsch, a touch of spice and those sweet smelling currants. The palate follows with two definite waves of sweet current, some blueberry notes and tell-tale chocolate (but very much milk chocolate, not cocoa in this). The wine is developing simply delightfully. No hints of anything falling off - just a wonderful melange of ripe CA goodness.
I'd love to see this with another 3-5 years under its belt and plan to! Hard to resist now though.
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11/22/2007 - cck wrote: 89 Points
Much better alone than with food. Some loved it, some thought the components were disjointed. Average score of group was 89
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11/1/2007 - Just Grapes wrote: 93 Points
This is a very nice merlot. Good fruit, balanced mid palate and silky tannins.
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10/11/2007 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
Best showing yet. Nose was incredibly appealing, full of chocolate, leather and a bit of funk. Full to medium bodied, juicy and flavorful, this is a great merlot.
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8/29/2007 - Ekoostik wrote: 92 Points
Another excellent bottle of this wine. Actually better than I remember it, of course the fruit is abundant and it really seems to be rounding out nicely. This is much better than either the 03 or 04 which Ive had recently.
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7/26/2007 - hcampana wrote: 89 Points
Had with the Dynamica management group @ El Gaucho.
Decent, lacking mid palate punch, but a solid merlot.
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7/13/2007 - hcampana wrote: 90 Points
Had at La Matera in Guadalajara with Luis, Ale & Vane.
Not nearly as good as the 2001. It is missing the hedonism, cristallized fruit and bombacious personaity of its older sibling. This is still good, but not a blockbuster.
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4/27/2007 - MCL wrote: 91 Points
Excellent California Merlot -- no mistaking what it is.
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4/26/2007 - texaswino wrote: 92 Points
different than I remembered it. A bit more of Merlot's herbal component than a year and a half ago. The roasted coffee is still there along with ample fruit and chocolate notes on the finish. Spring Mountain fruit rocks. Very nice.
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4/23/2007 - ken-yyz wrote: 92 Points
Once again, another great bottle of Paloma. Telltale chocolate and mocha. Dark fruit with just enough structure to keep it from being flabby.
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4/17/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 92 Points
14.8% alcohol. regular participants of the program will know that i reported on the 02 corte riva merlot last night, and i wasn't too complimentary about it. controversy ensued, and i pulled this wine from the cellar as a follow up. it's tannic, somewhat tight (not decanted...feel free), chocolate-laced, and it is simmering in oak. the difference is that this wine has fruit to burn, no heat on the finish, it doesn't taste overtly alcoholic, and it retains a semblance of balance. it's a flippin' big merlot, but it's not over extracted. this wine will probably be a huge crowd pleaser, and i'm on board for the ride. cellar rats can squirrel this away for years, it's got plenty of structure and excellent aging potential. recommended.
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3/3/2007 - Ekoostik wrote: 92 Points
No question about the Dark fruit...its there in abundance. I think its really mellowed out some though but still very much fruit foward. Not sure its better than it was on release. Hoping it will get there though. Shedding tons of sediment
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2/16/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 91 Points
Brought to an offline at Pinot Envy's home. This was a thick concentrated Merlot. Lots of chocolatey fruit notes with plum mixed in. I recently had the 1997 and 1999 vintages of this wine which I liked better. They seemed to present a much better balance. 91 points.
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1/19/2007 - Cow Town wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. More earthy and complex aromas than prior bottles. Almost like silk in texture, but with depth and balance that is lacking in most Merlots.
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12/29/2006 - John wrote: 81 Points
a better than average wine but not much more. a B- at best
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11/26/2006 - sw92130 wrote: 92 Points
Drank w/Prime Rib day after Thanksgiving. It was really good - luckily I saved a glass to taste after 3 hours. It was a treat.
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11/23/2006 - Mike V wrote: 91 Points
Nice. could not stand up to the Pride Vintners Mountaintop tonight. But a lovely bottle. Rich deep and chocolate.
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11/21/2006 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours.
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11/18/2006 - bmauger wrote: 91 Points
Part of the merlot flight on Darcee's 42nd - Was the favorite of three of the women who loved the sexy,smooth velvety texture. Decanted three hours prior to drinking and was showing very well. Nice fruit, solid yet soft structure but little mountain fruit that i would expect. Very enjoyable and certainly a crod pleaser!
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10/15/2006 - DesMarteau wrote: 93 Points
Let breath in a decanter for 2 hours...at about hour 3...really impressive core fruit nose with complex fruit fireworks. Young..nicely balanced and well made. Will mature nicely because of the great balance and concentration.
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10/1/2006 - scooter260 wrote: 90 Points
very ggod after2 hours
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9/28/2006 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($50) Rich mocha chocolate. Wet earth nose. Dark fruit. Touch toast. Palate initially less appealling. More woody, unbalanced. Softer when retasted, but still off in the finish. The leftovers tasted better the next day, but it never came together to my satisfaction.
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8/26/2006 - yanik wrote: 91 Points
Ripe red berries. Hints of chocolate. Great balance and silky.
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8/20/2006 - 6831 wrote: 91 Points
Succulent nose of red fruit and dust. The palate opens to broad flavors of cassis, blackberry jam, orange zest, cola. Finishes fairly long with more delicious fruit. Med-full bodied. Decanted 1.5 hr. Very nicely done. Drink or hold
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8/4/2006 - Flubis wrote: 93 Points
I dont think this is as good as the Pride of the same vintage, but this is a wonderful wine. It is showing great now with about an hour or so of air in the decanter. Loads of blackberry, coffee grounds and a hint of chocolate as the night went on. Medium to full body, and just a slight hint of mint. Had with wood grilled Maitre d' butter topped T-bones. Perfect match. If you have a few of these left don't hesitate to pop one now. It's showing its stuff. I have marked the rest now - 2008.
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6/18/2006 - ken-yyz wrote: 94 Points
Reminded me of the 2001 after it had some air. I brought this to a USA vs Italy offline (in anticipation of the world cup match) and it was the WOTN (voted so by 7 of 10). Velvety, luscious with raspberry and molten chocolate. Not decanted, it was opened 4 hours before the first pour and allowed to breath gently in the cellar.
A true star from CA. Not over the top, not overripe, everything in perfect balance yet the fruit is the star attraction.
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6/14/2006 - DesMarteau wrote: 95 Points
Decanted (for breathing purposes) for about an hour....wow...showing it's best in it's life with me. Great mouthfeel. Great balance. Nice up front CA/Napa fruit...hints of chocolate complexity, nice basic tannins. Really good stuff that flows and changes flavors.
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5/21/2006 - Wineosseur wrote: 93 Points
Best showing yet for this wine. A rather hedonistic, full throttle merlot showing lots of ripe (not overdone though) fruit with a nice spicy, chocolatey finish. Has the structure to age a while, but is showing pretty well now.
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5/21/2006 - MCL wrote: 88 Points
Good first night; fell apart night 2.
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4/28/2006 - DFC wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Full-bodied wine that is medium garnet in color. On the nose, dark cherries and lightly toasted oak. On the palate, black cherry, plums, dark chocolate, and vanilla. Well-balanced wine that is full of fruit...pretty silky mouthfeel. The structure is there, too, but the very long 30-40 second finish is just a touch hot. Very good wine that could use another year or two.
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4/12/2006 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful modern styled, fruit laced wine. Not as alcoholic as the 2001, so it is more pleasant and less intrusive for certain wine lovers.
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4/9/2006 - irish87 wrote:
Decanted for four hours, and corked. Too bad.
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2/22/2006 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
Wow! What a difference a bottle makes. I wanted to try another bottle because the first one I tried was bad. This had gobs of chocolate, mocha and plums. Beautifully balanced with a lengthy finish. I only wish my first bottle hadn't been corked as now I'm down to one bottle remaining.
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2/20/2006 - thelostverse wrote:
No score given as this bottle did not seem right to me. This was open for about two hours prior to tasting. My first taste indicated no fruit. After about three hours, I detected only glycerin and a slight vegetal (green pepper) taste. I got none of the chocolate and coffee etc. that everybody else seems to rave about. I will revisit this tonight, but I suspect it was a bad bottle.
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1/13/2006 - 1800kidney wrote: 94 Points
Pacific Edge: Cakebread, Miura and Paloma (Highlands Inn/Park Hyatt): Very impressive, has developed very nicely in the bottle. Wonderful fruit, lovely mouthfeel and balance with long finish
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12/25/2005 - Trip Johnson wrote:
drank with Christmas dinner 2005. Terrific, rich, chocolate and coffee notes. Very nice.
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12/24/2005 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
Drank this on Christmas Eve to start the night. Inky black. On the nose, the vanilla aroma from new oak seemed dominant, but it receaded with aeration. Gorgeous, intense dark berry fruit packaged in a deeply flavored, dense wine with a full bodied taste and very ripe tannin. This wine seemed more balanced than the last 2001 I had. There is no heat on the finish here. This is a beauty of an extreme California wine.
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12/4/2005 - ken-yyz wrote: 92 Points
Wow, this wine has a long life ahead of it.
This was my first bottle from a case and was opened two hours before serving along side a prime grade rib-eye (bbq'd in sub zero weather!).
There's the tell tale intensity and concentration that you expect from Paloma but compared to the 2001, this finishes tight with a tannic bite.
After another 90 minutes, that finish has mellowed, the result of which is one amazing wine. This ain't no flabby Merlot - it's mountain brute force at its best.
While the 2001 is seductive and smooth, the 2002 has all that along with a wild side that I love. I think that this wine has years of evolution too am not in any rush. It will be great to watch it evolve. In a couple of years, I can see this earning 94 points.
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11/20/2005 - Mark wrote: 93 Points
Tasting note from memory. Stefani's Wine tasting party. This wine needs at least an hour of decanting, it will certainly disappoint if you try it before. The development and openness that occurs in the last 15 minutes are starling. Drank over 2 hours and continued to improve until it was gone. Massively focused and concentrated, vanilla, oak, raspberry, syrupy liqueur kirsch, chocolate, it's all there. The nose comes alive and the tannins are soft and melt away into the fruit. I do recall being more impressed with the 2001, but the 2002 is still a fabulous wine.
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10/20/2005 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
WS New York Wine Experience Grand Tastings; 10/20/2005-10/21/2005 (Marriott Marquis NYC): Full red black color. Nice big foward black fruit merlot aroma. Really lovely rich black fruit on the palate with layers of flavors. Very nice.
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10/12/2005 - Dteng wrote: 93 Points
If served blind, I would have guessed Aussie Shiraz (or something along the lines of Shotfire Ridge Barossa). Dark and concentrated, the nose offers aromas of raspberry liqueur, creme de cassis and vanilla/oak. Full bodied and luscious with in your face ripe fruit, and no heat (a plus). With aeration the finish becomes persistent and lengthens, though for me, this lacked the coffee/mocha element I expect in a Calif merlot. It is a very nice bottle of wine nonetheless, and for my tastes ready to drink now for its hedonistic style and fun factor...nevermind nuances.
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10/2/2005 - Venice Al wrote: 92 Points
Nice example of California mountain fruit. Chocolate, mocha, plum, dark red fruit, and some spice. Oak present but not overwhelming. Given that I generally prefer "old world" wines, this wine showed the positive side of early accessability in California. Nice with Hoisin spiced park roast -fruit stood up to the sweeter sauce.
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9/28/2005 - texaswino wrote: 92 Points
Not as rich and plush as the 01 but still very nice Merlot. Roasted coffee, plum and cherries. Zesty acidity keeps it focused. Nice dark chocolate and sweet tannins on the finish.
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8/30/2005 - John wrote: 86 Points
seemed a little disapointing. hope for more on the rest
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8/26/2005 - Wineosseur wrote: 92 Points
Rich, ripe dark fruit and chocolate notes with a little spice. Smooth, medium finish. Showed better than a bottle consumed fall, 2004.
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8/25/2005 - auto wrote: 94 Points
Exceptional wine decanted for 1.5 hours served with herb encrusted lamb
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7/31/2005 - Wusman wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple. Open right out of the bottle. Georgeous notes of sweet coffee, chocolate and plum. I was able to imagine a bit of popcorn smell that has been noted by others. Palate dominated by up front black raspberry and chocolate. Almost jam-like, but not in a bad way. Mouthfeel is very smooth, though not too heavy. Mild tannins and moderate finish. A lovely example of mountain merlot. Some saved for tomorrow night. Will try to remember to update.
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7/14/2005 - Hammer wrote: 94 Points
This wine offers nicely concentrated texture with a huge nose of mocha chocolate and tons of dark red berries. I wish it was a bit more complex. However, it's a very hedonistic wine that screams "drink me for Valentine's Day." It's a very sexy and sensual wine to be enjoyed with the loved ones.
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6/27/2005 - jonphillips wrote: 88 Points
Too roasted
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6/19/2005 - TomTom wrote: 90 Points
This was a delighful, but simple wine, at least at this stage. It was opened, but not decanted for a couple of hours. The cherry and mocha flavors were very nice and distinct. Unfortunately, it did not have some of the herb and spice flavors that the '01 had at similar stage. Went perfect with the tri-tip we were serving. Still, a little disappointing given how much I liked the '01.
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6/5/2005 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($45) Black and White: Tasted next to the Pride 1999, this was much more fruit forward and crowd pleasing, but with similar red berry and mocha flavors. More plush and "sweet" overall with slightly less complexity.
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5/8/2005 - bsaun wrote:
Fruit bomn with berries ( blueberries and stawberries) with hints of dark chocolate. This is a fun wine for those that enjoy fruit....little complexity going on here.
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4/16/2005 - glg wrote:
This wine is drinking beautifully right now. More approachable than the 2001 is at this stage, this is the kind on wine that makes Myles' comment about "No @#*$ing Merlot" seem inane. Lush, dark fruits and perfectly balanced, this wine is the complete package.
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4/11/2005 - DanB wrote:
Big, lively, deep & rich. Brooding purple. Dense nose. Some more time may open it up more. Dense & layered on the palate. Lot's of chocolate, black fruit , smooth tannins carry on to a med-long finish. A real crowd pleaser.A/A-
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4/2/2005 - jmacky614 wrote:
Had to make up for that Lewis Pinot. Great merlot, can't wait to enjoy the 2001.
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3/31/2005 - scravis wrote:
Deep ruby with an intense nose of ripe black fruits. Medium to full bodied with a velvety mouthfell, like a succulent chewy, blueberry pie. Well integrated fine grained tannins and finishes with nice chocolatey overtones. Some mild mouth drying tannins on the finish, but drinking very nicely now. Not as complex as the 2001 but very well made fruit driven Merlot.
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3/24/2005 - 1800kidney wrote: 92 Points
Family night at Bistro Jeanty (Yountville): Terrific merlot, wonderful fruit and presence, drinking quite well now
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3/11/2005 - jonphillips wrote: 90 Points
A little overripe - this is Paloma?
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3/5/2005 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
Northern California with DeTapas: Blind Red 4 - Deeply colored with sweet candied cherry and red currant fruit. Powdered sugar. More sweet red berry fruit. Good. I like this more than I did a couple weeks ago.
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3/5/2005 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($51) Cocoa with a lovely piercing mint nuance. Medium-full bodied turning a bit tight in the finish. Really good though. The finish is the week spot. The roughness here seems like it could youthfulness or an overexposure to oak.
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2/12/2005 - Mike V wrote: 94 Points
Wow. I have spent more time giving away these wines than drinking it sure goes well at school auctions but I had better keep a few. This is nice. I had the 2001 about a year ago and I don't believe I liked it this much. Dark color good clarity. Deep fruit, expresso and buttered popcorn on the nose. On the palate thick rich fruit and chocolate. Looking forward to my Rib Eye tonight
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12/30/2004 - 1800kidney wrote: 93 Points
Simply lovely, wonderful fruit in great balance, very long finish
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12/30/2004 - Koods wrote:
Fantastic, laser focused merlot. Rich and chocolatey, but with a bit more stucture and acidity than the pride 2002. Drinking great now.
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12/2/2004 - Koods wrote: 93 Points
What a great expresso coffee and rasberry jam nose. awesome palate, huge but light as a feather, with lazer focus cherries, rasberries, moccha, vanila, clove, chocolate, but what mouthfeel! this was viscous in texture but danced on the palate, the finish was monumental and lingering. i was hoping that i wouldn't like this wine b/c i can't find it - but wow, its similar to the 2002 Pride merlot with a little more balance and class. VERY impressive.
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11/13/2004 - krsfrogg wrote:
Lovely, equisite, super-charged merlot. Bravo. I wish I had more.
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11/1/2004 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Deep red color. Some glycerine mouthfeel as some of the big cabs. Rich red/black fruit with nice spiciness on the palate. 11/04
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10/15/2004 - Hammer wrote: 94 Points
Chocolate, chocolate and chocolate. Wow, this wine is fully of chocolate! :) The nose jump out the glass with chocolate, plum, dark berries & cedar. While it's not as concentrated as the '01 but the core fruit is still dense and powerful. In the mouth, it's viscous and mouthfilling, with soft and round tannins. It finished a bit hot in the beginning but after 30 minutes in the glass it was as smooth as silk with a lasting finish. Great job, Jim & Barb.
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