Cloudy soft ruby; smoky plummy notes with sweet cherry, shrooms, wet clay, underlying faded raspberry-strawberry, some graphite; rich smooth plush mouthfeel; quite low on acidity, but easy going and comforting, with a slight tang on the finish. Nice and at its peak now. 90-91
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Smooth cherry fruit- some cedar- long finish. Wine is just past it's peak, fruit not as full in the past but still a gorgeous wine- my last bottle. glad i drank it when it was still in this shape,
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plum, raisin, dark fruits, soil, very old world smell fairly drying on mid palate medium finish returning raisin and dark fruit balanced good quality maybe past its prime
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opened and puored and it was very very dry , smelled of very heavy prunes and raisons ( burnt ) not very pleasant on the nose we came back to this 3-4 hours later and most of the stink had actually blown off fruit was coming through and it was less dry very nice actually but alas it was end of the night and 5 bottles after the 1st taste corked it up and will try again this afternoon we'll see
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08/16/08: decanted 1 hour. Red/blue color, deep clear and bright with no amber on rim, youthful. The nose is bright fruit, but spice predominates, and cedar as well. This is a full bodied merlot helped by a small amount of cabernet in the blend i would guess, that adds to the great balance and structure. The flavors are currant, blueberry, plum, cedar, coffee, chocolate and black tea. The finisih is long with soft evolved tannin and tea.
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A bit odd on the nose- some herbacious notes with tar (bottle open for a few hours). The herbacious flavors are apparent in the front and mid with a very distinct tobacco on the finish. Hate to admit it, but IF I had tasted it blind I surely would have rated in lower. The Shafer label staring me in the face bought it a couple of mercy points.
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Tasted December 9, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of briar patch, plum, smoke, spice and florals. Flavors of rich dark pllums, black berries, black cherries and some licorice notes. Medium acidity, full resolved tannins, medium body. Drink now...this wine is at it's peak if not leaning over the downhill side. Good stuff, sadly my last bottle.
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Decanted this one and drank next to the 2005 vintage (without decanting) side by side. This is mature and subtle. The decanting helped open this one up. The fruit on the 2005 is more pronounced due to the young age, the 99 was very nice, but starting the slow decline. No need to wait on my final bottle and next time, decant and let sit for at least an hour before trying.
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Saturday night at home, Bob and Christine visiting for the weekend (attending a wedding on Sunday). Garlic brick chicken on the grill with rice and snap peas. Wine showed well, but no reason to wait to drink the last bottle.
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Showed moderate. Expecting big complexity but wine was one dimensional. Fruit was flat and plummy, tannins nearly gone. Should have drank earlier, despite magnum size. good wine young...
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Nice merlot that is holding up reasonably well. I will drink my last one in the near future, since IMHO it is not going to improve any. I have had about a case of this over the years and it's major development now is it's diminishing fruit intensity. Dark berry with plum, leather and cedar notes.
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Still very full fruit, with very little tannin left. I think now is a good time to drink. Nice cherry on the nose and palate, with some interesting vanilla notes on the nose. Relatively short and uninteresting finish.
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Drinking very well now, with a nice opulent nose of cherries, plums, and spice, with a very nice lush mouthfeel with little tannin and deep dark cherry palate. Will probably not improve much if at all, but should continue to drink well for the next few years.
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A very nice and friendly wine. It has a marked nose of ripe red fruit (raspberries?) and pepper with a bit of dustiness. On the palate it is rich and smooth, perhaps lacking a bit in acidity, but showing a hedonistic fullness with good fruit and silken tannins. Very enjoyable.
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Dense cherries and black fruit on the nose, although maybe just a touch too hot. A nicely tetured wine with a medium length finish that ends with hints of cherry liquer. Tammins are very well integrated and sweet. Overall, a good Shafer Merlot but not the best I've tried. Not overly extracted, but very textured and layered. I have come to the conclusion that Shafer Merlots are better on the younger side rather than older, and so I will most likely drink my remaining bottles within the next couple of years.
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8/24/2016 - markakin wrote: 91 Points
Smooth, rich, full bodied, with some light fruit still left. Drink the others soon.
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4/5/2015 - jjcnrose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Softened nicely after 20 minutes. Still has its fruit but has moved past being too fruit forward. Bit of a tang at finish but wet.
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12/6/2014 - callmeacab22 Likes this wine: 90 Points
No Notes.
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11/30/2013 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Cloudy soft ruby; smoky plummy notes with sweet cherry, shrooms, wet clay, underlying faded raspberry-strawberry, some graphite; rich smooth plush mouthfeel; quite low on acidity, but easy going and comforting, with a slight tang on the finish. Nice and at its peak now. 90-91
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12/11/2011 - tony.domenico1@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
a little past its prime. need to drink it now. still has beautiful shafer full body merlot taste.
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9/26/2011 - DecoEd wrote: 91 Points
Drink Up.
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5/29/2011 - The Raven wrote: 92 Points
Great wine with lots of fruit and a very nice finish.
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4/9/2011 - wine-enthusiast wrote: 91 Points
Smooth cherry fruit- some cedar- long finish. Wine is just past it's peak, fruit not as full in the past but still a gorgeous wine- my last bottle. glad i drank it when it was still in this shape,
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3/8/2011 - Richmart wrote: flawed
cooked
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2/21/2011 - Richmart wrote: 89 Points
plum, raisin, dark fruits, soil, very old world smell
fairly drying on mid palate
medium finish returning raisin and dark fruit balanced
good quality maybe past its prime
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1/17/2010 - jsebiri wrote:
opened and puored and it was very very dry , smelled of very heavy prunes and raisons ( burnt ) not very pleasant on the nose we came back to this 3-4 hours later and most of the stink had actually blown off fruit was coming through and it was less dry very nice actually but alas it was end of the night and 5 bottles after the 1st taste corked it up and will try again this afternoon we'll see
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1/18/2009 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
Football & Merlot @ Howard's 2009 (Old Greenwich, CT): Tobbaco leaf, minerals. Nice old world character. Good depth.
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8/18/2008 - enosnob wrote: 90 Points
08/16/08: decanted 1 hour. Red/blue color, deep clear and bright with no amber on rim, youthful. The nose is bright fruit, but spice predominates, and cedar as well. This is a full bodied merlot helped by a small amount of cabernet in the blend i would guess, that adds to the great balance and structure. The flavors are currant, blueberry, plum, cedar, coffee, chocolate and black tea. The finisih is long with soft evolved tannin and tea.
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5/10/2008 - wineislife wrote: 85 Points
A bit odd on the nose- some herbacious notes with tar (bottle open for a few hours). The herbacious flavors are apparent in the front and mid with a very distinct tobacco on the finish. Hate to admit it, but IF I had tasted it blind I surely would have rated in lower. The Shafer label staring me in the face bought it a couple of mercy points.
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4/4/2008 - eastover wrote:
Friday night at home - leftover beef shortribs. Nice pairing - good bottle.
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12/9/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML90,PURPLE91
Tasted December 9, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of briar patch, plum, smoke, spice and florals. Flavors of rich dark pllums, black berries, black cherries and some licorice notes. Medium acidity, full resolved tannins, medium body. Drink now...this wine is at it's peak if not leaning over the downhill side. Good stuff, sadly my last bottle.
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11/18/2007 - Bakeman wrote: 89 Points
Decanted this one and drank next to the 2005 vintage (without decanting) side by side. This is mature and subtle. The decanting helped open this one up. The fruit on the 2005 is more pronounced due to the young age, the 99 was very nice, but starting the slow decline. No need to wait on my final bottle and next time, decant and let sit for at least an hour before trying.
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11/10/2007 - eastover wrote:
Saturday night at home, Bob and Christine visiting for the weekend (attending a wedding on Sunday). Garlic brick chicken on the grill with rice and snap peas. Wine showed well, but no reason to wait to drink the last bottle.
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11/7/2007 - joshmethot wrote:
Showed moderate. Expecting big complexity but wine was one dimensional. Fruit was flat and plummy, tannins nearly gone. Should have drank earlier, despite magnum size. good wine young...
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5/27/2007 - bprosenberg wrote: 91 Points
A bit astringent at first, the bottle quickly opened-up to reveal smooth cherry flavors with a hint of liquorice.
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12/25/2006 - dwbumsted wrote: 92 Points
This merlot was drinking beautifully with plenty of dried fruit and a velvety almost grainy mouthfeel. a great Christmas Eve wine.
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8/22/2006 - fisk15 wrote: 89 Points
Nice merlot that is holding up reasonably well. I will drink my last one in the near future, since IMHO it is not going to improve any. I have had about a case of this over the years and it's major development now is it's diminishing fruit intensity. Dark berry with plum, leather and cedar notes.
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1/27/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
PURPLE93, WIML90. Showing really well. I have 1 bottle left. Torn on whether to pop soon and enjoy or see if it improves.
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1/9/2006 - ml wrote: 88 Points
Still very full fruit, with very little tannin left. I think now is a good time to drink. Nice cherry on the nose and palate, with some interesting vanilla notes on the nose. Relatively short and uninteresting finish.
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12/15/2005 - ml wrote: 91 Points
Drinking very well now, with a nice opulent nose of cherries, plums, and spice, with a very nice lush mouthfeel with little tannin and deep dark cherry palate. Will probably not improve much if at all, but should continue to drink well for the next few years.
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10/21/2005 - VAGenius Likes this wine:
Outstanding wine and at its peak. Powerful fruit flavors with a supple finish without the mulch and herb flavors so commonly found with Merlot.
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12/27/2004 - PaulH wrote: 90 Points
A very nice and friendly wine. It has a marked nose of ripe red fruit (raspberries?) and pepper with a bit of dustiness. On the palate it is rich and smooth, perhaps lacking a bit in acidity, but showing a hedonistic fullness with good fruit and silken tannins. Very enjoyable.
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10/9/2004 - Mark wrote: 89 Points
Dense cherries and black fruit on the nose, although maybe just a touch too hot. A nicely tetured wine with a medium length finish that ends with hints of cherry liquer. Tammins are very well integrated and sweet. Overall, a good Shafer Merlot but not the best I've tried. Not overly extracted, but very textured and layered. I have come to the conclusion that Shafer Merlots are better on the younger side rather than older, and so I will most likely drink my remaining bottles within the next couple of years.
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2/14/2002 - jwolf99 wrote:
floral and earthy nose; ripe berries, leather; long finish; med body, very berry, smooth
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