Sweet fruit, medium to full body on the plate, and balanced. The wine has survived the time in the bottle but has not developed tertiary flavors. A straight open wine with plus integrated oak. Has the delicious factor, but not the charm.
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Wonderful bottle! Much more refined and settled down that the bottle we drank 5 years. Picked up weight with air. I think I will probably keep my last bottle for another three to five years (if I can wait that long).
8-19-8-9
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Popped and poured. Fairly deep color, perhaps looks a bit younger than it really is. Plum and dark fruit aromas with chocolate undertones. The palate follows the bouquet. Fairly well-integrated though there's still some slight tannic grip. Plush and velvety, with a lingering finish.
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Tasted at a Merlot tasting. This, and a 2013 Duckhorn Three Palms were my favorites. Slo O'd for 2+ hours. This wine provided the most bang for your buck, IMO. Tells me that I should make sure all my Long Shadows wines have significant bottle age. One of the wines we tasted was the 2014 Pedestal, and there was no comparison, this one blew the '14 out of the water! The wine showed flowers, cherries and leather on the nose, with a hint of sweet vanilla. On the palate, the wine was silky smooth with no heat or harshness, and was dominated by stewed cherries, pie crust, and a hint of vanilla toast, with waves of dark red fruit intermittently dancing across the palate. Finally, it finished with sweet, toasty oak and dark cherry jam, that lingered for about 20 seconds. This was a treat, and I would guess at it peak right now. I would not hesitate opening a bottle of this special juice! An excellent value, if you can hold it for this length of time! IT may improve, but if I had any of this, I can guarantee I wouldn't find out, as I would open it sooner than later because it is so good now!
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Opened again a week later. Wine still very much there. Still feels like it could have used some more time. It's very dark red fruit. Lacks just a hint of acidity still. It's fine.
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Cork crumbled a bit when opening and so ended up losing the bottom half in the bottle and having to strain when pouring a glass. This wine could really have used a decant. Instead I was just pouring glasses, but found when I gave the glass more air it opened up quite a bit more. Initially very tight and a touch heavy. There's dark red fruits and once the alcohol blows away a bit of a nice structure to it. Clearly new world in style and more in the intense form of that than not, but the structure (e.g. just a touch of acid and tannin) kept it from feeling over the top. The kindof wine you can drink over multiple days and I wish I had been home to see it evolved with time. Enjoyable though.
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Tannins resolved, but no better than my first tasting several years ago. It's a big, plush wine - fruit and oak (not much else) - and oddly disjointed. Overall, not impressed, especially given the price of admission.
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Nice to revisit a now 12 year old Merlot that I have enjoyed for years. Very dark, strong aromas of black cherry and blackberry, good concentration, ample drying tannin and juicy acidity. The powerful structure somewhat holds back the wine from being fleshy and lush, but there still is a good roundness in the mouth. Not at its peak yet, but has all to stuffing to improve for another 5 years.
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NOSE: oaky; black cherry; clean; hint of bubble gum; medium to medium+ expressiveness; maple candy.
BODY: full bodied; violet-garnet color of great depth; slight bricking at the edges; some sediment in the bottle.
TASTE: soft/plush mouthfeel; harsh tannins of years ago are resolved; very ripe/big; extremely oaky; tastes more like a big/concentrated/plush/oaky red wine than it does a Merlot-dominant blend; 14.7% alc. is mostly masked by the concentrated fruit and oak; for my preferences, this was better in its rough and tumble youth; it's getting messy now, and I only see further decline in its future. Gut impression score: mid 80's, with room for further failings in the future. Drink Now.
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Noted from a couple days ago. Still in excellent shape. Well balanced with great complexity. Near purple and opaque, nose was blueberry fruit and chocolate. Long finish. I am guessing it is still in the upward side of its apex.
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Inky dark purple, black berries and iodine. Dry, tart blue and black fruit, bold fruit and body with bold and chewy tannins. Blue berries with some iodine, roast beef, not quite ripe Himalayan blackberries with substantial stemmy tannins and a bit of bitter. Plenty of time for aging left.
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2 years from previous review, and a 3 point downgrade. Still amazing, but more mellow now, without the endless depth. Still amazing though...I like it a lot. Was traveling, so sort of like a road game, things didn't click as easily as at home with my own glassware, etc. Kudos though to Sebastian at Citrella in Half Moon Bay CA for taking good care of me and mine.
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Bought at winery, cellared. Drank over a 4 hour window. A very big and heavy Merlot. The fruit is an after thought in this one, it's mostly, smoke, lead pencil, new oak - and still lots of mouth coating tannins. Perplexed, I can't imagine this will improve but it doesn't seem to be on it's last legs either. Have one more, will try in 3-5 years.
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This wine is a tour de force demonstrating how great Merlot can be, despite not even being at its peak. On one hand, the wine has all the muscular power to be able to arm wrestle with Cabernet Sauvignon. Yet the wine rolls into the mouth with the utterly seductive feminine character that Merlot is famous for achieving, that is seldom found in Cabernet Sauvignon. Very fruit forward and luciously delicious with deep black cherry, a bright acidity that is not tart, and a firm background of drying tannins that grips the wine.
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I did not decant but it was consumed on a slow pace. I enjoyed this bottle much more than the last one I opened. Is it me or is there some bottle variation going on with this bottling? It is ready to go now.
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In decline after a 2-hour decant - this wine is somewhat simple at this point with little to no tannins left with diminished fruit acid too. Fruit is there but muted. Dominant flavors are of vanilla and oak with cherries poking thru a bit.
Generally speaking, this is not my favorite flavor profile to start with; I would check your cellar to see how your bottles have fared if you have more than one.
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Outstanding bottle. It definitely needs to breath a while. Upon opening is was a little overbearing and unruly. After a few hours in the decanter it settled down and showed some complexity. Loads of smokey blue fruit with some supporting earthy cedar characteristics. Fairly weighty and round on the mid with menthol and chocolate covered berries on the expansive finish. 8-19-9-8
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Dark ruby toward purple, no sign of age. Initially greeted with clay, cocoa shavings, glue, Andes mints, and blueberry on the nose. Dense palate, with a somewhat gratuitous build, but some cool, redeeming acidity, as well. Chewy, and round, made for instant gratification; styled, not grown. Toasty oak, espresso dreg. Some earth, balsamic and black cherry by the second hour. BE SURE to serve this on the cool side (i.e. cellar temp or just above) as the EtOH can rear its head pretty quickly. 14,7% abv., drink now or in the next 4 years.
Aerated to decanter (mild amount of fine sediment) for 3 hours, served non-blind. Ridiculously heavy bottle.
update: after a long decant, this was returned to bottle, served 2 hours later and enjoyed over 2 hours. While the wine never really got interesting, it was enjoyable - the credit goes to the acidity. Tannins are fully resolved, this is in its window.
Opened to breath for 6 hours. Ripe but not OTT nose of dark fruits, a little menthol and toasty oak. Big and rich but balanced with good structure. Dark fruits, graphite, and some minerality. 92 points
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Definitely a "cab drinkers" style Merlot. With the imprint of famed Frenchie Michel Roland on coveted Red Mountain Juice, how can one go wrong? Well, it is wrong if you do not decant this bottle. 3 hours should suffice, but tough to not jump head-first into the decanter. Layer upon layer of dense flavor; berries, plums, cocoa, cedar, anise, it reveals a little more with each swirl, sniff and slurp. This '05 was not "over the top", it was quietly intense, and should still be lovely for the next 5 years.
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Came across somewhat hot when first popped but really opened up nicely after an hour in decanter. Lovely notes of dark chocolate, candied black cherry, pipe tobacco and cloves. Balanced with a very pleasant finish. One of my favorite Washington Merlots.
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This wine has developed nicely over the years, with a number of good years still ahead of it. Incredible bouquet right from the get go: creme brulee, salted caramel, black currants. Thick and decadent on the palate, rich and ripe, not too sweet and generous use of oak. This beauty demands a 2+ hour decant to open up. It won't dissappoint.
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This bottle had the characteristic dark cherry, cedar, and leather flavors, but had an extra dimension of menthol that is new. Had as part of our quiet 2013 Thanksgiving.
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Nose: Bigger and rich nose with creamy oak, vanilla, black cherries, currants, and smoke tones. This is certainly on the bigger side, but the oak isn't too overpowering.
Taste: Full bodied with chewy supporting tannins and medium acidity. The feel is a bit chunky with tones of creamed oak, vanilla, black cherries, and smoke tones.
Overall: This is definitely a bigger merlot. It could use some more time to have the tannins pull back a bit and hopefully the feel smooths out some more.
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This wine is as good as I remember when I was drinking it off a glass pour nitrogen system at a ridiculous rate. Probably explains why I kept buying it. Fortunately, this should cellar well for many years, given the fantastic complexity and structure. However, the 2005 is drinking well now, so don't hesitate. It's a merlot, but a beauty at that. Firm but not intrusive tannins weaves with tasty dark fruit and a smooth long finish.
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Consistently a quality offering. I NEVER buy straight Merlot, just because I like a bit more bite and body to my wines, but these WA state Merlots are delicious. All the elegance of a St. Emilion Gran Cru, but more substance and weight, left bank in style. Of course still too much fruit up front to be considered a throw-back to the old world style. Nevertheless...great wine.
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This does indeed drink well right from the opening. Dark, deep fruit for a merlot, it has a medium length finish with both plum and light cherry notes. Where's the beef!
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Better balance than the 2004 on several dimensions, this pushes ripeness too, but doesn't overdo it, and it's got multidimensional personality that rests on a pleasant sweet-bitter balance. Really a nice surprise. No need to decant.
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Appearance: Bright and clear, deep ruby in color, with garnet tinge and legs. Nose: Clean, medium intensity, with developing aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plum, slight blackcurrant, liqourice, cloves, toast and chocolate. Palate: Dry with medium and lively acidity, medium tannin of ripe and silky texture, the wine has medium (+) alcohol and medium (+) body, showing medium intensity flavors of blackberry, black cherry, plum, liquorice and coffee, finishing with medium length. Conclusion: Very good quality high-priced US Merlot with a reasonably intense and fairly complex nose, showing black fruit, sweet spice and some maturity characters. The palate is lively, with silky tannin of smooth structure, on the base of a slightly warming alcohol. The full-bodied wine has a reasonably intense and complex palate, finishing with a reasonable length. Ready to drink now and has potential for ageing of another 2-4 years.
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Decanted 2 hours, drank over 2 hours. Fresh dark fruit on the nose. Concentrated on the palate with plenty of fruit but earth and mineral notes also present. Nicely balanced and integrated. Sweet tannins and medium finish. Drink now with decant or hold. Excellent.
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Lovely nose of dusty earth, plums, mocha and graphite. Nice smooth creamy texture with loads of mocha, ripe blackberry and raspberry on the palate, but with some good tannic grip to keep it from being too sweet and goopy. Quite nice.
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Crimson dark red. Mixture of red and black fruits on the nose. Pleasant mouth-feel short of silky (maybe approaching fake silk). Notes of coffee, cola, blueberry, and meat juices, with a strange textural quasi-effervescence at the end-palate, short of the finish. Blueberry with distant steak juice dominates the lengthy finish.
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Smooth, a little too smooth, might be starting to decline? No noticeable tannins remaining, decent fruit and not pruney or raisiny yet, but I doubt it will get better and will drink my remaining bottle this year.
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While I still contest the 2005 to be the worst of the 2003-08 Pedestal run, it certainly is starting to show a little better now than it did 2-3 years ago. Nose of cherry-cola & some blueberry; very dry on initial pop & pour; finishes with some dusty cocoa tannin. The dry element blew off after about 15 mins in glass, and some larger fruit starting showing through [finally!]. For 50+ sheckles, the QPR still isn't there for this one. The 2003/04/06 vintages are still my favorites - seek them out in lieu of the rest.
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Actually a nice wine, but for us, not up to the 2003 we have greatly enjoyed. It was smooth, nicely balanced and ready to drink. Certainly not the merlot of the past--too sweet, insipid, etc. This was nicely balanced, with good fruit. But, didn't seem particularly distinguished--just a well-made wine.
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This is a well made wine that is drinking beautifully now, but has many more years of life in it. We also drank a 2005 Woodward Canyon artist's series cab. The Pedestal was by far the better wine.
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Quite a nice wine. Opened with the disadvantage of being too cold from the kitchen wine storage unit but opened nicely as it warmed. Dark dark fruits of blackberries, marionberries and chocolate. Big fruit taste which went nicely with barbecued slow cooked beef brisket. Not a big fan of Merlot but was an excellent complement to the barbecued beef brisket.
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Remains a big, fat monster of a wine. As I said last time, big, rich, with plum, cocoa and vanilla cream. I suppose I can see the charm for some who like this style. Not for me, however. Does have years ahead of it, I just do not see it changing much, perhaps a bit of taming is ahead? Either way, count me out.
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Popped and poured immediately the aroma of chocolate, as the wine opend up plum and cherries, hints of cedar shavings, and vanilla. Tannis are not stringent but prevelent. This wine could easily go another 5 years.
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Very interesting to track this puppy...when opened two nights ago, it was severely shut down...intense fruit peeked out around the corner, but the wine sat idle while others evaporated...the bottle sat out for two days, and I poured a glass tonight...ah, the world is right again. This points to a ridiculously long life ahead for my remaining bottles, which i'll hold off touching for 3-4 years now. Varietally correct mouthfeel, with a rich core of plum, cassis, and slight heat (still) coming on. Long finish with a touch of spice.
Z
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Dark, dark purple/black. Nose of cream, dark fruit and lots of toasty oak. Much better than one year ago, but still very young, with lots of unresolved tannins. Big, rich, with plum, cocoa and vanilla cream. Last year I thought these were hopeless and one dimensional oak monsters. This year, there is a glimmer of hope that 4+ years from now this will come together to be an enjoyable wine.
double decanted then aerated nose - tobacco, greenery, cranberry mouth - drinking very smooth, dark fruit with a touch of caramel. i think most people will like this wine. For me it would be interesting to check back in a few years.
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Have been a big fan of the Long Shadows wines for some time now and this one lived up to the expectation. A recommendation from a good, very trusted wine friend, I was actually more entranced by this wine than I thought I would be. Huge nose, with dark cherries, plum and mocha, followed by some mellow Christmas spice notes (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove). Tannins are a little chalky still, but will mellow over time and I'm glad I have a few more in the cellar so I can taste it when it does
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-- decanted for an hour before initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over 2 days -- -- 80% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc -- -- pH: 3.77 -- -- TA: 0.52 grams / 100ml --
NOSE: oak; very rich red fruits; pencil lead; vanilla; a bit simple right now - I do hope the oak integrates with time.
BODY: some sediment present; medium-full bodied; garnet-purple color of medium-deep to deep depth.
TASTE: very tannic right now - even after decanting; lusciously ripe red fruits and boisenberry; black cherry; graphite; oaky; 14.7% alcohol; bit of heat on the finish (approx. 45 sec.); fruits are very concentrated; maybe a bit lacking in acidity; this needs time still -- I will wait at least 5 years to open my one other bottle. This wine is absolutely stuffed with material, so I'll be very curious to see how it all shakes out over time.
B: 50, 5, 11, 16, 8 = 90
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Although not fully mature according to the drinking guidelines, this was excellent and well balanced, gave it a aeration/filter into a decanter, let it sit for about 10 minutes and one of the best merlot's i remember drinking. So i cant wait for it to mature over the next few years!
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Dark, dense purple color. Nose of dark berries, fragrant and very seductive earthiness. The palate is rich, albeit considerably lighter and easier to drink compared to the Merlots of Napa at this age. Dark licorice, blackberries, violets, and mocha at the core with hints of earth in a polished and velvety texture that make all the flavors glide with ease. Very elegant, well-balanced, and a tad austere. No bumps. Absolutely delightful, and one of the best Merlots I've tasted in Columbia Valley. Drink now up to 2015.
Decanted for around an hour. I decided to put aside my irreverence for New World merlot so I could enjoy my brother-in-law's 40th birthday. This wine certainly didn't change my mind. While it was well-made in that international style, it just didn't possess any remarkable components to make it stand out in a crowd. Dark blue with ruby edges, it initially had aromas of blackberry, plum, chocolate, some spice, and vanilla cream oak. The ripe fruit was immediately evident in the mouth but quickly vanished and gave way to a hollow mid-palate followed by oak and a hefty tannic bite. I'm fairly oak-tolerant but this was weaving back and forth between the imaginary line that we winos draw in the sand for oak allowance. All in all, an okay wine for $25 but not in the cards for $50. 89pts.
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Two hours into a decant and it was still very merlot-like on the initial sip, but REALLY tough on the back end...mostly tannins. As it sat it became a go-to wine. Micro-oxygenate baby. Not a bad bottle of wine. Glad I paid wholesale though.
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Dark violet. Lots of oak and butter and the nose, with some bitter chocolate. On the palate, very rough. Massive oak, nothing else peaks out now but some cassis and dark fruit lurking somewhere -- will it ever? Nothing against it being big is style, in fact like that, just has nothing to say..at least yet.
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Medium red. Lots of everything good in this wine. Seemed like Merlot right off the line. Cocoa, lots of red fruit like raspberry and cassis, even some violets and blueberries. Tons of tannin and sweetness. Huge Merlot with a great future. A Mike Rolland wine.
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WineFanatic Washington Offline (Vancouver, BC): Tasted blind - Medium ruby, clear throughout. Nose of vanilla oak, red and black fruits. Sweeter flavours of cherries, black fruits, noticeable oak. High tannin, medium to full body, long finish, medium firm tannins. Little heat on the finish. Needs time. Good. 87+
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At the same time - when I first had a sip, I was struck by the intensity of the well integrated and fruit forward palate - to the point of actually lacking some clearly identifiable references, except other such wines in the same style.
Sure, it is perfectly balanced by the exact right level of acidity and smooth tannins - you could drink it now with food or save it for later. But the point is that when I ransacked my olfactory memory function, the wine seemed to have more in common with some expensive Argentinean Malbecs made in the modern style - at least one of which - was made by Rolland as well.
So - summing up, there's clearly a good wine for you. But perhaps not as interesting or unique (I'm not a terroir guy so I won't use that word here) as to warrant me ever buying it again for 50 bucks.
Disclaimer: I have no particular dog in the fight against modern winemaking and the supposed parkerification of wines as symbolized by Michel Rolland who apparently consulted on this wine. I am on record for appreciating all styles of wine making.
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Fantastic, this will only get better with at least a few more years in the bottle. Drank this in a vertical with the 2004 and the 04 won but not by much.
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a wine of interesting substance. firm resolve, but very nice fruit. not showing as well as a bottle i tasted several weeks ago, but the project has a good concept/good performance.
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really oak driven nose that smells like the barrel, charocal, blk fruits, dark cocoa but they all blend to one dimension i dont care for. Bitter tannins, big concentration. I think this needs age to unwind. med finish. This is rolandified.
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nose: rich nose of blackberry, cranberry, pencil tones, crème de cassis, dark cherry, with oak tones and bits of smoke. Very big and un-merlot like nose.
Taste: very rich and bold with dark cherry, blackberry, crème de cassis, and some toasted oak. There is also a bit of heat on the back end.
Overall: This is a excellent wine, but it needs to work itself out. There isn’t a velvety feel that I associate a lot with merlot, but there is certaintly the class and elegance. This had been decanted for 2 hours before drinking, and now at the 4 hour mark of it being open, its really blossomed and the heat has blown off a bit. A very elegant dark cherry attack that then goes into a cranberry and crème de cassis finish
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14.7% alcohol. 2 hour decant. Intense but pure aromas of cranberries, blueberries, hot stones, and a touch of mint. Firmly tannic on the palate, with notes of cassis, cranberries, pomegranate that turn to cedar, smoke, and mineral on the finish. More sleek and elegant than plush, there is an old world sensibility to this wine. Reminds me a little of a Pomerol (the mouth more than the nose). Given its structure, I would not touch this wine again for another 3 years.
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2008 Taste of Washington (Qwest Field Event Center, Seattle): One of several signature offerings from the mass producing ultra-premium wine engine of Washington State. Pedestal is Michel Rolland's niche in the Long Shadow's portfolio. Always working his wines to eek out every possible Parker point, this is a heavily oaked brute that will undoubtedly work out well in a couple of years but too much heat right now that overpowers the fruit. I've owned (and consumed) every vintage since the label's inception. The '05 is the most concentrated, almost port-like. I also suspect it will be the longest lived.
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Popped/poured. Initial score 91pts. Yeast, oak and vanilla on the nose. On the palate, dark fruit in the center, wrapped by oak, spices and tannins. I think this has good balance among the components, but it is a long time from being ready. 3-5 years minimum. Not a wine for those who have an aversion to oak. It would be difficult to find a bigger contrast to the 1990 Mt Veeder Cab also opened tonight. I'm not sure that the Pedestal will ever achieve the same level of elegance. UPDATE: much better after 2 days open. Still full-bodied and deep fruit, but it no longer screams at you...more of a "velvet glove" feeling. On the basis of the day 3 tasting, I would put this in the 93-95 point range.
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This is a big wine for a merlot blend. Still has lots of tannins. Needs more time in the cellar. Will hold for at least 6-9 months before opening another. I believe this has good potential to be an excellent wine.
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This will bebefit from a bunch more bottle age as the fruit was very understated which was totally unexpected. Could be due to the shipping or just in a closed stage. The structure was solid and I look forward to 6 months from now.
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A bit more tannin than the past 2 years but very similar flavor profile, this one could benefit from cellaring and will probably get the same scores as teh past 2 vintages
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3/9/2021 - Winiac wrote: 91 Points
Sweet fruit, medium to full body on the plate, and balanced. The wine has survived the time in the bottle but has not developed tertiary flavors. A straight open wine with plus integrated oak. Has the delicious factor, but not the charm.
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1/2/2021 - drycreekwhine wrote: 89 Points
Very nice wine and the heaviest bottle ever.
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11/16/2019 - eszencia Likes this wine:
Well integrated and balanced throughout the palate. Welcoming notes of chocolate.
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6/24/2019 - CO_Roots13 wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful bottle! Much more refined and settled down that the bottle we drank 5 years. Picked up weight with air. I think I will probably keep my last bottle for another three to five years (if I can wait that long).
8-19-8-9
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3/16/2019 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Fairly deep color, perhaps looks a bit younger than it really is. Plum and dark fruit aromas with chocolate undertones. The palate follows the bouquet. Fairly well-integrated though there's still some slight tannic grip. Plush and velvety, with a lingering finish.
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1/15/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted at a Merlot tasting. This, and a 2013 Duckhorn Three Palms were my favorites. Slo O'd for 2+ hours. This wine provided the most bang for your buck, IMO. Tells me that I should make sure all my Long Shadows wines have significant bottle age. One of the wines we tasted was the 2014 Pedestal, and there was no comparison, this one blew the '14 out of the water! The wine showed flowers, cherries and leather on the nose, with a hint of sweet vanilla. On the palate, the wine was silky smooth with no heat or harshness, and was dominated by stewed cherries, pie crust, and a hint of vanilla toast, with waves of dark red fruit intermittently dancing across the palate. Finally, it finished with sweet, toasty oak and dark cherry jam, that lingered for about 20 seconds. This was a treat, and I would guess at it peak right now. I would not hesitate opening a bottle of this special juice! An excellent value, if you can hold it for this length of time! IT may improve, but if I had any of this, I can guarantee I wouldn't find out, as I would open it sooner than later because it is so good now!
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3/31/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Opened again a week later. Wine still very much there. Still feels like it could have used some more time. It's very dark red fruit. Lacks just a hint of acidity still. It's fine.
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3/24/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Cork crumbled a bit when opening and so ended up losing the bottom half in the bottle and having to strain when pouring a glass. This wine could really have used a decant. Instead I was just pouring glasses, but found when I gave the glass more air it opened up quite a bit more. Initially very tight and a touch heavy. There's dark red fruits and once the alcohol blows away a bit of a nice structure to it. Clearly new world in style and more in the intense form of that than not, but the structure (e.g. just a touch of acid and tannin) kept it from feeling over the top. The kindof wine you can drink over multiple days and I wish I had been home to see it evolved with time. Enjoyable though.
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11/10/2017 - wine4ever wrote: 89 Points
Tannins resolved, but no better than my first tasting several years ago. It's a big, plush wine - fruit and oak (not much else) - and oddly disjointed. Overall, not impressed, especially given the price of admission.
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11/2/2017 - Mossrose wrote: 94 Points
Nice to revisit a now 12 year old Merlot that I have enjoyed for years. Very dark, strong aromas of black cherry and blackberry, good concentration, ample drying tannin and juicy acidity. The powerful structure somewhat holds back the wine from being fleshy and lush, but there still is a good roundness in the mouth. Not at its peak yet, but has all to stuffing to improve for another 5 years.
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3/12/2017 - wiscgrad wrote:
Similar notes from last bottle. Still underwhelming
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10/19/2016 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted 1.25 hours before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 3-4 hours --
-- 80% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc --
-- pH: 3.77; TA: 0.52 g/L --
NOSE: oaky; black cherry; clean; hint of bubble gum; medium to medium+ expressiveness; maple candy.
BODY: full bodied; violet-garnet color of great depth; slight bricking at the edges; some sediment in the bottle.
TASTE: soft/plush mouthfeel; harsh tannins of years ago are resolved; very ripe/big; extremely oaky; tastes more like a big/concentrated/plush/oaky red wine than it does a Merlot-dominant blend; 14.7% alc. is mostly masked by the concentrated fruit and oak; for my preferences, this was better in its rough and tumble youth; it's getting messy now, and I only see further decline in its future. Gut impression score: mid 80's, with room for further failings in the future. Drink Now.
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9/17/2016 - wiscgrad wrote: 88 Points
good not great. very modern style. hint of oak and dark fruit. Hoping for a bit more from this producer. A bit of a hot mess
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5/31/2016 - ckleiman wrote: 92 Points
Excellent! Plenty of life.
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5/22/2016 - om42 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Noted from a couple days ago. Still in excellent shape. Well balanced with great complexity. Near purple and opaque, nose was blueberry fruit and chocolate. Long finish. I am guessing it is still in the upward side of its apex.
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4/14/2016 - dsgris wrote: 89 Points
Inky dark purple, black berries and iodine. Dry, tart blue and black fruit, bold fruit and body with bold and chewy tannins. Blue berries with some iodine, roast beef, not quite ripe Himalayan blackberries with substantial stemmy tannins and a bit of bitter. Plenty of time for aging left.
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4/11/2016 - TallMikeWine Likes this wine: 91 Points
2 years from previous review, and a 3 point downgrade. Still amazing, but more mellow now, without the endless depth. Still amazing though...I like it a lot. Was traveling, so sort of like a road game, things didn't click as easily as at home with my own glassware, etc. Kudos though to Sebastian at Citrella in Half Moon Bay CA for taking good care of me and mine.
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12/2/2015 - wine4ever wrote: 89 Points
Bought at winery, cellared. Drank over a 4 hour window. A very big and heavy Merlot. The fruit is an after thought in this one, it's mostly, smoke, lead pencil, new oak - and still lots of mouth coating tannins. Perplexed, I can't imagine this will improve but it doesn't seem to be on it's last legs either. Have one more, will try in 3-5 years.
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10/24/2015 - P and P Does not like this wine: 92 Points
Fruit a little hidden but opened nicely. Will probably drink last in 2-3 years.
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9/24/2015 - Mossrose wrote: 95 Points
This wine is a tour de force demonstrating how great Merlot can be, despite not even being at its peak. On one hand, the wine has all the muscular power to be able to arm wrestle with Cabernet Sauvignon. Yet the wine rolls into the mouth with the utterly seductive feminine character that Merlot is famous for achieving, that is seldom found in Cabernet Sauvignon. Very fruit forward and luciously delicious with deep black cherry, a bright acidity that is not tart, and a firm background of drying tannins that grips the wine.
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3/15/2015 - Redteeth wrote:
I did not decant but it was consumed on a slow pace. I enjoyed this bottle much more than the last one I opened. Is it me or is there some bottle variation going on with this bottling? It is ready to go now.
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1/21/2015 - Redteeth wrote:
This bottle had a noticeable vegetal or green taste. I am wondering if this vintage needs to be consumed soon.
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12/25/2014 - elise wrote: 89 Points
In decline after a 2-hour decant - this wine is somewhat simple at this point with little to no tannins left with diminished fruit acid too. Fruit is there but muted. Dominant flavors are of vanilla and oak with cherries poking thru a bit.
Generally speaking, this is not my favorite flavor profile to start with; I would check your cellar to see how your bottles have fared if you have more than one.
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12/14/2014 - gesusser wrote: 93 Points
2 hour decant allowed this deep garnet red merlot to open and both bottles in my cellar be enjoyed, great legs and finish
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12/12/2014 - Rollerball wrote: 91 Points
Bursting bitter-sweet chocolate-covered berry. Still plenty of oomph.
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11/28/2014 - CO_Roots13 wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding bottle. It definitely needs to breath a while. Upon opening is was a little overbearing and unruly. After a few hours in the decanter it settled down and showed some complexity. Loads of smokey blue fruit with some supporting earthy cedar characteristics. Fairly weighty and round on the mid with menthol and chocolate covered berries on the expansive finish.
8-19-9-8
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5/31/2014 - SeattlePaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still doing very well, but seems like it's got some rough edges that still need a couple years to really evolve.
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5/23/2014 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Dark ruby toward purple, no sign of age. Initially greeted with clay, cocoa shavings, glue, Andes mints, and blueberry on the nose. Dense palate, with a somewhat gratuitous build, but some cool, redeeming acidity, as well. Chewy, and round, made for instant gratification; styled, not grown. Toasty oak, espresso dreg. Some earth, balsamic and black cherry by the second hour. BE SURE to serve this on the cool side (i.e. cellar temp or just above) as the EtOH can rear its head pretty quickly. 14,7% abv., drink now or in the next 4 years.
Aerated to decanter (mild amount of fine sediment) for 3 hours, served non-blind. Ridiculously heavy bottle.
update: after a long decant, this was returned to bottle, served 2 hours later and enjoyed over 2 hours. While the wine never really got interesting, it was enjoyable - the credit goes to the acidity. Tannins are fully resolved, this is in its window.
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4/30/2014 - sastewart wrote: 92 Points
Opened to breath for 6 hours. Ripe but not OTT nose of dark fruits, a little menthol and toasty oak. Big and rich but balanced with good structure. Dark fruits, graphite, and some minerality. 92 points
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3/15/2014 - Redteeth wrote:
This is a BIG Merlot and definitely needs decanting. It is very good but needs to be paired with appropriate food.
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3/4/2014 - TallMikeWine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Definitely a "cab drinkers" style Merlot. With the imprint of famed Frenchie Michel Roland on coveted Red Mountain Juice, how can one go wrong? Well, it is wrong if you do not decant this bottle. 3 hours should suffice, but tough to not jump head-first into the decanter. Layer upon layer of dense flavor; berries, plums, cocoa, cedar, anise, it reveals a little more with each swirl, sniff and slurp. This '05 was not "over the top", it was quietly intense, and should still be lovely for the next 5 years.
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2/9/2014 - johnnyo wrote: 91 Points
Came across somewhat hot when first popped but really opened up nicely after an hour in decanter. Lovely notes of dark chocolate, candied black cherry, pipe tobacco and cloves. Balanced with a very pleasant finish. One of my favorite Washington Merlots.
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12/7/2013 - Ecbatana Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine has developed nicely over the years, with a number of good years still ahead of it. Incredible bouquet right from the get go: creme brulee, salted caramel, black currants. Thick and decadent on the palate, rich and ripe, not too sweet and generous use of oak. This beauty demands a 2+ hour decant to open up. It won't dissappoint.
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11/29/2013 - skifree wrote: 92 Points
This bottle had the characteristic dark cherry, cedar, and leather flavors, but had an extra dimension of menthol that is new. Had as part of our quiet 2013 Thanksgiving.
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11/28/2013 - stconner wrote: 90 Points
Opened it and let it breathe for about 3 hrs first. Good fruit and nice finish. It is worth drinking now as not sure it is going to get any better.
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9/9/2013 - SeattlePaul Likes this wine: 90 Points
Delicious and smooth as useful. Fruit isn't as loud as it used to be, which is a good thing. It's still definitely there.
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8/30/2013 - GA_Seattle Likes this wine: 91 Points
with roasted pork sandwiches
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8/30/2013 - 1961Vintage wrote: 90 Points
Nice cigar and leather notes......solid on the fruit...
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7/4/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 88 Points
Nose: Bigger and rich nose with creamy oak, vanilla, black cherries, currants, and smoke tones. This is certainly on the bigger side, but the oak isn't too overpowering.
Taste: Full bodied with chewy supporting tannins and medium acidity. The feel is a bit chunky with tones of creamed oak, vanilla, black cherries, and smoke tones.
Overall: This is definitely a bigger merlot. It could use some more time to have the tannins pull back a bit and hopefully the feel smooths out some more.
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6/26/2013 - SeattlePaul wrote: 92 Points
This wine is as good as I remember when I was drinking it off a glass pour nitrogen system at a ridiculous rate. Probably explains why I kept buying it. Fortunately, this should cellar well for many years, given the fantastic complexity and structure. However, the 2005 is drinking well now, so don't hesitate. It's a merlot, but a beauty at that. Firm but not intrusive tannins weaves with tasty dark fruit and a smooth long finish.
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6/5/2013 - sellerscellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistently a quality offering. I NEVER buy straight Merlot, just because I like a bit more bite and body to my wines, but these WA state Merlots are delicious. All the elegance of a St. Emilion Gran Cru, but more substance and weight, left bank in style. Of course still too much fruit up front to be considered a throw-back to the old world style. Nevertheless...great wine.
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5/10/2013 - Radboy wrote: 92 Points
This does indeed drink well right from the opening. Dark, deep fruit for a merlot, it has a medium length finish with both plum and light cherry notes. Where's the beef!
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1/18/2013 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Better balance than the 2004 on several dimensions, this pushes ripeness too, but doesn't overdo it, and it's got multidimensional personality that rests on a pleasant sweet-bitter balance. Really a nice surprise. No need to decant.
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12/4/2012 - ntrubee wrote: 92 Points
See note below from 11/10/12. Smooth good tannins, mouthful of dark fruit, nice acidity,,,great finish.
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11/23/2012 - skifree wrote: 92 Points
Very smooth and elegant wine. All enjoyed, though we all noticed the high alcohol level.
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11/10/2012 - peterchoy wrote: 91 Points
Appearance: Bright and clear, deep ruby in color, with garnet tinge and legs.
Nose: Clean, medium intensity, with developing aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plum, slight blackcurrant, liqourice, cloves, toast and chocolate.
Palate: Dry with medium and lively acidity, medium tannin of ripe and silky texture, the wine has medium (+) alcohol and medium (+) body, showing medium intensity flavors of blackberry, black cherry, plum, liquorice and coffee, finishing with medium length.
Conclusion: Very good quality high-priced US Merlot with a reasonably intense and fairly complex nose, showing black fruit, sweet spice and some maturity characters. The palate is lively, with silky tannin of smooth structure, on the base of a slightly warming alcohol. The full-bodied wine has a reasonably intense and complex palate, finishing with a reasonable length. Ready to drink now and has potential for ageing of another 2-4 years.
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9/4/2012 - skifree wrote: 93 Points
Lots of juicy dark fruit, especially black cherry, with fine grained tannins. Nice balance and finish.
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7/26/2012 - Empirate wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours, drank over 2 hours. Fresh dark fruit on the nose. Concentrated on the palate with plenty of fruit but earth and mineral notes also present. Nicely balanced and integrated. Sweet tannins and medium finish. Drink now with decant or hold. Excellent.
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6/27/2012 - emdub wrote: 89 Points
pretty one dimensional but a decent wine. Not worth the price
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5/8/2012 - arthrovine wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful juicy Merlot with dusty pebbley tannin. Drinking very well now. Needs a bit of fat, but great on its own as well.
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4/4/2012 - jreis wrote:
Lovely nose of dusty earth, plums, mocha and graphite. Nice smooth creamy texture with loads of mocha, ripe blackberry and raspberry on the palate, but with some good tannic grip to keep it from being too sweet and goopy. Quite nice.
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2/11/2012 - ews3 wrote: 91 Points
Saturday Night Wine Tasting (Throyd's - Lansdowne): bright, fruit forward merlot. jammy plum, black berry fruit, and chocolate. creamy mouthfeel. medium + fruity finish.
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12/9/2011 - Radboy wrote: 92 Points
Rich, somewhat dark fruit that is evolving nicely and will continue to develop for a few more years.
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11/24/2011 - TexasBob wrote: 91 Points
Crimson dark red. Mixture of red and black fruits on the nose. Pleasant mouth-feel short of silky (maybe approaching fake silk). Notes of coffee, cola, blueberry, and meat juices, with a strange textural quasi-effervescence at the end-palate, short of the finish. Blueberry with distant steak juice dominates the lengthy finish.
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11/7/2011 - jbposell wrote: 88 Points
Smooth, a little too smooth, might be starting to decline? No noticeable tannins remaining, decent fruit and not pruney or raisiny yet, but I doubt it will get better and will drink my remaining bottle this year.
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7/12/2011 - fitchbuck wrote: 91 Points
While I still contest the 2005 to be the worst of the 2003-08 Pedestal run, it certainly is starting to show a little better now than it did 2-3 years ago. Nose of cherry-cola & some blueberry; very dry on initial pop & pour; finishes with some dusty cocoa tannin. The dry element blew off after about 15 mins in glass, and some larger fruit starting showing through [finally!]. For 50+ sheckles, the QPR still isn't there for this one. The 2003/04/06 vintages are still my favorites - seek them out in lieu of the rest.
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5/1/2011 - amred wrote: 90 Points
Actually a nice wine, but for us, not up to the 2003 we have greatly enjoyed. It was smooth, nicely balanced and ready to drink. Certainly not the merlot of the past--too sweet, insipid, etc. This was nicely balanced, with good fruit. But, didn't seem particularly distinguished--just a well-made wine.
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4/8/2011 - fandj wrote: 89 Points
This is a well made wine that is drinking beautifully now, but has many more years of life in it. We also drank a 2005 Woodward Canyon artist's series cab. The Pedestal was by far the better wine.
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3/5/2011 - mellison wrote: 91 Points
Quite a nice wine. Opened with the disadvantage of being too cold from the kitchen wine storage unit but opened nicely as it warmed. Dark dark fruits of blackberries, marionberries and chocolate. Big fruit taste which went nicely with barbecued slow cooked beef brisket. Not a big fan of Merlot but was an excellent complement to the barbecued beef brisket.
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1/29/2011 - mellison wrote: 91 Points
While not a fan of Merlot this was quite pleasant. Dark inky color with tastes of blackberries. Smooth with a good structure.
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10/2/2010 - cadamson wrote: 87 Points
Remains a big, fat monster of a wine. As I said last time, big, rich, with plum, cocoa and vanilla cream. I suppose I can see the charm for some who like this style. Not for me, however. Does have years ahead of it, I just do not see it changing much, perhaps a bit of taming is ahead? Either way, count me out.
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8/6/2010 - TD2Irish wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured immediately the aroma of chocolate, as the wine opend up plum and cherries, hints of cedar shavings, and vanilla. Tannis are not stringent but prevelent. This wine could easily go another 5 years.
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7/6/2010 - zoeldar wrote: 90 Points
Very interesting to track this puppy...when opened two nights ago, it was severely shut down...intense fruit peeked out around the corner, but the wine sat idle while others evaporated...the bottle sat out for two days, and I poured a glass tonight...ah, the world is right again. This points to a ridiculously long life ahead for my remaining bottles, which i'll hold off touching for 3-4 years now. Varietally correct mouthfeel, with a rich core of plum, cassis, and slight heat (still) coming on. Long finish with a touch of spice.
Z
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3/17/2010 - cadamson wrote: 88 Points
Dark, dark purple/black. Nose of cream, dark fruit and lots of toasty oak. Much better than one year ago, but still very young, with lots of unresolved tannins. Big, rich, with plum, cocoa and vanilla cream. Last year I thought these were hopeless and one dimensional oak monsters. This year, there is a glimmer of hope that 4+ years from now this will come together to be an enjoyable wine.
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2/27/2010 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
Very smooth, black cherry fruit
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2/13/2010 - soyhead wrote: 90 Points
double decanted then aerated
nose - tobacco, greenery, cranberry
mouth - drinking very smooth, dark fruit with a touch of caramel. i think most people will like this wine. For me it would be interesting to check back in a few years.
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2/3/2010 - memphishusky wrote: 91 Points
Solid wine.
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2/1/2010 - memphishusky wrote: 91 Points
Drank this as soon as we opened it. Bright fruits, solid tannis and very good. Washington is doing Merlot much better than Cali!
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1/4/2010 - kscopela wrote: 88 Points
Not as good as I remembered. Slightly off balanced with an over-oaked aspect to it.
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12/22/2009 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Have been a big fan of the Long Shadows wines for some time now and this one lived up to the expectation. A recommendation from a good, very trusted wine friend, I was actually more entranced by this wine than I thought I would be. Huge nose, with dark cherries, plum and mocha, followed by some mellow Christmas spice notes (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove). Tannins are a little chalky still, but will mellow over time and I'm glad I have a few more in the cellar so I can taste it when it does
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11/11/2009 - grafstrb wrote: 90 Points
-- decanted for an hour before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 days --
-- 80% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc --
-- pH: 3.77 --
-- TA: 0.52 grams / 100ml --
NOSE: oak; very rich red fruits; pencil lead; vanilla; a bit simple right now - I do hope the oak integrates with time.
BODY: some sediment present; medium-full bodied; garnet-purple color of medium-deep to deep depth.
TASTE: very tannic right now - even after decanting; lusciously ripe red fruits and boisenberry; black cherry; graphite; oaky; 14.7% alcohol; bit of heat on the finish (approx. 45 sec.); fruits are very concentrated; maybe a bit lacking in acidity; this needs time still -- I will wait at least 5 years to open my one other bottle. This wine is absolutely stuffed with material, so I'll be very curious to see how it all shakes out over time.
B: 50, 5, 11, 16, 8 = 90
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8/25/2009 - tgill wrote: 92 Points
Although not fully mature according to the drinking guidelines, this was excellent and well balanced, gave it a aeration/filter into a decanter, let it sit for about 10 minutes and one of the best merlot's i remember drinking. So i cant wait for it to mature over the next few years!
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7/19/2009 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark, dense purple color. Nose of dark berries, fragrant and very seductive earthiness. The palate is rich, albeit considerably lighter and easier to drink compared to the Merlots of Napa at this age. Dark licorice, blackberries, violets, and mocha at the core with hints of earth in a polished and velvety texture that make all the flavors glide with ease. Very elegant, well-balanced, and a tad austere. No bumps. Absolutely delightful, and one of the best Merlots I've tasted in Columbia Valley. Drink now up to 2015.
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7/7/2009 - Jared wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for around an hour. I decided to put aside my irreverence for New World merlot so I could enjoy my brother-in-law's 40th birthday. This wine certainly didn't change my mind. While it was well-made in that international style, it just didn't possess any remarkable components to make it stand out in a crowd. Dark blue with ruby edges, it initially had aromas of blackberry, plum, chocolate, some spice, and vanilla cream oak. The ripe fruit was immediately evident in the mouth but quickly vanished and gave way to a hollow mid-palate followed by oak and a hefty tannic bite. I'm fairly oak-tolerant but this was weaving back and forth between the imaginary line that we winos draw in the sand for oak allowance. All in all, an okay wine for $25 but not in the cards for $50. 89pts.
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3/25/2009 - j.knuth wrote: 87 Points
Two hours into a decant and it was still very merlot-like on the initial sip, but REALLY tough on the back end...mostly tannins. As it sat it became a go-to wine. Micro-oxygenate baby. Not a bad bottle of wine. Glad I paid wholesale though.
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2/23/2009 - cadamson wrote: 84 Points
Dark violet. Lots of oak and butter and the nose, with some bitter chocolate. On the palate, very rough. Massive oak, nothing else peaks out now but some cassis and dark fruit lurking somewhere -- will it ever? Nothing against it being big is style, in fact like that, just has nothing to say..at least yet.
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2/18/2009 - David J Cooper wrote:
Medium red. Lots of everything good in this wine. Seemed like Merlot right off the line. Cocoa, lots of red fruit like raspberry and cassis, even some violets and blueberries. Tons of tannin and sweetness. Huge Merlot with a great future. A Mike Rolland wine.
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2/17/2009 - godx wrote: 87 Points
WineFanatic Washington Offline (Vancouver, BC): Tasted blind - Medium ruby, clear throughout. Nose of vanilla oak, red and black fruits. Sweeter flavours of cherries, black fruits, noticeable oak. High tannin, medium to full body, long finish, medium firm tannins. Little heat on the finish. Needs time. Good. 87+
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2/7/2009 - mmurry wrote: 94 Points
"Hearty Reds" Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had clove and spice, cherry, and black currant. The palate was soft, and had spice, graphite, toasted oak, and currants.
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1/30/2009 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 89 Points
A flawless product.
At the same time - when I first had a sip, I was struck by the intensity of the well integrated and fruit forward palate - to the point of actually lacking some clearly identifiable references, except other such wines in the same style.
Sure, it is perfectly balanced by the exact right level of acidity and smooth tannins - you could drink it now with food or save it for later. But the point is that when I ransacked my olfactory memory function, the wine seemed to have more in common with some expensive Argentinean Malbecs made in the modern style - at least one of which - was made by Rolland as well.
So - summing up, there's clearly a good wine for you. But perhaps not as interesting or unique (I'm not a terroir guy so I won't use that word here) as to warrant me ever buying it again for 50 bucks.
Disclaimer: I have no particular dog in the fight against modern winemaking and the supposed parkerification of wines as symbolized by Michel Rolland who apparently consulted on this wine. I am on record for appreciating all styles of wine making.
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12/27/2008 - Worthy wrote: 91 Points
Fantastic, this will only get better with at least a few more years in the bottle. Drank this in a vertical with the 2004 and the 04 won but not by much.
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10/11/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 89 Points
a wine of interesting substance. firm resolve, but very nice fruit. not showing as well as a bottle i tasted several weeks ago, but the project has a good concept/good performance.
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10/11/2008 - jivey wrote:
Backstreet Wine tasting –
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10/11/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 89 Points
Fall Gala Tasting Event (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Cherry and blueberry. Rich and extracted. Very full bodied with lots of oak tannin.
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9/10/2008 - LPskeleton wrote: 89 Points
really oak driven nose that smells like the barrel, charocal, blk fruits, dark cocoa but they all blend to one dimension i dont care for. Bitter tannins, big concentration. I think this needs age to unwind. med finish. This is rolandified.
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8/3/2008 - Melli wrote: 90 Points
I regret opening this bottle....waaaay too young. Exceptionally full bodied with loads of tannins
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7/26/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
nose: rich nose of blackberry, cranberry, pencil tones, crème de cassis, dark cherry, with oak tones and bits of smoke. Very big and un-merlot like nose.
Taste: very rich and bold with dark cherry, blackberry, crème de cassis, and some toasted oak. There is also a bit of heat on the back end.
Overall: This is a excellent wine, but it needs to work itself out. There isn’t a velvety feel that I associate a lot with merlot, but there is certaintly the class and elegance. This had been decanted for 2 hours before drinking, and now at the 4 hour mark of it being open, its really blossomed and the heat has blown off a bit. A very elegant dark cherry attack that then goes into a cranberry and crème de cassis finish
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6/8/2008 - ScottG wrote: 89 Points
Decent merlot with nice cherry and blackberry fruit. Enjoyable but quite simple overall.
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5/30/2008 - Paul Lin wrote: 91 Points
14.7% alcohol. 2 hour decant. Intense but pure aromas of cranberries, blueberries, hot stones, and a touch of mint. Firmly tannic on the palate, with notes of cassis, cranberries, pomegranate that turn to cedar, smoke, and mineral on the finish. More sleek and elegant than plush, there is an old world sensibility to this wine. Reminds me a little of a Pomerol (the mouth more than the nose). Given its structure, I would not touch this wine again for another 3 years.
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4/6/2008 - Ecbatana wrote: 91 Points
2008 Taste of Washington (Qwest Field Event Center, Seattle): One of several signature offerings from the mass producing ultra-premium wine engine of Washington State. Pedestal is Michel Rolland's niche in the Long Shadow's portfolio. Always working his wines to eek out every possible Parker point, this is a heavily oaked brute that will undoubtedly work out well in a couple of years but too much heat right now that overpowers the fruit. I've owned (and consumed) every vintage since the label's inception. The '05 is the most concentrated, almost port-like. I also suspect it will be the longest lived.
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3/29/2008 - vanpe003 wrote:
Popped/poured. Initial score 91pts. Yeast, oak and vanilla on the nose. On the palate, dark fruit in the center, wrapped by oak, spices and tannins. I think this has good balance among the components, but it is a long time from being ready. 3-5 years minimum. Not a wine for those who have an aversion to oak. It would be difficult to find a bigger contrast to the 1990 Mt Veeder Cab also opened tonight. I'm not sure that the Pedestal will ever achieve the same level of elegance. UPDATE: much better after 2 days open. Still full-bodied and deep fruit, but it no longer screams at you...more of a "velvet glove" feeling. On the basis of the day 3 tasting, I would put this in the 93-95 point range.
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3/16/2008 - mew555 wrote: 90 Points
This is a big wine for a merlot blend. Still has lots of tannins. Needs more time in the cellar. Will hold for at least 6-9 months before opening another. I believe this has good potential to be an excellent wine.
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3/9/2008 - drycab wrote: 87 Points
This will bebefit from a bunch more bottle age as the fruit was very understated which was totally unexpected. Could be due to the shipping or just in a closed stage. The structure was solid and I look forward to 6 months from now.
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2/25/2008 - pinotwinelover wrote: 93 Points
A bit more tannin than the past 2 years but very similar flavor profile, this one could benefit from cellaring and will probably get the same scores as teh past 2 vintages
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