We accidentally drank this a little later than planned, but it was excellent; even better than I thought it would be when I bought it during a visit to the winery a number of years ago. Very sophisticated and smooth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
might be one of the best merlots I've had. big fruit but finish like smooth cab with good spice and balance. probably would have stumped me if I didn't know what varietal I was drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened to get my wife fired up for our visit at the winery this weekend. Corked. Grrr. Cork literally fell apart and came out easily in pieces. Oxidized contents. Purchased direct from the winery in 2008 (bottle was actually signed by the wine maker). Stored in my cellar since.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Heavy and velvety on the palate, with good fruit. A cab lover's Merlot. We put it in a lineup of younger cabs - Fisher, Pine Ridge Oakville, & Vineyard 7, and it hung with them.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A little funky and flat with a pop and pour. Backed off for awhile. Grapey, nondescript nose. Smoothed out with some time, but kind of blurry palate. Merloty aftertaste (not pukey like you sometimes find). Somewhat disappointing. Nice mouth feel. The last bottle was an easy 91-92.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really pleasing. Full and rich, with strong hint of vanilla that lasts from start to finish and gives the wine a real nice character. Dark fruits throughout.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Amazing wine - rich, ripe and structured. This is about as good as Merlot gets. Cherry and blackberry with lots of depth and a beautiful, fruity finish. Excellent balance and a great match of fruit and structure. Very textured on the palate, with a lot of structure - nothing flabby about this merlot. I am not usually a merlot fan, but this was really terrific. Like this more than Paloma or Pride.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
well rounded merlot, it actually fits the name - plump; well balance; smooth tannins but there is a flat pointon the back side of the drinking curve where the tannins are not necessary nor pleasant, but with this one exception, this one has big dark fruit and uses it well. Cherry, and blackberry predominate and overall a real nice structure despite the bald point about 3/4 through the mouth. - Not overly tannic so great with a center cut fillet also had some cherries after and the wine went with them marvelously.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice merlot. A bit juicy, but still well balanced. Flavor starts with some rich black fruit then finishes with some soft tannins and oak. Nice wine, but a bit pricey for $50.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wasn't sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by the nice depth of flavor and good structure. Tobacco, leather and boysenberry on the nose. Big, rich, black cherry and boysenberry flavors with some oak lurking in the background, and (surprisingly) a good dose of dust. Full bodied with a long, fruity finish. Still somewhat tannic, and probably drinking a bit more like a cab than a merlot right now - but I loved the rich flavors and structure. I think it will get softer with time, but not necessarily better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 30 minutes. Deep purple red, concentrated dark fruit -plum and blackberries, long finish. Still a bit tannic so will probably mellow in 6-12 months.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened up after 30 minutes; good to sit for a while. I have 11 more of these, so I will hold the next one for six months or so. Big smooth velvet on first taste with big black cherry follow through and a real nice nose. Not too tannic but it will settle with a little more time. Good to drink now after decant and better to wait a year.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Napa February 2009; 2/16/2009-2/20/2009: Starts with some vanilla oak, good chocolaty body and tannic finish. 88+ (could gain a point or two more with time). A real rip off for $50.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
10/28/2016 - dptennant Likes this wine: 92 Points
We accidentally drank this a little later than planned, but it was excellent; even better than I thought it would be when I bought it during a visit to the winery a number of years ago. Very sophisticated and smooth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2016 - dortreo Likes this wine: 87 Points
It's over the hill. :-(
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2016 - Rcramesh Likes this wine: 85 Points
Drink date was by 2013, I completely missed that time line, but it was smooth and delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2016 - jasonkle wrote: flawed
Barely drinkable at this stage. Missed its point on my bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2014 - chiefilliniboy Likes this wine: 95 Points
might be one of the best merlots I've had. big fruit but finish like smooth cab with good spice and balance. probably would have stumped me if I didn't know what varietal I was drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2014 - Krolt wrote:
05 was at its prime. Best Plumbjack I've had. Full and smooth and couldn't get enough.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2013 - JPH104 wrote:
Hot, oaky, overextracted, monotone and syrupy. Undrinkable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2013 - swade wrote: flawed
Opened to get my wife fired up for our visit at the winery this weekend. Corked. Grrr. Cork literally fell apart and came out easily in pieces. Oxidized contents. Purchased direct from the winery in 2008 (bottle was actually signed by the wine maker). Stored in my cellar since.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2013 - longhorncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Heavy and velvety on the palate, with good fruit. A cab lover's Merlot. We put it in a lineup of younger cabs - Fisher, Pine Ridge Oakville, & Vineyard 7, and it hung with them.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2012 - swade wrote: 89 Points
A little funky and flat with a pop and pour. Backed off for awhile. Grapey, nondescript nose. Smoothed out with some time, but kind of blurry palate. Merloty aftertaste (not pukey like you sometimes find). Somewhat disappointing. Nice mouth feel. The last bottle was an easy 91-92.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2012 - PatrickWalz wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyable red, very smooth. I'd say that there are plenty of bottles with similarities at $30 however.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2012 - Dasher wrote: 91 Points
It needs some time to open up a bit. Not to many years left on this wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2011 - awise45 wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful mix of dark and rich berries with a streak of vanilla. Long finish that improves with open time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2011 - awise45 wrote: 93 Points
Really pleasing. Full and rich, with strong hint of vanilla that lasts from start to finish and gives the wine a real nice character. Dark fruits throughout.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2011 - rickspicks wrote: 94 Points
Amazing wine - rich, ripe and structured. This is about as good as Merlot gets. Cherry and blackberry with lots of depth and a beautiful, fruity finish. Excellent balance and a great match of fruit and structure. Very textured on the palate, with a lot of structure - nothing flabby about this merlot. I am not usually a merlot fan, but this was really terrific. Like this more than Paloma or Pride.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/13/2010 - awise45 wrote: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this wine -- full and rich with great balance. Hnt of vanilla on top of lots of fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2010 - Malia Ten Yulna wrote:
well rounded merlot, it actually fits the name - plump; well balance; smooth tannins but there is a flat pointon the back side of the drinking curve where the tannins are not necessary nor pleasant, but with this one exception, this one has big dark fruit and uses it well. Cherry, and blackberry predominate and overall a real nice structure despite the bald point about 3/4 through the mouth. - Not overly tannic so great with a center cut fillet also had some cherries after and the wine went with them marvelously.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2010 - awise45 wrote: 91 Points
Liked this bottle better than the first opened, about 6 weeks ago. Fruit-forward and full, very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2010 - Disco Stew wrote: 92 Points
Solid well-constructed Merlot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2010 - awise45 wrote: 90 Points
A bit closed at the start -- opened up a bit after 45 minutes but still wasn't particularly full.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2009 - Surfdoc wrote: 91 Points
Very nice merlot. A bit juicy, but still well balanced. Flavor starts with some rich black fruit then finishes with some soft tannins and oak. Nice wine, but a bit pricey for $50.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2009 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
Wasn't sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by the nice depth of flavor and good structure. Tobacco, leather and boysenberry on the nose. Big, rich, black cherry and boysenberry flavors with some oak lurking in the background, and (surprisingly) a good dose of dust. Full bodied with a long, fruity finish. Still somewhat tannic, and probably drinking a bit more like a cab than a merlot right now - but I loved the rich flavors and structure. I think it will get softer with time, but not necessarily better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2009 - spendergast wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 30 minutes. Deep purple red, concentrated dark fruit -plum and blackberries, long finish. Still a bit tannic so will probably mellow in 6-12 months.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2009 - Malia Ten Yulna wrote: 90 Points
Opened up after 30 minutes; good to sit for a while. I have 11 more of these, so I will hold the next one for six months or so. Big smooth velvet on first taste with big black cherry follow through and a real nice nose. Not too tannic but it will settle with a little more time. Good to drink now after decant and better to wait a year.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2009 - dke wrote: 88 Points
Napa February 2009; 2/16/2009-2/20/2009: Starts with some vanilla oak, good chocolaty body and tannic finish. 88+ (could gain a point or two more with time). A real rip off for $50.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2009 - timdrex wrote: 92 Points
Big bite when first opened and poured. Deep purple color, strong plum aromas. Opened up nicely after decanting for 30 min. Long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment