2003 Paloma Merlot

Community Tasting Notes (128) Avg Score: 90.8 points

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  3/29/2024 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points

  Our final bottle, double decanted off its sediment and poured 1.25 hrs laters. Brick red color showing age. A worn leather note opens the show, giving way to black cherry and red plum aromas. Plush and integrated, with flavors of red fruit, plum, coffee and cherry cordial, finishing with good length. One taster guessed Bordeaux, others red blends but DR correctly identified merlot. Fully mature with no benefit to cellaring further. Drink now.

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  9/18/2022 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points

  This was dark inky purple garnet colored, medium-full bodied, with intense firm concentrated structured rich black currant and blackberry fruits with notes of cedar and nutmeg, black tea, dark mocha and cigar box with firm focused tannins on the gritty lingering finish.
  At nineteen years, the fill level was perfect, as was, importantly, the cork, reflecting the ideal conditions of our cellar for long term aging. Like I did back in 2013, tonight I once again extended the drinking window for this wine as it is still showing well, holding its own, likely at the peak of its drinking window, to 2022,perhaps nearing the end such that it might now start to diminish from further again.
  https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/09/paloma-napa-merlot-2003.html

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  7/17/2020 - wicozani Likes this wine: 92 Points

  First bottle from a recent auction purchase. Expected to acquaint myself with a well-aged California merlot, and was I ever surprised. No bricking to the rim, the very evocative nose features bright dark cherry, red alpine currant, blueberry and some baking spice. Excellent intensity and concentration, superb acidity, with still good structure. Some juicy tannins still present. Agree this has not yet moved to the tertiary stage. This was really nice! I'll be overjoyed if all remaining bottles of this vintage perform similarly.

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  6/18/2019 - Michigan Mostberg Likes this wine: 89 Points

  Remarkable 16 yr-old showing from a notably "off" Napa Valley merlot vintage. Nose is incredible, promising a merlot at the end of its peak drinking. Palate a little more age appropriate, still surprisingly secondary.

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  11/24/2018 - AllRed wrote: 87 Points

  4th Saturday Group (Sue's): Double blind. Notes of cherry cough syrup with red berry fruit and plum. Ther's also a hint of something chemical/plastic. Iron, red currant and oak spice flavors. Meh.

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