2014 St. Francis Merlot Reserve

Community Tasting Notes (3) Avg Score: 90.8 points

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  7/22/2019 - EFrohmader Likes this wine: 92 Points

  July 2019 Trip to Sonoma; 7/22/2019-7/23/2019 (Sonoma): Cassis, plum, black cherry, black pepper. Medium-full body. Medium acidity & tannin. Medium-long finish. Ready now. Paired with fresh Bucatini pasta, greens, porcini cream, aged Parmesan Reggiano, shaved bottarga, lavender infused olive oil, and chives.

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  7/29/2017 - srh Likes this wine:

  Misc. CA Reds (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 77% Merlot, 19% Malbec, 4% C.S.; "After hand-sorting, the grapes underwent a 2 day cold soak, ff'd by blending in a small amount of Malbec and C.S. The selected lots were fermented separately in s/s tanks. The wine was then aged in 100% FR barrels (48% new) where it underwent malolactic fermentation, ff'd by 20 mos of aging." 15.0% ABV; 550 cs produced & bottled Agust 2016.
  
  N: Closed, but earth, toast, & berries?
  
  P: Med, poss MF, body; Almost swtish frt met by some finely tannic astringency which only somewhat mitigates by the LONG, spicy, VERY slightly astringent finish. NEEDS/deserves until '19, I'm guessing. 93 pts The Tasting Panel, 91 WE @ $52, & 90 WA. [While no longer available @ the tasted $33.95, as of mid Feb '19 wine-searcher still shows several U.S. sources from $40-$52.]

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  6/22/2017 - BillyT wrote: 92 Points

  First Cali wine in years that was not grape juice. Well balanced, elegant and smooth. First impression was strawberry vanilla cream but not over whelming. Not much in notes since it was an airport restaurant but was a home run with pizza.

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