1999 Irvine Grand Merlot

Community Tasting Notes (11) Avg Score: 92.7 points

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  12/25/2022 - crazywineguy Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Still drinking well. Aussie merlot at 23 years of age, wow! Enormous nose of hyperextracted fruit, smooth and long. Have 1 left.

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  11/29/2020 - crazywineguy Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Earthy leathery soy nose. Intense wine. some subtle volatile acidity present giving it tightness and lift, mucosal dryness indicating presence of tannins but they are not independently detectable. Soy, bonox, vegemite, prune notes on the palate. Smooths out and compliments rich meat dishes very well. What a survivor. Won't get better so drink up.

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  5/7/2017 - crazywineguy Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Great nose, full bodied and floral. Still red-black centre but fading rim. Real concentrated extract nose of violet, berries, coffee and oak lactones. The amarone style comment of a taster rings true here. Pretty unbelievable that it can taste in the prime of its life at 18 years of age. Australian merlot CAN age (at least Irvine Grand Merlot can). Next day it was smoother and softer and less floral but a more complete wine. This is a real Pomerol pretender that delivers at a fraction of the price.

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  3/8/2017 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 92 Points

  Casual afternoon at Chateau Davyd. Slow-oxed in bottle for 48 hours already.
  Apparently very tight when first popped.
  Appearance - deep intensity, garnet colour. Legs.
  Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of raisins, prunes, sweet dark red plums, blackberries, licorice, cassis, sweet spices. Developed.
  On the palate, dry, medium acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), very soft and plush medium tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of raisins, prunes, dak red plums, blueberries, blackberries, licorice, cassis, sweet spices. Very long finish.
  Very good quality. This should be drank and judged in an Amarone style rather than in comparison to other Merlots, especially Old World examples. Drink up (with prior aeration) before it becomes too flabby.

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  8/25/2016 - Psdycp wrote: 92 Points

  Soft stewed red fruits with plummy and toasty oak on the bouquet. A touch of barnyard and graphite in the undertones. The scent of an old wine which has reached maturity. The palate follows the nose, smooth and complex, some earthy notes in the mid-palate, rounding up with velvety tannins. Should decant gently for 2 hrs for the wine to open up after 17 yrs in the bottle. After 3 hrs, it gained greater intensity in the mid-palate and finish.

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View all 11 Community Tasting Notes

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