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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2010 and 2014 (based on 5 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 87.6 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 85 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Wedge on 4/12/2016 & rated 85 points: May have held this too long. Very "unremarkable" at this point--but not so when purchased at the winery a few years ago. (1966 views) | | | Tasted by tfc2 on 2/23/2015 & rated 80 points: True garnet color. Rich smell of blackberries and cherries with a hint of semi-sweet vanilla. Slow rise to flavor. Medium acidity and light body. Harmonious balance in all. Semi-long semi-dry finish. (2653 views) | | | Tasted by toontune on 9/7/2014 & rated 85 points: Actually improved day 2 (3134 views) | | | Tasted by merryberry on 11/13/2013 & rated 90 points: Dark ruby rose. Earthy raspberry, spice and leather nose. Medium bodied, cranberries, bing cherries, pepper, grainy tannins, smoke, and a dry, medium length finish. Way better than it had to be at this price. (4395 views) | | | Tasted by mr21cbs on 8/22/2013 & rated 85 points: Dark ruby color. Nice viscosity in the glass. Full body. Sap, dark fruit on the nose. Very subdued and needs to open up. Short finish but enjoyable with cheese, pilaf and salad. (4792 views) | | | Tasted by Martin Redmond on 8/17/2013 & rated 86 points: Merlot Smackdown (Oakland - Blago and Luiza's Place): Dark ruby color with straight-forward cherry, and vanilla aromas. On the palate, it's medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins, and cherry, vanilla and bit of spice aromas. (3573 views) | | | Tasted by jaharvis on 3/23/2013 & rated 88 points: Nice finish. Smooth and subtle. I look forward to enjoying the remaining bottles in mt cellar.
The wine looks Ruby colored. The legs are Medium. (3727 views) | | | Tasted by Presidio Wine Bunker on 3/14/2013 & rated 89 points: Paid 12 bucks at Trader Joe's which may be a bit higher than average price. Even at this price point it's excellent QPR. No brainer rebuy for weeknight dinners. (3384 views) | | | Tasted by AMC Eagle on 3/13/2013 & rated 89 points: Similar to my last tn. Good weeknight drinker with a good pricetag. (2280 views) | | | Tasted by cheftigger on 3/11/2013 & rated 90 points: This is a really under rated Merlot. Easy finish, drinks smooth (1971 views) | | | Tasted by jsheaff on 2/23/2013 & rated 86 points: Drank on a Saturday afternoon. 2nd to last glass was best (2006 views) | | | Tasted by Winoluver on 2/10/2013 & rated 89 points: One of the best $9 bottles ever. Lots of cherry & vanilla wt a slight spice finish. (1579 views) | | | Tasted by jjlobi on 2/8/2013 & rated 86 points: Nothing remarkable, but very drinkable. (1527 views) | | | Tasted by Anthony Chinn on 1/21/2013 & rated 88 points: Really decent for this price. Classic peppery merlot palate, decent balance, and good moutfeel. Simple and uncomplex finish, but nothing off -- and hard to expect more. Good with blue cheese pasta. (1626 views) | | | Tasted by Kesslerc14 on 12/9/2012 & rated 87 points: Chocolate flavor with the fruit at the tail (2169 views) | | | Tasted by Murali on 12/3/2012: Samir Marwaha (2019 views) | | | Tasted by deltacop on 10/28/2012 & rated 88 points: Simple and Nice. I didn't expect much and that's what I got. For the price a good qpr (2176 views) | | | Tasted by Jay72274 on 10/26/2012: always great at this price, this one didn't seem to be as concentrated with fruit on the palate, more of the chocolate/mocha elements. finish seemed to have a bit more chalky tanin involved.....curious to leave the remaining ones along for a year or so and come back to 'em. (2078 views) | | | Tasted by BBinSC on 10/20/2012 & rated 88 points: Very solid, steady Sonoma producer. Good quality and estate grown. Hard to beat at the WTSO price of $8.99. (2049 views) | | | Tasted by allensounhein on 10/8/2012 & rated 89 points: agree with amc Eagle (1891 views) | | | Tasted by AMC Eagle on 10/3/2012 & rated 90 points: Pnp though a vinturri. Dark cherries, milk, and a bit of dark chocolate on the nose. Nice dark red fruityness on the palate with some tannins; short-medium finish. Excellent QPR for this one. (1854 views) | | | Tasted by slg on 10/2/2012 & rated 87 points: Reliably good cheap merlot (1973 views) | | | Tasted by monk1019 on 8/9/2012 & rated 83 points: Shared with friends over an Italian dinner. Nothing offensive. Bright fruit and smooth tannins. (2460 views) | | | Tasted by allensounhein on 7/26/2012 & rated 88 points: Very good dark color and had with brats and salads
Very nice aroma of dark berries
Nice Price for $9 (2531 views) | | | Tasted by northbridge on 6/10/2012 & rated 88 points: Not bad; not bad at all. Mocha, dark fruit, round and easy. Great QPR at $9.00 (2988 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Kunde Estate Producer websiteMerlotMerlot is a dark blue–colored wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color of the grape. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in tannin.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountySonoma ValleySonoma County, California, is one of the most important winegrowing regions in the whole of the United States. Vines have been planted here since the 1850s and, apart from the inevitable hiatus brought about by Prohibition, the county's relationship with wine has been prolific and unbroken.
Viticulturally speaking, Sonoma County is divided into three distinct sections: Sonoma Valley, Northern Sonoma and Sonoma Coast. Each of these has its own AVA title and encompasses several sub-AVAs within its boundaries. |
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