Community Tasting Note
-
WyattTheSomm Likes this wine: 90 points
February 15, 2024 - Sight: Medium staining, medium ruby color
Nose: Concentrated Warm dark cherries (like the delicious syrupy kind you get in an old fashioned), chocolate covered ripe black plum, cola, and big hit of spicy goodness. Good oak management as usual with a hint of vanilla.
Palate: Soft Merlot texture with very fine chocolatey oak tannins. Ripe, plump, dark red fruits indicative of the vintage with a big hit of black pepper spices. Great mouthwatering acidity supports the ripeness. The finish firms up with time and becomes longer with a nice mineral freshness. Slighty unflattering bitterness did appear with air that I sense is from the oak possibly? (It’s slight doesn’t ruin the wine I just noticed it the next day)
Overall: 2018 honestly isn’t my favorite for the Trefethen Merlot, I’m kind of surprised because the vintage was excellent and the Cab is fantastic. The concentration and tannin quality is great here but I still think the 2019 is my favorite atm. I don’t know what they did in the 2019 vintage but the Merlot just sang… like Sauvignon Blanc in NZ if that makes sense. Also, in the 18’ the slight bitterness on day two was unpleasant but should clear up with some more age I assume.153 views