June 17, 2017 - An 83 for this wine is just too low. I was given this wine and it has been sitting in the cellar for some years. As I read the other reviews I was a bit worried that this wine was going to be Kool-Aid. It is actually a lovely wine, and a great value at the price point - probably due to it being aged for some years in the cellar. Nose: smoke, pencil savings, dark stone fruit, cassis, a bit of 'green/herbal'. Legs: medium. Palate: dark stone fruit, cassis, a bit of graphite. Finish: a bit lite, but it does linger nicely. I think the difference in the 3+ years since last tasting note is significant. It is drinking nicely now, but can age a few more years without a loosing its structure. The problem with these lower priced wines is that they are bought and drank to quickly - they need time to mature a bit. For most, a few extra years in the bottle makes all the difference. This is a wine that can be bought by the case and stored several years if you have the room - the end result will be worth it.
July 26, 2014 - Just ok. Short finish, not terribly complex. Was expecting more from this wine.
March 3, 2014 - Drinkable... Better things at the price, though.
October 25, 2013 - The wine looks Salmon colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like Blackberry, and Raspberry. It tastes like Blackberry, Blueberry, and Black currant (cassis). The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Juicy texture. The wine finishes Short.
August 17, 2013 - Merlot Smackdown (Oakland - Blago and Luiza's Place): Garnet color with cherry, plum, and vanilla aromas. On the palate, it's light-bodied, and smooth with straight-forward, but enjoyable cherry, black currant flavors.
February 12, 2013 - it was worth 10.99 , i wouldn't pay more than $13 for this though.