May 27, 2023 - Very enjoyable but I’ve been having better experiences lately with the regular bottling rather than the vintner select version. Thr VS seems more focused on fruit while the regular bottling’s tannins seem to give it greater longevity (yet with excellent fruit still on tap). This bottle had some raisiny notes.
March 18, 2023 - Dark, full bodied, and delicious. Super accompaniment to grilled filet mignon and grilled tuna. That said, some (age-appropriate) leather notes starting to blend in with the blueberry/blackberry tells me this is starting to show its age. I’d definitely buy and drink more though!
April 25, 2020 - Tar and raisin. What a surprise.
December 6, 2018 - was flawed--this bottle was well past drinkability. Hoping the others are better
October 18, 2017 - Past it’s prime. Stewed tomatoes on the nose and an underwhelming pallet that was a bit tart. The finish was lengthy but the experience was somewhat disjointed.
November 21, 2016 - Sadly, a bit over the hill. While it doesn't exactly taste bad, there are sweet cough syrup notes on both nose and palate. Other bottles may have fared better, but this is a definite 'drink now and have a backup'.
November 14, 2015 - Decanted for 2 hours. Moderate sediment. Deep purple color. Mulberry aromas with a hint of alcohol on the nose.Creamy texture with notes of cocoa powder, cassis, vanilla and oak. Integrated tannins. Balanced wine with a long finish. Last had this 10 years ago. This has held up very well and is drinking just as good. 94-95 points
February 28, 2015 - Winemaker Interview - Sally Johnson-Blum of Pride Mountain Vineyards (Napa Valley, CA): The nose is full of rich, plummy aromas and a touch of alcohol. Still fruit-forward, with candied plum and black cherry in front with rich dark chocolate dominating the mid-palate and finish. The tannins were almost completely resolved, but there was still good acidity. The mouth-feel was soft and velvetty. The wine held-up well for 13 years in the bottle and was a pleasant accompaniment to the braised short ribs in balsamic reduction. This Merlot was a couple years past its prime, but still very enjoyable. The structure supporting the wine had started to weaken with age, confirming my past experience with well-made Bordeaux Blends from Napa hitting their prime drinking window in the 7-10 year range. A beautiful well-made wine, with the fruit holding-up, after so much time in the bottle.
February 13, 2015 - Fantastic wine, incredibly smooth and silky, amazing nose, long finish.
January 24, 2015 - This is still good. It's definitely a merlot. More fruit than a cab, naturally, but not like a pinot fruit bomb. I think it goes better with light food or you can just sip it all night. Not likely to improve but should hold for another one to three years.