2012 Ridge Merlot Estate
Community Tasting Note
Ellen5181 Likes this wine:
Monday, April 22, 2019 - The cork broke. There was an initial “funk” but it blew off. Bottle has been open approx 2 hrs.
Appearance - clear (except for the occasional piece of wayward cork). Medium plus plus (2 times) ruby.
Nose - youthful, medium plus intensity, fresh, ripe, black and red fruits, baking spices. Some alcohol burn on nose and you can feel it a bit in eyes. Pepper, charred wood.
Palate - bracing acidity. Not bad, but it definitely says “hello.” It’s a powerful wine. Better with food. Flavors linger on palate. Acidity, vibrant fruit, and then the tannins on the finish. They linger after you swallow and hide out af the tops of your gums. The dryness beckons the next taste. Medium plus body. ABV listed as 13.5 but feels like it should be higher.
This is an interesting eye opener for anyone who tells you that Merlot is a blending grape and you wouldn’t want to drink it on its own. I wouldnt guess this in a blind taste. I would assume it was a hybrid new world blend, West coast producer, with the addition of some Italian grapes.
Fresh sweet ripe fruit yet a very dry wine. It’s powerful on the palate and then you feel parched. It’s the tannins. You end thirsty but there is no after feel of sour. Just dry. Enjoy with a glass of water and a meal that has some flavors. I’m enjoying it with a tagine, I suspect this could pair with A Peking duck or BBQ flavors. Asian flavors.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue (2,096 views)
1 comment has been posted
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue (2,096 views)
Comment posted by TheBosWineGuy:
5/9/2019 10:12:00 AM - Nice review. Further to your assessment, I recently had this in a blind tasting with 5 other wines and I confused this for a 2011 Round Pond Rutherford Cabernet and thought the Round Pond was the Ridge Merlot. A substantial and serious Merlot.