September 28, 2022. Drank from Bin East 16. Supper with Aline, Livia, Mike and Sean. In cellar since May 2001, gift from Marc. Hint of oak and blackberry. Cork failure. Dark purple. Soft even presentation oak middle and dry finish, fruit passed. Still OK after 23 years.
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guess I'm the outlier who kept this wine too long, but I'm glad I did! garnet with a brick/orange rim - ripe red fruit (plumb, raspberry) predominates the nose - no hints of oxidation - sweet mouth-filling fruit, almost candied, but good acidity balances the sweet fruit - medium long finish - complimented food (grilled Iowa pork chops) beautifully - for someone who is not a big fan of merlots, this was a happy exception
Drank this bottle of wine over the weekend. Anyone who still has it, drink it ASAP. It’s on the decline. Had a beautiful nose, fruit forward with a very short finish. Should have had it 2-3 years ago, but still good.
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Definitely past it's peak and on the decline, but this was still a very special bottle. Older bottles like this are only enjoyed by a select few individuals, and luckily I am one of them. Needed an hour or so of air in the bottle before coming around, but once it did, dayum! Gorgeous notes of fig, prune, and dark chocolate with hints of forest floor and cedar. Don't hold for too much longer, but don't be afraid to pop this guy!
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Some interesting aromatics, then the wine just falls flat- some stewed herbs, lamb's leather, and plum skin. This bottle is just not showing well at all.
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This has a perfumed tone with red fruit, quite dry. There is an earthy sweetness. This improves substantially after two or three hours after opening; becomes richer, more extended and complete. Not as good as the '03 but better than the '00.
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This particular bottle was stellar at age 16+. Abundant dark cherry fruit with leather, subtle herb and a gorgeous mouthfeel. Shows the pedigree of this label. Merlot? From a lesser vintage? Yes, please, if it's from Leonetti.
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This wine was at a lovely place tonight. Ready to go on the pop and pour it showed lovely aromas and the palate was a beautiful blend of fruit and secondary flavors. The finish went on and on. Paired with beef stew. Nothing to complain about and I'll buy anyone's who is disappointed with this wine...beautiful. It absolutely blew away the '98 St. Emillion GC that our friends brought, that on another night I would have raved about.
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Older Washington Wines (Acadia, Portland, OR): Vanilla and garrique on the nose. gorgeous! Pencil lead, then finishing with more vanilla and herbs. beautiful wine in a great place.
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Crisom red, notes of red and dark fruits. Tannins are subdued but not eliminated, there's still a dusty grip on the palate and acidity is quite pronounced. Expected a bit more sweetness to balance it out. This needs meat. A steak or burger should help. Not totally disappointed but it did leave me hankering for more.
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Maybe a bit past its prime, but very smooth with delicious notes of chocolate, cherries, and graphite. Fruit has mostly receded. A winner with rib eyes. Drink now.
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Thinning but still vibrant with flavors. Cherry and chocolate were sensible, with the oak fading. Should have consumed a couple of years ago but still a very satisfying wine to share with close friends.
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started out tired but then picked up speed over the course of 4 hours. At its peak, it was decent. If this is where this wine is at, I'd drink up within the next 18 months.
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A bit of leather and tobacco on the nose, with a hint of plum. Almost smells like sitting in a old leather chair smoking a fine cigar. Taste is amazing. Smokey, fruity, balanced and still going strong after all the years. Very full bodied. Long finish. If you have any of this left, save it for special occasions. It's a keeper.
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A great wine to start our 10th Wedding Anniversary weekend. Leos have been hit or miss with us but this was everything I want out of a WA state Merlot. Heck this was bigger and more complex then alot of Cabs I've had lately. Ripe tart cherries, stewed blueberries, leather, allspice, dry earth, some of that dry/tart CV red fruit, and some Cab Franc-ish graphite and light green peppers on the nose. On the palate; light caramel (not an over-oaked wine at all...yahoo), tart red fruit, sweet herbs, eucalyptus, plums, and some dry earth. This wine was as smooth as a Gretzky pass to Kurri. Seemless from start to finish. Barely bricking and I think it has a few years to go. Nice long finish. Worth the tariff, tonight...absolutely! Paired pretty well with herbed roasted chicken.
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My last bottle from this vintage. Paired with Lamb for New Year's Eve dinner. Perfect match - decanted for an hour and was impressed with the plum, raspberry and spice aromas. It drank like a well aged Cab, it had plum and dark fruit flavors with a long and lingering finish.
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I know it is not fashionable to like Leonetti Merlot but, as this is my last bottle, I have to pay tribute to to this and the prior 4 bottles I have consumed over the past 6 years. Every bottle has been quintessential New World Merlot...aromas of black plums, violets and chocolate with thick, ripe fruit in the mouth and a long, lingering finish that many high-end cab blends would envy.
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Bright med ruby, hint of brick, aromas of spices, bay leaf, mature plum, charred wood, graham cracker, b4, a4, t3, w/air, fills in nicely w/silky, round & sweet fruit, tangy firm finish 2/good length, quite good
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Yes, the toasty oak component dominate the wine. I also get two distinct flavors on the nose, a red cherry component, and a more subtle green pepper slightly vegetal component. The vegetal part does stand out, but not in a way to be a negative on the wine. In the mouth it seem to be diminished. Still, I find the wine a bit disjointed, the oak, fruit and tannins seem separate and not completely cohesive. The finish is smooth however, and medium in length. If found that as time went by (hour three) the parts seemed to meld a little better together and the wine improved.
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Enticing in some ways, but seriously over-oaked. I mean really dripping with it. Moderately tannic. Nice fruit, but it is really dominated by the toasty oak flavor and sweetness that I've found in all of the Leonetti that I've had.
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Brought to the in laws for a post thanksgiving dinner of herb coated tenderloin...yum!
The wine brought rich red currant flavors with cherry and some oak on the finish. A more rounded bottle than last years, perhaps it is filling out. I am not a fan of the winery, my experience has been wines of a linear fashion and lots of oak. However, this was a pleasant surprise we all enjoyed. I have attached my previous note for comparative purposes.
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Initially tasted of ripe raisons and had a green nose. On the second day the raison/green was gone and there was some nice fruit. Finish was a little weak.
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Mature merlot. The wife got violets and raspberry on the nose. I got black cherry and a little chocolate. We had this after dinner and it was delightful (especially since I has heard this was already over-the-hill).
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Opaque med ruby, aromas of spicy, charred oak, plummy red & black fruits, some sweet strawberry, bell epper/asparagus emerges, toast, chodolate, b3, a3, t3+, typical plush, satiny mouthfeel backed w/solid structure, very nice for the style, lots of weed but fruit just manages to carry, very slight green streak develops, d7, slight greenish edge to fruit, lots of wood, still great texture & structure (5)
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Drank this for dinner along with a 1992 Robert Mondavi Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The Leonetti was not impressive and did not compare well, especially given the price differential. It had good full fruit and a lush initial taste. However, it faded quickly in the mouth and ended a bit acidic.
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Decanted for 1 hour. Fruity nose with slow legs. This one seemed more integrated than before. Good balance and mouthfeel. Cherries and plum; tannins well-integrated. Didn't make it to "outstanding" due to the short finish. Drinking well now.
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Poured last night for my 36th (gulp!) birthday dinner at Andiamo in Bellevue. As I perused the cellar, I figured why not? Out of the glass scents of oak and tart cherries were most noticeable. It was easy going down, but lacked much complexity. I have had many bottles both young and older vintages, while the thrill of that Leonetti twang is fun; it is hardly worth the money.
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I had a bottle of this 99 Merlot last night as 'dessert'. Indeed it was oaky, but after an hour I thought it had settled down and integrated as well as could be expected given the overt style of the wine. Beneath the oak was the classic 'candy-apple' nose and mid palate. The finish was long, luscious and had a nice bit of acid. It wasn't at all hot or vegetal. Like others I preferred the 1998 which goes even more over the top, but as an occasional odd wine I found this one to be distinctive and enjoyable.
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9/28/2022 - RDB Wine Likes this wine: 75 Points
September 28, 2022. Drank from Bin East 16. Supper with Aline, Livia, Mike and Sean. In cellar since May 2001, gift from Marc. Hint of oak and blackberry. Cork failure. Dark purple. Soft even presentation oak middle and dry finish, fruit passed. Still OK after 23 years.
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12/16/2019 - Verb Likes this wine: 93 Points
guess I'm the outlier who kept this wine too long, but I'm glad I did! garnet with a brick/orange rim - ripe red fruit (plumb, raspberry) predominates the nose - no hints of oxidation - sweet mouth-filling fruit, almost candied, but good acidity balances the sweet fruit - medium long finish - complimented food (grilled Iowa pork chops) beautifully - for someone who is not a big fan of merlots, this was a happy exception
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12/18/2017 - casebo85 wrote: 89 Points
Drank this bottle of wine over the weekend. Anyone who still has it, drink it ASAP. It’s on the decline. Had a beautiful nose, fruit forward with a very short finish. Should have had it 2-3 years ago, but still good.
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12/4/2017 - bkc1428 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Definitely past it's peak and on the decline, but this was still a very special bottle. Older bottles like this are only enjoyed by a select few individuals, and luckily I am one of them. Needed an hour or so of air in the bottle before coming around, but once it did, dayum! Gorgeous notes of fig, prune, and dark chocolate with hints of forest floor and cedar. Don't hold for too much longer, but don't be afraid to pop this guy!
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6/16/2017 - HandmadeHomemade wrote:
Some interesting aromatics, then the wine just falls flat- some stewed herbs, lamb's leather, and plum skin. This bottle is just not showing well at all.
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6/2/2017 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
This has a perfumed tone with red fruit, quite dry. There is an earthy sweetness. This improves substantially after two or three hours after opening; becomes richer, more extended and complete. Not as good as the '03 but better than the '00.
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4/5/2016 - BRR Likes this wine: 93 Points
This particular bottle was stellar at age 16+. Abundant dark cherry fruit with leather, subtle herb and a gorgeous mouthfeel. Shows the pedigree of this label. Merlot? From a lesser vintage? Yes, please, if it's from Leonetti.
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1/29/2016 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
This wine was at a lovely place tonight. Ready to go on the pop and pour it showed lovely aromas and the palate was a beautiful blend of fruit and secondary flavors. The finish went on and on.
Paired with beef stew.
Nothing to complain about and I'll buy anyone's who is disappointed with this wine...beautiful.
It absolutely blew away the '98 St. Emillion GC that our friends brought, that on another night I would have raved about.
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12/30/2013 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 90 Points
Felt much better this time around. More youthful, fruitful and balanced. The burger must have helped!
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10/5/2013 - pwillen1 wrote:
Older Washington Wines (Acadia, Portland, OR): Vanilla and garrique on the nose. gorgeous! Pencil lead, then finishing with more vanilla and herbs. beautiful wine in a great place.
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5/29/2013 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 87 Points
Crisom red, notes of red and dark fruits. Tannins are subdued but not eliminated, there's still a dusty grip on the palate and acidity is quite pronounced. Expected a bit more sweetness to balance it out. This needs meat. A steak or burger should help. Not totally disappointed but it did leave me hankering for more.
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4/21/2013 - Magnolian Likes this wine: 92 Points
Maybe a bit past its prime, but very smooth with delicious notes of chocolate, cherries, and graphite. Fruit has mostly receded. A winner with rib eyes. Drink now.
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2/10/2013 - Gary Likes this wine: 90 Points
Surprisingly good at this point - although fading, bottle still alive and drank well. Fruit remains, tannins & oak receded to background.
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9/9/2012 - devman wrote:
Slight cork taint, but it didn't detract that this wine was still a winner. It was more similar to my tasting note from 2010 than 2011. Good stuff.
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8/28/2012 - phantphant wrote: 92 Points
Really held up well.
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12/27/2011 - VinZen wrote: 92 Points
Thinning but still vibrant with flavors. Cherry and chocolate were sensible, with the oak fading. Should have consumed a couple of years ago but still a very satisfying wine to share with close friends.
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6/21/2011 - devman wrote:
Still going strong, but the fruit is fading. Definitely on the decline, but should still be drinkable through next year.
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5/5/2011 - team-blackburn wrote: 94 Points
WOW!!!!! I think this is in it's prime, fantastic!!!!!
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2/26/2011 - arthrovine wrote: 90 Points
started out tired but then picked up speed over the course of 4 hours. At its peak, it was decent. If this is where this wine is at, I'd drink up within the next 18 months.
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12/7/2010 - JohnnyBark wrote:
Theres something wrong with my bottle. It's oakey, with cedar, and leather and another Forrest full of wood and nothing else. Win some lose some.
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7/2/2010 - devman wrote: 93 Points
A bit of leather and tobacco on the nose, with a hint of plum. Almost smells like sitting in a old leather chair smoking a fine cigar. Taste is amazing. Smokey, fruity, balanced and still going strong after all the years. Very full bodied. Long finish. If you have any of this left, save it for special occasions. It's a keeper.
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1/30/2010 - Pelly Cellar wrote: 92 Points
Still drinking very well-- this has a couple more years at least.
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5/24/2009 - GA wrote: 91 Points
5/09 Good sweet fruit - black cherry - resolved tannins - chocolate with oak and eucalyptus. 91 pts.
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5/23/2009 - Vinsant wrote: 93 Points
A great wine to start our 10th Wedding Anniversary weekend. Leos have been hit or miss with us but this was everything I want out of a WA state Merlot. Heck this was bigger and more complex then alot of Cabs I've had lately. Ripe tart cherries, stewed blueberries, leather, allspice, dry earth, some of that dry/tart CV red fruit, and some Cab Franc-ish graphite and light green peppers on the nose. On the palate; light caramel (not an over-oaked wine at all...yahoo), tart red fruit, sweet herbs, eucalyptus, plums, and some dry earth. This wine was as smooth as a Gretzky pass to Kurri. Seemless from start to finish. Barely bricking and I think it has a few years to go. Nice long finish. Worth the tariff, tonight...absolutely! Paired pretty well with herbed roasted chicken.
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1/1/2009 - rfras wrote: 93 Points
My last bottle from this vintage. Paired with Lamb for New Year's Eve dinner. Perfect match - decanted for an hour and was impressed with the plum, raspberry and spice aromas. It drank like a well aged Cab, it had plum and dark fruit flavors with a long and lingering finish.
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3/4/2008 - hsacks wrote: 93 Points
I know it is not fashionable to like Leonetti Merlot but, as this is my last bottle, I have to pay tribute to to this and the prior 4 bottles I have consumed over the past 6 years. Every bottle has been quintessential New World Merlot...aromas of black plums, violets and chocolate with
thick, ripe fruit in the mouth and a long, lingering finish that many high-end cab blends would envy.
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4/1/2007 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 88 Points
Bright med ruby, hint of brick, aromas of spices, bay leaf, mature plum, charred wood, graham cracker, b4, a4, t3, w/air, fills in nicely w/silky, round & sweet fruit, tangy firm finish 2/good length, quite good
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11/30/2006 - tmay wrote: 88 Points
Vanilla and some cherry fruit. Mellow but really too weak.
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6/8/2006 - Mark wrote: 88 Points
Yes, the toasty oak component dominate the wine. I also get two distinct flavors on the nose, a red cherry component, and a more subtle green pepper slightly vegetal component. The vegetal part does stand out, but not in a way to be a negative on the wine. In the mouth it seem to be diminished. Still, I find the wine a bit disjointed, the oak, fruit and tannins seem separate and not completely cohesive. The finish is smooth however, and medium in length. If found that as time went by (hour three) the parts seemed to meld a little better together and the wine improved.
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4/28/2006 - wineboat wrote: 89 Points
dark fruit, moderate tannin, a little pepper on the finish
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2/15/2006 - MeMyself&I wrote: 89 Points
A mouthful of leather and licorice. Tannins are completely integrated, drinking very well right now. Probably near it's peak.
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11/30/2005 - ml wrote: 89 Points
Enticing in some ways, but seriously over-oaked. I mean really dripping with it. Moderately tannic. Nice fruit, but it is really dominated by the toasty oak flavor and sweetness that I've found in all of the Leonetti that I've had.
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11/27/2005 - BradA wrote: 91 Points
Brought to the in laws for a post thanksgiving dinner of herb coated tenderloin...yum!
The wine brought rich red currant flavors with cherry and some oak on the finish. A more rounded bottle than last years, perhaps it is filling out. I am not a fan of the winery, my experience has been wines of a linear fashion and lots of oak. However, this was a pleasant surprise we all enjoyed. I have attached my previous note for comparative purposes.
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9/19/2005 - tmay wrote: 88 Points
Initially tasted of ripe raisons and had a green nose. On the second day the raison/green was gone and there was some nice fruit. Finish was a little weak.
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6/3/2005 - AndrewH wrote: 92 Points
Mature merlot. The wife got violets and raspberry on the nose. I got black cherry and a little chocolate. We had this after dinner and it was delightful (especially since I has heard this was already over-the-hill).
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10/1/2004 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 88 Points
Opaque med ruby, aromas of spicy, charred oak, plummy red & black fruits, some sweet strawberry, bell epper/asparagus emerges, toast, chodolate, b3, a3, t3+, typical plush, satiny mouthfeel backed w/solid structure, very nice for the style, lots of weed but fruit just manages to carry, very slight green streak develops, d7, slight greenish edge to fruit, lots of wood, still great texture & structure (5)
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8/14/2004 - Redteeth wrote: 88 Points
Drank this for dinner along with a 1992 Robert Mondavi Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The Leonetti was not impressive and did not compare well, especially given the price differential. It had good full fruit and a lush initial taste. However, it faded quickly in the mouth and ended a bit acidic.
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4/11/2004 - Blue Oval wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Fruity nose with slow legs. This one seemed more integrated than before. Good balance and mouthfeel. Cherries and plum; tannins well-integrated. Didn't make it to "outstanding" due to the short finish. Drinking well now.
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3/30/2004 - BradA wrote: 89 Points
Poured last night for my 36th (gulp!) birthday dinner at Andiamo in Bellevue. As I perused the cellar, I figured why not? Out of the glass scents of oak and tart cherries were most noticeable. It was easy going down, but lacked much complexity. I have had many bottles both young and older vintages, while the thrill of that Leonetti twang is fun; it is hardly worth the money.
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7/12/2003 - SadEdjo wrote:
unctious floral cherry & spice
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11/28/2002 - Eric wrote:
I had a bottle of this 99 Merlot last night as 'dessert'. Indeed it was oaky, but after an hour I thought it had settled down and integrated as well as could be expected given the overt style of the wine. Beneath the oak was the classic 'candy-apple' nose and mid palate. The finish was long, luscious and had a nice bit of acid. It wasn't at all hot or vegetal. Like others I preferred the 1998 which goes even more over the top, but as an occasional odd wine I found this one to be distinctive and enjoyable.
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9/14/2002 - Eric wrote:
Had this at Rosh Hashanah. Fun as always. Drinking well. Not a great match with brisket.
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6/2/2002 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 87 Points
Not decanted, a bit of sulfur, funk on the oaky nose, hints at greatness but not at all together at this point, give this some time now, closed down?
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12/1/2001 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful Merlot, decanted for an hour, needs more time
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4/1/2001 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 99 Points
Perfect, intense fruit, earth, dense, complex, rich, amazing! (tasted at Marc's)
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