Pleasant surprise, fill like new, dark fruit of blackberry, soft plum, cherry, hints of vanilla, very youthful, almost no secondary character, soft tannins, long finish
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Pnp at dinner, drinking just beautifully. Dark cherries dominate, with a pleasant undercurrent of vanilla but very little oak. Medium bodied and elegant, with refined tannins and a wonderfully smooth finish. Fruit is not as bold as I remember from a few years ago, but it's by no means over the hill. Every time I open a Shafer Merlot or One Point Five with 12-15 years on it, I end up saying to myself "I could very happily drink this every day". Addendum - bottle opened in Sept 2018 was similar but with bigger fruit, 93/94.
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- Aromas of cherry and cedar. It's balanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium/full body. Smooth texture - Really enjoyed this. Drinking beautifully right now. A classic.
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C: Ruby red with purple hues N: Slightly perfumey with flowers like roses and lavender. Slightly herbaceous. Lots of dark berries and blueberries. P: Moderate tannins (6.5/10) with a moderate body. Lots of dark fruits. Slight heat in the finish. O: Still seems to need a couple more years to fully integrate. Drink now till 2025
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Decanted briefly and drank over three hours. Really balanced and silky merlot. Picked up body with air but might have liked it even better early on when it was crisper and livelier. Red fruited with some oak and notes of dark chocolate. Really liking the 2005 Cali vintage 10 years later.
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- Crimsom color and aromas of cherry, oak and vanilla. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of cherry, black currant and cedar - Similar note to previous.
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Wow in a glass. Big and brooding for a Merlot. Dark expressive cherry fruit, rich black fruits, cola, licorice & lots of spice on the finish with well integrated soft tannins. A bit of heat on the nose and palate at first but well disguised with the oak, expressive fruits, spice and everything nice. It is definitely California! Drink now and enjoy.
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Using Bucella as my favorite all merlot comparative, this was just a bottle of merlot. A bit disappointed by not having anything special about it. The nose was simple and not offering much. Taste was simple as well. Nothing harsh or off in anyway but nothing inwould look for again either. Enjoy!!!
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Served this with some Italian meats,fresh mozzarella and ravioli from Arthur Avenue. It was spectacular and smooth as always. One of the best Merlots on the market The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Slow. It tastes like and Cherry. The body is Full. The wine is textured Smooth. The wine finishes Long.
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2-hours of decanting. Had an at-home family Christmas dinner. Complex but subtle. Not as "big California" as other vintages. Just an outstanding bottle.
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1.5 hour decant. Black cherry, currant, vanilla, and toasted oak on the nose and palate. Medium-to-full bodied. Dark fruit with smooth tannins on the mid-palate. Good structure. Soft, medium length, finish. Paired with roast beef.
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This was a half-bottle. Decanted for only about 10 minutes, then it continued to soften beautifully in the glass. This showed dark fruit and slight tobacco/ tar on the nose. Flavor was the same with a bit of cedar on the finish. Blackberry and dark cherry seemed to be the most prominent fruit flavors. Tannins were chalky, but soft and well integrated...covered the whole palate. I would highly recommend Decanting. Probably will hold on another few years at least but really excellent currently!
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Decanted for about two hours. Cherry and red currant notes, hint of spice. Plush, silky mouthfeel, balanced. Lovely red fruit and spice notes on the palate. Drinking very well right now.
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Opened and served right away. Beautiful nose of plums and cherries with a good amount of funk. Flavours of red cherries, plums and earth. Soft and round in the mouth but with good amount of structure. Medium acidity and medium to full body. Drinking surprisingly well for its age. Drink or hold. Excellent. 90+
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Smooth and delicious. Plenty of black fruits evident, but everthing just in great balance. Decanted for 60 minutes prior to drinking. Merlot has found a spot back in my favor. Glad I have a few more of these.
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Napa Valley Masterclass with Greg Sherwood MW @ Handford Wines. High alchohol , 14.5% . Dark deep ruby colour, yet smooth and round wine. Needs time in the decanter to open up but interesting to say the least BTW it has like 30% in cab sauv and cab franc son not a pure merlot wine.
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Nice polished merlot. Plum, dark berries, herbal and floral notes of mint, eucalyptus, and rose pedal throughout. Soft velvety mouth feel not overly tannic but the alcohol (14.9) was very present and really never subsided. Solid, long finish.
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Popped and run throught the Venturi. Nice aromas of black fruits and vanilla. Very pleasant to drink with smooth tanin and opulent fruit. Very enjoyable and drinking very well.
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Ripe blackberry fruit with mushroom on the nose, very smooth and giving, very delicious smelling. Those fresh blackberries deliver nicely on the palate, light rosemary showing as well. Great mouthfeel. The problem is the heat comes in and whacks you over the head after this wine is swallowed. Once the alcohol burn goes away you are left with some nice fruit, and this opened up during dinner and got a bit heavier. If I had more I would sit on it a couple more years, but it is drinking well enough now. A enjoyable food wine.
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This wine is in a really really good place right now! While not an expert, you can tell when you are drinking something well made and this baby was it. One of the reasons why I love Shafer juice is their consistency across their portfolio.
Opened and allowed to breathe for about an hour before pouring, the wine immediately filled the room with a wonderful aroma of crushed black fruit. Very viscous, the mouthfeel was lush and the finish while not very long was sufficient and delightful All while trying to figure out a way to drink while keeping my nose in the glass! Since I was drinking this alone (my better half does not drink red wine........her loss!) I look forward to seeing how the rest of the bottle fares today on day 2.
Not sure this can get any better but am glad I have some left to find out and equally bummed I did not pick up more! Drink now or hold and more importantly enjoy!!
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A nice dark pour of a young Californian Merlot, it is inky and thick. The nose a this point is rather closed but fragrant in fruit and citrus. The taste is worth the wait, it has a sweet fruit and a chewy middle layer that has both Tannin and an acidic finish. Its has a remarkable long finish with lingering hints of coffee, chocolate and mint. 94, I could get used to this
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Clear dark purple with a ruby rim...very clean and pure fruit nose that does need some time to open showing some dark berry and light ripe dark plum. Again...this needed a little time to open up on the palate showing a nice fruit texture that was not assertive but had enough of a firm frame to highlight it.
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Drank at a tasting along with 9 other bottles. This was the surprise of the night. Merlots were/are not the favorite of the club. However, for the money and the grape, we wee all thoroughly impressed. Fruit forward, lacking a hugh finish. The wine was opened an hour before the meeting, but opened up even more after being in the glass.
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My recollection of this wine was alright but uninspired. A brief decant and 3 hours over which to down this bottle corrected my memory. Soft violets and cocoa on the nose, a silky merlot mouthfeel and solid balance of fruit/tanins give this a nice life and make it a pleasing wine.
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Nose: very nice and inviting wine. Plenty of fruit from cherries, blackberries, and blueberries. Appears to be aged in American Oak as cedar notes were also present.
Taste: Very nice. A smooth wine with a well rounded palate curve. Fruity but not too fruit forward. Slightly restrained and elegant. Some wood notes accompany the wine as well, but they are a supporting component to the great fruits.
Overall: Elegant merlot that is sure to be a hit with ladies. It's elegant and does not disappoint. This is my second tasting of this bottle and it remains consistent. 91 points.
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Good merlot, not superb. Balanced throughout as with all Shafer wines, it has notes of blackberries and rich on the midpalate. Tasted perhaps better on the second day.
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Restaurant pop and pour, started out with a little greenness to it, but not in a bad way. Currant, cherry, herbs, licorice and bitter chocolate. It got a little broader in profile with some time. Good structure, but not a whole lot of overt tannins... Overall and delicious and distinctive wine.
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The reviews have been all over the place on this wine. Here's my two cents. Very simple this wine is real nice. The nose itself is worth the price of admission. IF you like Merlot, you'll like this. I enjoyed over two days, sharing the second half with my sister-in-law who loved it. Enjoy.
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A pretty uneventful california merlot. Large scaled with notes of cedar and cassis on the nose. Not the longest finish, but pleasurable. The thing that I don't like about this wine is the overt use of oak. The fruit is nice, but covered up mostly by the oak treatment.
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Still not very good. Not up to par with previous vintages and not close to being worth the price tag. Very poor showing. Very hot on the finish and does not have the guts to last past the alcohol finish.
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Jemrose in New York City: A fine blend of maraschino cherry and chocolate on the nose is quickly joined by an earthy, sweaty, dirty tone on the nose then some red shale and both the alcohol and acidity are obvious on the nose, too bad. Sweet fruit attack, assertive, poorly integrated acid through the midpalate, short finish. This is what mass produced California wine is, not sure of the price or production number but this is good table wine with mass appeal but not for me.
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Just fabulous, the perfect combination of fruit and oak, it will be really interesting to see how this develops over the next few years - Dark purple, well concentrated with notes of strong plum, black fruit, chocolate, tobacco, euchalyptus, cedar and oak on the nose, amazing complexity and structure, smooth on the palate with noticeable tannins and a finish that lasts forever, magnificent! (93 Points).
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Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet France. Plums , spice, smoke and candied fruits on the nose. Real tightly wound fruits nice earth notes, but not enough structure for long-term aging. This one is a pass for me, especially at the price. foodandwineblog.com
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Tasting at Shafer: Shafer first produced this wine in 1983, and now produces about 10,000 cases annually. The 2005 is 86% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc and spent 20 months in oak. The Merlot comes from a vineyard in the Oak Knoll district, while the Cab Sauv and Franc come from a Carneros vineyard adjacent to the Red Should Ranch Vineyard. Bright cherry and plum notes, along with subtle spice and oak undertones. The palate is rich in red fruit, along with plum and spice flavors, with firm tannins supporting the fruit.
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Ordered off the menu at Glory (Andover, MA) - blended. Nose is spicy and a bit restrained. Nice primary flavors of mocha and leather to balance the berry fruit and spice. Rich mouth, light tanins leading to a short finish. Very nice, but too primary to draw an outstanding for my tastes.
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I have NO idea why this was rated in WS only 83 points. I guess that is the one big flaw in WS- it's only 1 person's opinion. This smells and tastes like a Cab w/o the big finish. Outstanding. My neighbor, who knows his vino's, thought it was a Hillside Select. Incredibly underrated. Not saying it's as good as the 04, but to give it only 83 pts is a travesty. Joke!Had
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I found this hot on the finish and a little lean. Not nearly the quality that I would expect from Shafer. I am going to keep the other bottles for at least a year. However, I dont think this is built to last. Parker says a decade. Not sure myself.
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Don't know why Tim Fish at WS gave this an 83! This is a big Merlot with tons of fruit and a long and smooth finish. Tried it after a 2001 Ch. St Jean Merlot and while still young, this showed up the St. Jean. I like them young and this will be hard to keep for very long.
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Another awesome Merlot from Shafer. Beautiful nose of berry, cherry and spice with a hint of mint. Big, juicy fruit with well balanced acidity and a long, lush finish.
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11/18/2023 - vinopad demo wrote:
- Brick color.
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11/7/2023 - vinopad demo wrote:
- Purple color. It's unbalanced with a medium finish.
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10/26/2023 - ShadowIII Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pleasant surprise, fill like new, dark fruit of blackberry, soft plum, cherry, hints of vanilla, very youthful, almost no secondary character, soft tannins, long finish
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2/15/2021 - Tarpon222 wrote: 91 Points
Thoroughly enjoyed. Amazing color with no real pricing. Last one! It was time.
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9/22/2018 - Rcolella Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great wine. Soft tannins with cherry and vanilla notes. Will balanced Merlot. Elegant. Great drink now.
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6/20/2018 - Hamersly Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp at dinner, drinking just beautifully. Dark cherries dominate, with a pleasant undercurrent of vanilla but very little oak. Medium bodied and elegant, with refined tannins and a wonderfully smooth finish. Fruit is not as bold as I remember from a few years ago, but it's by no means over the hill. Every time I open a Shafer Merlot or One Point Five with 12-15 years on it, I end up saying to myself "I could very happily drink this every day". Addendum - bottle opened in Sept 2018 was similar but with bigger fruit, 93/94.
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6/13/2018 - rwstorer wrote: 93 Points
- Aromas of cherry and cedar. It's balanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium/full body. Smooth texture - Really enjoyed this. Drinking beautifully right now. A classic.
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4/15/2018 - Tarpon222 wrote: 91 Points
Excellent
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4/1/2018 - jroberts86 wrote:
toasted caramel nose, fruit still bright and showing well. Mostly berry and bramble. lingering soft tannins.
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8/27/2017 - Rcolella Does not like this wine: flawed
Corked.
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7/17/2017 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Got somewhat lost in a large blind cab/merlot tasting. No notes, but remember liking this quite a bit.
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7/16/2017 - rocknroller wrote:
Cabs and Merlot or Blend from Anywhere (Heirloom, St.Paul, MN): Small taste, herbal, dill, cassis, kirsch, feels past.
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2/5/2016 - JCaress wrote: 92 Points
Quality merlot. Dark and rich. Enough cherry to separate it from cab.
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1/10/2016 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 90 Points
C: Ruby red with purple hues
N: Slightly perfumey with flowers like roses and lavender. Slightly herbaceous. Lots of dark berries and blueberries.
P: Moderate tannins (6.5/10) with a moderate body. Lots of dark fruits. Slight heat in the finish.
O: Still seems to need a couple more years to fully integrate.
Drink now till 2025
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1/10/2016 - cab blends Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. I think this is on a downhill trend so I would not keep cellaring.
Light perfume and cherry fruits on the nose. Medium to light medium body and red fruits on the palate. Lighter on the tannins 6.5/10.
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12/26/2015 - dpalmer77 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Waited the maximum recommended by RP when this wine first came out. My only regret is this was my last bottle.
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2/18/2015 - grapist Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark, aromatic and flavorful
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2/18/2015 - grapist Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with previous.
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1/30/2015 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted briefly and drank over three hours. Really balanced and silky merlot. Picked up body with air but might have liked it even better early on when it was crisper and livelier. Red fruited with some oak and notes of dark chocolate. Really liking the 2005 Cali vintage 10 years later.
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1/3/2015 - vinovin wrote: 91 Points
New Years 2015- mellow tannins. Beautiful dark berry and cacao on finish. So smooth
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5/31/2013 - rwstorer wrote: 91 Points
- Crimsom color and aromas of cherry, oak and vanilla. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of cherry, black currant and cedar - Similar note to previous.
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4/11/2013 - JCaress Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking well now. Dark berry and chocolate. Good finish, minimal tannins. Perfect with carnitas and peppers.
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3/19/2013 - sraders wrote: 91 Points
Love all of Shafer's wines and this is probably my favorite Merlot. Great body and lots of depth with excellent finish.
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1/18/2013 - Halfeel wrote: 94 Points
Incredibly smooth and well made Napa Valley merlot. Still drinking very well in 2013.
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11/11/2012 - QSilver wrote: 91 Points
Last bottle for us from this vintage. Smoky with silky smoothness. Outstanding merlot!
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8/9/2012 - grapedevine wrote: 90 Points
Wow in a glass. Big and brooding for a Merlot. Dark expressive cherry fruit, rich black fruits, cola, licorice & lots of spice on the finish with well integrated soft tannins. A bit of heat on the nose and palate at first but well disguised with the oak, expressive fruits, spice and everything nice. It is definitely California! Drink now and enjoy.
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6/22/2012 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 95 Points
If there is a better Napa merlot, I haven't found it. Smooth, full bodied, long finish and dark fruit. Excellent
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5/13/2012 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very smooth,good fruit and long finish.one of the best Cali Merlots, year and year out.
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2/5/2012 - deltacop wrote: 89 Points
Using Bucella as my favorite all merlot comparative, this was just a bottle of merlot. A bit disappointed by not having anything special about it. The nose was simple and not offering much. Taste was simple as well. Nothing harsh or off in anyway but nothing inwould look for again either. Enjoy!!!
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12/31/2011 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Served this with some Italian meats,fresh mozzarella and ravioli from Arthur Avenue. It was spectacular and smooth as always. One of the best Merlots on the market
The wine looks Purple colored.
The legs are Slow.
It tastes like and Cherry.
The body is Full.
The wine is textured Smooth.
The wine finishes Long.
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12/18/2011 - QSilver wrote: 91 Points
2-hours of decanting. Had an at-home family Christmas dinner. Complex but subtle. Not as "big California" as other vintages. Just an outstanding bottle.
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11/19/2011 - hoservin wrote: 90 Points
1.5 hour decant. Black cherry, currant, vanilla, and toasted oak on the nose and palate. Medium-to-full bodied. Dark fruit with smooth tannins on the mid-palate. Good structure. Soft, medium length, finish. Paired with roast beef.
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11/6/2011 - rwstorer wrote: 91 Points
Similar note to previous. Very consistent.
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9/23/2011 - limule wrote: 93 Points
Excellent,MJ et Dany,
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2/27/2011 - nighttrain99 wrote: 90 Points
Very good merlot
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2/15/2011 - Dive Shark wrote: 92 Points
This was a half-bottle. Decanted for only about 10 minutes, then it continued to soften beautifully in the glass. This showed dark fruit and slight tobacco/ tar on the nose. Flavor was the same with a bit of cedar on the finish. Blackberry and dark cherry seemed to be the most prominent fruit flavors. Tannins were chalky, but soft and well integrated...covered the whole palate. I would highly recommend Decanting. Probably will hold on another few years at least but really excellent currently!
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10/21/2010 - AllRed Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for about two hours. Cherry and red currant notes, hint of spice. Plush, silky mouthfeel, balanced. Lovely red fruit and spice notes on the palate. Drinking very well right now.
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8/28/2010 - godx wrote: 90 Points
Opened and served right away. Beautiful nose of plums and cherries with a good amount of funk. Flavours of red cherries, plums and earth. Soft and round in the mouth but with good amount of structure. Medium acidity and medium to full body. Drinking surprisingly well for its age. Drink or hold. Excellent. 90+
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4/24/2010 - psoals wrote: 88 Points
fruit perhaps fading a bit, a touch of heat peaking out around the edges.
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4/8/2010 - novicedave wrote: 92 Points
Smooth and delicious. Plenty of black fruits evident, but everthing just in great balance. Decanted for 60 minutes prior to drinking. Merlot has found a spot back in my favor. Glad I have a few more of these.
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2/27/2010 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
Very smooth, delicious, medium-bodied cherry, excellent structure, a little less comlplex
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12/12/2009 - rwstorer wrote: 92 Points
Same note as before. This gets better and better with age.
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11/18/2009 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
Napa Valley Masterclass with Greg Sherwood MW @ Handford Wines.
High alchohol , 14.5% . Dark deep ruby colour, yet smooth and round wine. Needs time in the decanter to open up but interesting to say the least
BTW it has like 30% in cab sauv and cab franc son not a pure merlot wine.
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10/4/2009 - cabdrinker wrote: 90 Points
Nice polished merlot. Plum, dark berries, herbal and floral notes of mint, eucalyptus, and rose pedal throughout. Soft velvety mouth feel not overly tannic but the alcohol (14.9) was very present and really never subsided. Solid, long finish.
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9/21/2009 - spretzer wrote: 90 Points
drank with Betty and Judd. Drinking very nicely now. Solid backbone, with good fruit.
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9/18/2009 - rwstorer wrote: 92 Points
Popped and run throught the Venturi. Nice aromas of black fruits and vanilla. Very pleasant to drink with smooth tanin and opulent fruit. Very enjoyable and drinking very well.
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9/11/2009 - gripNsip wrote: 90 Points
Ripe blackberry fruit with mushroom on the nose, very smooth and giving, very delicious smelling. Those fresh blackberries deliver nicely on the palate, light rosemary showing as well. Great mouthfeel. The problem is the heat comes in and whacks you over the head after this wine is swallowed. Once the alcohol burn goes away you are left with some nice fruit, and this opened up during dinner and got a bit heavier. If I had more I would sit on it a couple more years, but it is drinking well enough now. A enjoyable food wine.
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7/31/2009 - JGarofalo3 wrote: 92 Points
This wine is in a really really good place right now! While not an expert, you can tell when you are drinking something well made and this baby was it. One of the reasons why I love Shafer juice is their consistency across their portfolio.
Opened and allowed to breathe for about an hour before pouring, the wine immediately filled the room with a wonderful aroma of crushed black fruit. Very viscous, the mouthfeel was lush and the finish while not very long was sufficient and delightful All while trying to figure out a way to drink while keeping my nose in the glass! Since I was drinking this alone (my better half does not drink red wine........her loss!) I look forward to seeing how the rest of the bottle fares today on day 2.
Not sure this can get any better but am glad I have some left to find out and equally bummed I did not pick up more! Drink now or hold and more importantly enjoy!!
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7/3/2009 - winoj wrote: 93 Points
Drank with Alvin, fantastic!
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6/21/2009 - JCaress wrote: 92 Points
Very nice after 45 minutes decanting. Deep blue and blackberry with a good finish. Could develop further for perhaps another year.
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6/8/2009 - tendring wrote: 87 Points
Wine Education Service - The Napa Valley (LSE): A hint of age.
A rich nose with plum jam with prunes.
Spicy, fruity, oaky, alcoholic, medium length.
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5/11/2009 - OregonWineGeeks wrote: 94 Points
Monday, May 11, 2009
6:38 PM
A nice dark pour of a young Californian Merlot, it is inky and thick. The nose a this point is rather closed but fragrant in fruit and citrus. The taste is worth the wait, it has a sweet fruit and a chewy middle layer that has both Tannin and an acidic finish. Its has a remarkable long finish with lingering hints of coffee, chocolate and mint. 94, I could get used to this
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4/9/2009 - pgm wrote: 90 Points
Nice, letting the varietal come through: round cherry profile, a little tobacco, with a good green edge.
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4/1/2009 - Tejano wrote:
Clear dark purple with a ruby rim...very clean and pure fruit nose that does need some time to open showing some dark berry and light ripe dark plum. Again...this needed a little time to open up on the palate showing a nice fruit texture that was not assertive but had enough of a firm frame to highlight it.
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3/21/2009 - deltacop wrote: 91 Points
Have to up the score a notch. A nice wine. Enjoyed by family. Very nice.
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3/11/2009 - Double D wrote: 90 Points
I think this just needs more time, while pleasant it just doesn't satisfy as the 2001 or 2004.
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3/10/2009 - Bakeman wrote: 91 Points
Drank at a tasting along with 9 other bottles. This was the surprise of the night. Merlots were/are not the favorite of the club. However, for the money and the grape, we wee all thoroughly impressed. Fruit forward, lacking a hugh finish. The wine was opened an hour before the meeting, but opened up even more after being in the glass.
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1/18/2009 - mdefreitas wrote: 88 Points
Football & Merlot @ Howard's 2009 (Old Greenwich, CT): Medium bodied. Peppery. A bit thin on the palate, but thankfully not overdone.
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1/3/2009 - rpenn77 wrote: 88 Points
Pleasant but a relatively short finish. Decent fruit but just missed the mark.
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12/30/2008 - spretzer wrote: 90 Points
always enjoyable
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12/29/2008 - davidandrose wrote: 91 Points
My recollection of this wine was alright but uninspired. A brief decant and 3 hours over which to down this bottle corrected my memory. Soft violets and cocoa on the nose, a silky merlot mouthfeel and solid balance of fruit/tanins give this a nice life and make it a pleasing wine.
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12/14/2008 - Claudio161 wrote: 91 Points
Nose: very nice and inviting wine. Plenty of fruit from cherries, blackberries, and blueberries. Appears to be aged in American Oak as cedar notes were also present.
Taste: Very nice. A smooth wine with a well rounded palate curve. Fruity but not too fruit forward. Slightly restrained and elegant. Some wood notes accompany the wine as well, but they are a supporting component to the great fruits.
Overall: Elegant merlot that is sure to be a hit with ladies. It's elegant and does not disappoint. This is my second tasting of this bottle and it remains consistent. 91 points.
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11/14/2008 - JCaress wrote: 89 Points
Good merlot, not superb. Balanced throughout as with all Shafer wines, it has notes of blackberries and rich on the midpalate. Tasted perhaps better on the second day.
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11/13/2008 - pgm wrote: 91 Points
Restaurant pop and pour, started out with a little greenness to it, but not in a bad way. Currant, cherry, herbs, licorice and bitter chocolate. It got a little broader in profile with some time. Good structure, but not a whole lot of overt tannins... Overall and delicious and distinctive wine.
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11/7/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
Binny's California Night (Binny's, Highland Park IL): nose: very pretty nose with balanced tones of red cherries, blueberries, cedar tones, with bits of herbs and some cassis undercurrents
taste: smooth and polished feel with red cherries, blueberries, cassis, and some cedary/oak tones
overall: a very pretty merlot. Quintessentially californian, but has sensibilities of its own. Very smooth feel with an attractive red cherry finish
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10/21/2008 - AeroSKI5150 wrote: 90 Points
Top-notch merlot blend; not something I'd spend extra to drink at restaurant prices but well worth a $20-$30 investment for home consumption.
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10/19/2008 - deltacop wrote: 90 Points
The reviews have been all over the place on this wine. Here's my two cents. Very simple this wine is real nice. The nose itself is worth the price of admission. IF you like Merlot, you'll like this. I enjoyed over two days, sharing the second half with my sister-in-law who loved it. Enjoy.
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10/9/2008 - bubbachumps wrote: 88 Points
A pretty uneventful california merlot. Large scaled with notes of cedar and cassis on the nose. Not the longest finish, but pleasurable. The thing that I don't like about this wine is the overt use of oak. The fruit is nice, but covered up mostly by the oak treatment.
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9/28/2008 - JoshuaG wrote: 85 Points
Still not very good. Not up to par with previous vintages and not close to being worth the price tag. Very poor showing. Very hot on the finish and does not have the guts to last past the alcohol finish.
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9/3/2008 - Gregory Dal Piaz wrote: 86 Points
Jemrose in New York City: A fine blend of maraschino cherry and chocolate on the nose is quickly joined by an earthy, sweaty, dirty tone on the nose then some red shale and both the alcohol and acidity are obvious on the nose, too bad. Sweet fruit attack, assertive, poorly integrated acid through the midpalate, short finish. This is what mass produced California wine is, not sure of the price or production number but this is good table wine with mass appeal but not for me.
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9/1/2008 - sosgoodjhu wrote: 92 Points
another surprise from the tasting at Shafer as this wine showed quite well with lush plum and berry. very nicely balanced.
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8/27/2008 - JOsgood wrote: 91 Points
What a great California Merlot. Lush, ripe with mouth-filling flavors. Another great Shafer product.
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8/25/2008 - BradleyVV wrote:
i'm not a merlot guy, and this was great. a 5 on a 1-5 scale
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7/18/2008 - hudamang wrote: 89 Points
Massive fruit. There is still a lot of heat. Maybe wait another year or so and see if it mellows out. Lots of plum and chocolate with a smooth finish.
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6/21/2008 - Tarrant wrote: 93 Points
Just fabulous, the perfect combination of fruit and oak, it will be really interesting to see how this develops over the next few years - Dark purple, well concentrated with notes of strong plum, black fruit, chocolate, tobacco, euchalyptus, cedar and oak on the nose, amazing complexity and structure, smooth on the palate with noticeable tannins and a finish that lasts forever, magnificent! (93 Points).
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6/3/2008 - Mike Bates wrote: 89 Points
Bright red fruit on the nose. Plum, red cherry, with a touch of tobacco and chocolate. Pretty tight still but showing well.
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5/6/2008 - foodandwineblog wrote: 86 Points
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet France. Plums , spice, smoke and candied fruits on the nose. Real tightly wound fruits nice earth notes, but not enough structure for long-term aging. This one is a pass for me, especially at the price. foodandwineblog.com
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4/30/2008 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Tasting at Shafer: Shafer first produced this wine in 1983, and now produces about 10,000 cases annually. The 2005 is 86% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc and spent 20 months in oak. The Merlot comes from a vineyard in the Oak Knoll district, while the Cab Sauv and Franc come from a Carneros vineyard adjacent to the Red Should Ranch Vineyard. Bright cherry and plum notes, along with subtle spice and oak undertones. The palate is rich in red fruit, along with plum and spice flavors, with firm tannins supporting the fruit.
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4/30/2008 - JCaress wrote: 89 Points
Good fruit, still a tannin bite on the finish. Would do better in a year or two. Chocolate and vanilla notes.
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3/31/2008 - acctgdweeb001 wrote: 92 Points
Absolutely fabulous. Very different than most Merlot tasted more like a good cabernet.
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3/9/2008 - Cahill wrote: 89 Points
Ordered off the menu at Glory (Andover, MA) - blended. Nose is spicy and a bit restrained. Nice primary flavors of mocha and leather to balance the berry fruit and spice. Rich mouth, light tanins leading to a short finish. Very nice, but too primary to draw an outstanding for my tastes.
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3/7/2008 - EMichels wrote: 89 Points
Red Carpet Wine Tasting: Big fruit but it has some mineral (chalk?) that makes it sharp
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2/23/2008 - GPujia wrote: 92 Points
I have NO idea why this was rated in WS only 83 points. I guess that is the one big flaw in WS- it's only 1 person's opinion. This smells and tastes like a Cab w/o the big finish. Outstanding. My neighbor, who knows his vino's, thought it was a Hillside Select. Incredibly underrated. Not saying it's as good as the 04, but to give it only 83 pts is a travesty. Joke!Had
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1/25/2008 - rmackenzie wrote: 93 Points
Completely different from the first bottle. Fantastic. Better than the 04' Explosive berries on the palate with a leather, black plum aroma.
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12/14/2007 - vanmatthew wrote: 90 Points
Awesome nose, hint of red berries, cherry and a hint of spice. Great fruit and mid palate. But short finish.
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11/29/2007 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Binny's California Night (Highland Park): nose: nice silky and rich nose. Deep floral notes with some cherry and hints of blueberry. Very luscious nose
taste: wonderful silky mouthfeel. cherry, tart cranberry, and blueberry just coates your pallate
overall: super smooth with a great lasting finish. This wine is really polished and is a real joy to drink. Really damn good wine
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11/28/2007 - JoshuaG wrote: 86 Points
I found this hot on the finish and a little lean. Not nearly the quality that I would expect from Shafer. I am going to keep the other bottles for at least a year. However, I dont think this is built to last. Parker says a decade. Not sure myself.
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11/22/2007 - rmackenzie wrote: 87 Points
Not nearly as good as the 2004. Much more closed. Similar notes. Next time I may let it breathe longer.
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11/18/2007 - Bakeman wrote: 90 Points
Don't know why Tim Fish at WS gave this an 83! This is a big Merlot with tons of fruit and a long and smooth finish. Tried it after a 2001 Ch. St Jean Merlot and while still young, this showed up the St. Jean. I like them young and this will be hard to keep for very long.
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10/16/2007 - Ombibulous wrote: 88 Points
Cost $44. Smells a little like a Cab. Tastes a little like a Cab. Rich. Firm but moderated tannins. Smooth. Good aftertaste. Excellent (87.5).
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9/22/2007 - GolferChris wrote: 92 Points
Another awesome Merlot from Shafer. Beautiful nose of berry, cherry and spice with a hint of mint. Big, juicy fruit with well balanced acidity and a long, lush finish.
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9/20/2007 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
Frugal/First Steps Tasting (Nashville): Very smooth and luscious, but unidimensional.
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