Very dark red color, aromas of cassis and black cherry, medium weight, dense black fruit, tannins integrated, medium length fruit laden finish. Not as intense as it was in its younger days but quite elegant. Great with grilled lamb chops.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stunningly good... this bottle has finally opened up, tannins softened. Very expressive fruit, overall balance. inky colored, medium legs with light sediment in the bottle. I get black currant (cassis), prune and clove... medium/full bodied with long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Impressive as always. Very full and rounded in the mouth, the Klipsun drinks great right after pulling the cork. Strawberry jam and some spice, great fruit that just oozes out of the glass. Sweet tannins, the wine is well balanced. Medium-Short finish but with nice smoothness. A very good bottle that's drinking very well right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow, the 97 Klipsun has aged well. Color is dark orange, red, slightly brown. This wine is very cloudy and hazy, not surprising given the amount of fine sediment that is attached to the inside of the bottle. Nice dark red fruit, integrated well with oak, jammy, luscious, very soft tannins, with a short finish. Overall, the balance is great and this is a wonderful drinking Andrew Will. One of my better Andrew Will Merlot drinking experiences in the last two years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big and dense on first opening, with some noticeable oak. However the oak was much more integrated than a bottle I had three years ago and became even more integrated over time. Tons of fruit here, very dense dark fruit and spice notes. Nice tannins, good finish. The wine was overshadowed by a '97 Phelps Insignia served alongside of it, but not shamed at all. I think this one's about 2-3 years from peaking, but if you have a few try one - tasty stuff that's still on the upswing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
MI Wine Club Ultracollectible Dinner (Seattle, WA, USA): Gary brought this wine. Wow, this is jammy, black and awesome with sweet fruit and very nice grip, typical Klipsun. A number of folks mentioned "fruit cake" as a descriptor.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Out of the bottle this juice is remarkably dark and concentrated looking, one of the deepest purples I have ever seen on a new-world Merlot. At first it's not giving much fruit and is tight and dry with evident tannins. However, with a few hours in the decanter the nose starts to blossom, first gaining a note of celeriac and then later some more herbal, vegetal notes that I might expect with Merlot. There is also a piercing intensity, very floral that keeps this interesting. On the palate this is deep, intense, concentrated, fairly plush, yet somewhat brooding, with some dark chocolate. The finish is a powerhouse with 30 seconds of intense flavor and it's still dancing on the palate after 45 seconds. Fairly evident tannins still. Klipsun fruit is noted for fairly savage tannins, yet I would't characterize this wine in that way; rather it is fairly well resolved, tannins a bit stronger than fruit, fairly masculine, still has a fairly long life ahead. (day 3) This is still going strong, gaining some exciting complexity on the nose: wild strawberry and lavender. Very exotic. On the palate this is still dark with drying tannins on the finish. Definitely one of the best Washington Merlots I have ever tasted. Upgrading to 92.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
10/23/2021 - Phil P Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich delicious. I was surprised at how flavorful it was, I was afraid it might be too ok’d but it was great
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2019 - Schwarzer Hund Likes this wine:
Very dark red color, aromas of cassis and black cherry, medium weight, dense black fruit, tannins integrated, medium length fruit laden finish.
Not as intense as it was in its younger days but quite elegant. Great with grilled lamb chops.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/29/2015 - Gary Likes this wine: 90 Points
Stunningly good... this bottle has finally opened up, tannins softened. Very expressive fruit, overall balance.
inky colored, medium legs with light sediment in the bottle. I get black currant (cassis), prune and clove... medium/full bodied with long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2014 - Ron Slye wrote: 90 Points
Yet another one without detailed notes. Drinking well. Still a good deal of fruit, but also some nice secondary flavors. With Bryan and Junsen.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2013 - Ron Slye wrote:
Drank a few months ago. Remember liking it but not with enough detail to give a score or describe further.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2008 - 60ouvrees wrote:
Very slick, well made Washington merlot but this is just not my style.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2005 - Mark wrote: 91 Points
Impressive as always. Very full and rounded in the mouth, the Klipsun drinks great right after pulling the cork. Strawberry jam and some spice, great fruit that just oozes out of the glass. Sweet tannins, the wine is well balanced. Medium-Short finish but with nice smoothness. A very good bottle that's drinking very well right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2005 - Mark wrote: 90 Points
Wow, the 97 Klipsun has aged well. Color is dark orange, red, slightly brown. This wine is very cloudy and hazy, not surprising given the amount of fine sediment that is attached to the inside of the bottle. Nice dark red fruit, integrated well with oak, jammy, luscious, very soft tannins, with a short finish. Overall, the balance is great and this is a wonderful drinking Andrew Will. One of my better Andrew Will Merlot drinking experiences in the last two years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2004 - RickG wrote:
Big and dense on first opening, with some noticeable oak. However the oak was much more integrated than a bottle I had three years ago and became even more integrated over time. Tons of fruit here, very dense dark fruit and spice notes. Nice tannins, good finish. The wine was overshadowed by a '97 Phelps Insignia served alongside of it, but not shamed at all. I think this one's about 2-3 years from peaking, but if you have a few try one - tasty stuff that's still on the upswing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2004 - Eric wrote: 90 Points
MI Wine Club Ultracollectible Dinner (Seattle, WA, USA): Gary brought this wine. Wow, this is jammy, black and awesome with sweet fruit and very nice grip, typical Klipsun. A number of folks mentioned "fruit cake" as a descriptor.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2003 - Eric wrote: 92 Points
Out of the bottle this juice is remarkably dark and concentrated looking, one of the deepest purples I have ever seen on a new-world Merlot. At first it's not giving much fruit and is tight and dry with evident tannins. However, with a few hours in the decanter the nose starts to blossom, first gaining a note of celeriac and then later some more herbal, vegetal notes that I might expect with Merlot. There is also a piercing intensity, very floral that keeps this interesting. On the palate this is deep, intense, concentrated, fairly plush, yet somewhat brooding, with some dark chocolate. The finish is a powerhouse with 30 seconds of intense flavor and it's still dancing on the palate after 45 seconds. Fairly evident tannins still. Klipsun fruit is noted for fairly savage tannins, yet I would't characterize this wine in that way; rather it is fairly well resolved, tannins a bit stronger than fruit, fairly masculine, still has a fairly long life ahead. (day 3) This is still going strong, gaining some exciting complexity on the nose: wild strawberry and lavender. Very exotic. On the palate this is still dark with drying tannins on the finish. Definitely one of the best Washington Merlots I have ever tasted. Upgrading to 92.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment