A bit long in the tooth. Popped and poured. Still looks young, with no bricking on the edges. The taste, however, showed that it is declining a bit. Probably should have given it time to breathe, although it didn't seem to evolve over the two or three hours while the bottle was consumed.
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I haven’t had this in 7-1/2 years, but it’s hitting full stride today. At almost 12 years, this is mature, but still shows a youthful color and appearance: clear, deep ruby, no signs of bricking. Pronounced and complex aromas and flavors: beautiful purple violets, spicy red currant, cocoa powder, stewed red plum, dried red cherry, ground cinnamon, dried red earth, mixed herbs, decaying oak mulch, and some dried leaves. Tannin, acid, and fruit all in perfect balance. Follows through with a huge and long finish. Stood up to a grilled Ribeye steak. An outstanding California Merlot, this will not benefit from further cellaring, but it could drink well for another 2-3 years if cellared properly.
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Aging really well - only needed about 2 hours to fully flesh out and integrate everything. Classic merlot fruit and nose. Finish was nice but not epic. This wine has a suede mouthfeel and coats nicely. Fun!
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Last bottle from Shafer’s 2007 vintage merlot. Served with grilled lamb in a tamarind glaze. The old merlot still had enough fruit, acidity and structure to hang with a complex dish with a lot of flavors. That said, this vintage is starting to fade away, the finish is shorter and the tannins are fading. Drink up soon as it still is a solid merlot.
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Whoa, this is a big wine. Clocking in at 14.9% ABV, the alcohol is definitely noticeable, bordering on hot. The fruit is lush and ripe. The oak is well integrated. Had the ABV come in a little lower, this would've been a much more pleasant experience.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of cassis, plum and black pepper. Flavors of plum,, black berries and black raspberries. Medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink over the next few years.
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At peak. Last of six bottles purchased years ago. Oddly perhaps, though it's drinking very well, we didn't love it. We have this now because we appreciate aged wines, but there was a nerve in the younger bottles that this wine, elegant as it is now, lacks.
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Pnp. Cellared since release. No need to wait on these. This is ready to go. Tannins are nearly non-existent and the fruit is velvety soft yet powerfully complex. A great merlot. This wine leaves me speechless. We cellar wine for a reason, and catching wines in their optimal zone is what i reach for. I reached correctly on this night. This one is certainly in my zone. Drink now and for the next year.
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It gets a lot better than my last bottle. Superb nose with sweet plum, berries, licorice. Very powerful, sweet tannins, firm structure, meaty and chucky, but still very smooth, complex mid palate with waves of dark fruits, herbs, licorice, coffee mocha, balanced with delicious acidity. Overall impression - powerful but still soft. A great wine!
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Red brick in appearance with great legs. Fragrances of blackberry and violets. From the moment the fragrance washed over us we knew we were in the presence of a great wine. The wine is very balanced with black fruits and spices.Well integrated and could age longer but is delicious as is. No one guessed it was a Merlot.
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Dinner and Tasting @ 83 1/2 - Triple Play of Bordeaux Varietals. One of 8 wines we had for 10 people, and one of two that was not tasted blind.
Very much enjoyed this CA Merlot. A touch softer than the Cabernet Sauvignons that we tried. Nicely balanced, medium tannins and acidity. Good with food, or just for sipping. As it was a late decision to open this bottle, it was popped and poured with no chance to breathe.
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Nose of dark berry fruits, smoke, wood, game & spice. Big & soft mouthfeel but great balance. Dark berries, blackberry, black cherry, game, herb and rich mocha spice. Well integrated soft tannins to medium finish.
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this is a good california style merlot. strong, concentrated fruit, smooth mouth feel, soft tannins and a good finish. Oak was a bit much at first but calmed down after about an hour. not at all like its cousin on the right bank of Bordeaux, but a polished wine nonetheless.
Nose of roasted meats, herbs and blackberry. Beautiful wine, well integrated silky tannins, smooth, big and supple. Black berry, blackcherry and roasted herbs, Long finish.
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Wow....is this really a Merlot??? What a concentrated and expressive wine! Pleasant nose, loads of spice, ripe red fruit. Well balanced, with firm tannins and a lengthy enjoyable finish, that goes on and on and on. Still quite young, with plenty of aging potential...
Shafer wines rock!
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Too bad that Merlot is loosing some of its success because this Shafer is a beauty, great balance and nice dark fruit and a nice change from the usual Napa Cab.
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A very unexpected "wow"! Bold fruit right out of the bottle, but perhaps a bit too boozy for my taste. Decanting (aerating) really helped both mellow out the alcohol and bring out the subtly of flavors. And what flavor! Nice jammy red fruit with earthy undertones. Quite unexpected from a Merlot. Paired amazingly with a hearty lasagne (also unexpected). Wish we had another bottle, but the one we had was a gift. Buy it if you find it.
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Deep purple color; opaque. Viscous. Dark-fruited scents pour from the wine in the glass. At the start and in mid-palate this is juicy with ripe dark fruits--dark plum mostly. Slightly bitter on the finish. A little earthy and buffered by some minerality this performs so much better than the Simi Merlot from the same vintage. Still, in most instances I would choose a Pinot Noir, Syrah, or blended red wine over a Merlot and most Cabernets. This matched fairly well with broiled lamb chop and with a sharp Tillamook Cheddar cheese.
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In a word delicious. Nice big chocolaty nose with tobacco and vanilla notes. Palate is richly fruited with a mix of red and black fruit - more tobacco, spice and earth notes add flavor complexity. Good structure frames the fruit and provides freshness across the palate. Nice flavorful long finish. Guessing this one is best drunk young.
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Similar notes, although I had a less favorable overall impression than the last time I tried his, probably due to a change in tastes. Ripe blackberry, raspberry, cocoa, and earthy vanilla on the nose. Mouth-coating palate of ripe black cherry, chocolate, and smokey spices. Ok acidity and a plush, fruity finish.
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Delicious wine. Excellent nose. The palate has a great burst of dark fruit and a smooth texture. Very fruit forward wine with quite a bit of sweetness. Falls just short of being over the top. Ready to drink now but certainly has the stuffing to age a little longer. However, I don't know if this wine will benefit much from additional cellaring.
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Opened 3 hrs, then decanted, drank over the next hour. Dark purple color, no signs of ageing. Nose is somewhat restrained, but shows plum, and dark berries. The tannins are well integrated and the velvety tannins show through (tasted throughout and the 3 hours really helped smoothen the wine). Not much of a finish, which is why I don't score higher.
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Another amazing bottle from Shafer, fabulous teetering on the edge of 'over the top', but at the end of the day extremely delicious and enjoyable - Dark, full bodied with a nose of extreme plum, blackfruit, cigar box, mocha and vanilla, excellent structure and complexity, balanced with a touch of heat, velvety smooth on the palate with terrific length, nice! (92 Points).
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Deep ruby color. Herb nose. Plum, tobacco, cherry, oaky finsih. Feels like a few years is needed here for the oak to recede a bit, but a lovely wine right now.
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Awesome wine. Not cheap but a nice treat. Well balanced and don't notice the 14.9% alc. Drinking well now but a few ,ore years of cellaring may integrate the oak more.
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[Note: drank half-bottle format, popped and poured]
Vary dark purple color; full body, thick texture. Heavy on the tongue. Tons of oak. Some smoke and cassis on the nose. On the palate tastes of plum, blackberry, cherry, vanilla. Was very smooth and well integrated. Tannins were fairly balanced. Nice wine!
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Good, but with a little bit of a strange, and hard to pinpoint, aftertaste for the first hour open. Aftertaste seemed to fade after a bit of time open, but the bottle just wasn't as good as I recall prior bottles.
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Dark, opaque purple color; full body, thick texture . Lots of smoke, asphalt, cassis, and cedar on the nose, that lead to plum, black cherry, dark berries, spice and cocoa on the palate. Smooth, rich, and easy drinking with a rounded tannic structure. Very nice lingering finish of spicy cocoa.
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Lots of fruits, dark berries, spices... actually really spicy... If blind I would almost think this is a Cab. Cery enjoyable now but the acidity in it suggests its got a few more years ahead of itself
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Much more even handed than the 08 which is huge with fruit. Yeah, dark cherry, cherry cola, tobacco, nice yet very approachable structure and a little spice on the finish. Drank over the course of two hours with Kelly and this remained pretty tight and wound up the entire time. Quite a world apart from the 2008 in terms of sheer hedonism, but the acid here really stands tall and suggests loads of time ahead.
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Right out of the gate quite hot but nice tobacco on the nose and palate. After a few minutes it settled down and had prominent toasty oak. Over the next 30 minutes began to focus on cherry cola. Very fruit forward but well integrated oak and enough weight to balance it out. Day 2 less cherry and more cola. Very enjoyable wine if you like this style.
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Au nez et au goût, on perçoit des notes de caramel, de torréfaction sur fonds de fruits rouges. En bouche, c'est la Californie sans sur-extraction. Belle longueur, ça reste équilibré et agréable sans rien réinventer.
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Racy & hot, I was surprised how powerful this was for a merlot. Big fan of Shafer, but didn't love this one - agree with others it's a fruit bomb, almost trying to be a Cabernet rather than relaxing into its own as a supple Merlot.
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A full mouthful of dark fruit and a long and lingering finish. Very nice, and held its own against the Switchback from the night before. A true Shafer wine.
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Very pure strawberry, fresh herbs, light floral notes, beautiful elegant nose; mouth is concentrated, layered, but not heavy; there are fine tannins, good acidity and excellent structure. Well balanced and a formidable merlot for sure.
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Two words: FRUIT BOMB! Tons of ripe dark fruit and spicy oak. Acidity is still prevalent, keeping the fruit lively. Easy drinker, almost too easy. Needs a good Texas BBQ to contend with all the spicy fruit.
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Drank out of 375 purchased from the winery December 2010. Dark plum color. Nose of gamey meat, leather, candied cherry. Tannis rip on the palate. Tart cranberry attack, leads into a pleasantly dry midpalate with a heat-spike on the midpalate, but it's backed up with a lush mouthfeel, and a long bitter mocha finish. All in all an enjoyable wine that could probably use more time in bottle to soften the edges. Pleasant experience from shafer as usual.
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Drank over a 2 hr. decant. Meaty, with a little heat on the nose. Deep garnet color to the edge. Medium-high acidity and a bit more residual alcohol than I prefer, with nicely integrated tannins. Fruit gradually disappears over decant. Front of the palate has a savory character with a mid-palate of tobacco & leather and some dark chocolate on the finish. Silky mouth-feel develops over time in the decanter. Really enjoyed this wine, but missed the bigger fruit of some other merlot producers and was hoping for a longer finish.
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This wine is really good. Super smooth tannins, Rich Powerful fruit. Beautiful dark fruit w/ creamy vanilla and spicy oak flavors. Maybe a bit over oaked for me. Also this wine come across a little hot for me. If the alchol was under control this would be a 93 point wine.
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This was really nice, and a good step up from the '06. Beautiful, translucent ruby-violet in the glass, and giving off a big nose of dark fruits and spring flowers from the initial pour. Lush mouthfeel, with vanilla and a spicy oak note overlaying a wealth of rich CA fruit. Just a little chocolate on the finish, but definitely not a chocolate shake. The vanilla might be a bit prominent for some, but I didn't mind it and would also expect it to fade a bit with more time in bottle. Again, this was really enjoyable to my palate and I'll be looking to add more to the cellar.
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Dark red; sunny burned nose; soft, velvety, licorice, lots of fruit/berries, slightly soft drink like, young; straightforward, nice, good value for money
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Shafer Vineyards Seminar with Doug Shafer (Lincoln Park Binnys Tasting Room): Soft nose of red fruit, plum, violets, some very light mint and plenty of coffee and mocha. Suave tannins, but very young and full of life. Some pleasant greeness and cofee on the back end. Complex and very suave. Approachable now or put away for a few years, depending on your preference. Excellent but does not have the intense concentration of fruit like the rest of Shafer's wines.
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nose - sweet oak, dark berry, a suggestion of deliciousness coming... mouth - open for several hours, midbodied, long juicy berry fruit on the midpalate as well as tea with slowly building dry backend tannins. more restrained than expected
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Loved the nose of cassia, fruit and vanilla with an earthy overtone. Sweetness, oak and balanced tannins on the palate quickly became overcome by heat. Maybe it's young, maybe the spice of the jerk pork meal exaggerated the heat, but I think I paid $45 for a $30 merlot.
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Drank with home made Italian dinner (on Thanksgiving weekend), paired well with rich pasta sauce. Blackberry & elderberry, slight oak with creme de cassis. A bit on the green side at this time. Needs 3-5 years of cellaring, certainly the makings of a typical high-test, dynamic Shafer juice.
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Enjoyed a great bottle with an Italian meal. The bottle could use some more age, but the wine has a lot of depth and complexity. Looking forward to trying some more down the road.
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Enjoyed with friends at Houston's. Good purple color. Not a very big nose, but this wine is a direct hit with its tasty purity of fruit. The moderate oak and pleasant finish helps to further distinguish itself.
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A visit to Shafer (Shafer Winery, Napa CA): Ruby/garnet in color, clear and bright. Very tight nose, maybe some cherries. Juicy texture which is nice. The palate has lots of oak, cherries and pretty straight forward. Slightly green notes emerge. Medium tannins. Searing oak. With air, it smooths out a bit. Just nothing special here. I know lots of people would like this a lot though.
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Anther showcase of how good '07 was. Expressive nose of black cherry, cocoa powder, baking spice and vanilla. In the mouth, medium bodied, great mouthfeel and ripe berry fruit flavors that linger. Much improved from the 06.
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Earthy blackberry, plum, cherry, and mocha with a hint of vanilla and spices. Lots of fruit on the palate that isn't too ripe or jammy and is nicely balanced by earthy, smoky flavors. Moderate tannins give nice structure but remain very smooth. Good acidity and medium plus finish. Very nice.
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Soft floral notes with small berry fruits and a touch of soft plum; then goes from vanilla to coffee on the palate; medium bodied, sticky tannins, and really a lot going on. A bit oaky, but mixes well with this wine.
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COLOR: Deep ruby w/ruby miniscus NOTE: Nice spicy plum cake nose w/cherry tobacco, a little meat juice. Mouth has nice glycerin, is quite tannic and a bit hotter than prior vintages. Finish is a nicely bitter 65% cocoa powder mixed with blackberry jam. 14 months in barrel, mostly new oak.
DECANT: 1 hour GLASS USED: Bordeaux TASTE: 9.0 COST: 48 VALUE: 5.0 TRY AGAIN: 2012 PAIRING: Winery says to put it with grilled salmon?
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PnP. Spot on with previous CT note. Muted cherries on nose with some vanilla. Soft medium intensity, straight line, almost pure cherry fruit on palate. Some acidity, but I do not sense tartness. No complexity or finesse. No mineral. Texturally bland, lacks dimension. If you're looking for a big fruit, soft merlot without edges this is not bad.
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My favorite merlot that I have tried. Berry and cherry with a touch of chocolate. Full to medium bodied with plenty of backbone. Decanted for 1 hour. Had a glass the following day and it only got better.
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Nose of dark cherry and some smoky, charred qualities. Just a hint of licorice. Powerful nose. On the palate, it's much lighter, exhibiting some pinot noir fruit. Some currant and light vanilla as well. Lots of red berries. It's a pretty merlot. - Tasted at Khoury's 6/2/10
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This was impressive, with bright cherry and earth aromas. On the palate, it had nice blackberry and black cherry fruit, earth with a touch of something vegetal.
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It's got an ink dark ruby color that gradually lightens toward the edges with a viscous consistency indicating a high alcohol content but doesn't go over the top on the nose. In fact, it exhibits a fresh whiff of red cherry, raspberry and vanilla. The palate has a core of jammy red cherry, licorice, sandalwood and almonds over a smooth, silky texture with enough grip to hold a lengthy finish. This is just excellent, and if you can't find the 2008 vintage, get this. Drink now until 2015.
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Have to say, I am very impressed by this wine - to my surprise. Wonderful nose, with black fruit notes and good oak (restraint won out here). On the palate, this wine has a good backbone and a long finish. Mid-palate is also Right now, since it's so young, it has pretty pronounced tannins, but with decanting it's definitely enjoyable. However, with a few more years, this wine will only get better.
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Inky dark ruby full bodied merlot with a fragrant blackberry jam nose, graphite, loam. The taste sweet fruit, very tangy acidic middle with tannic finish, oaky. The Shafer Merlots are one of my favorite each year and the 2007 is of the same quality, will be even better next year. 93, Shafer Rocks
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Did not take notes, and it was a few days ago, but this was a very rich, full-flavored merlot with terrific balance and good structure. Multiple layers of vibrant flavors - berry, spice, earth and oak. Delicious!
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9/23/2020 - IndyTom Likes this wine: 88 Points
A bit long in the tooth. Popped and poured. Still looks young, with no bricking on the edges. The taste, however, showed that it is declining a bit. Probably should have given it time to breathe, although it didn't seem to evolve over the two or three hours while the bottle was consumed.
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5/16/2020 - Winiac wrote: flawed
The bottle was corked.
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4/20/2020 - Winiac wrote: 89 Points
Flavorful wine, but the flavors are not very focused. Spicy, and also alcohol got away from them and somewhat hot. Medium length.
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1/10/2020 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Thick rich full bodied cherry fruit bomb. And we loved it. When the cork broke I feared the worst but it held the seal.
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6/30/2019 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very similar to my last bottle 6 months ago. Drink up.
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6/1/2019 - wmccone54 wrote: 93 Points
I haven’t had this in 7-1/2 years, but it’s hitting full stride today. At almost 12 years, this is mature, but still shows a youthful color and appearance: clear, deep ruby, no signs of bricking. Pronounced and complex aromas and flavors: beautiful purple violets, spicy red currant, cocoa powder, stewed red plum, dried red cherry, ground cinnamon, dried red earth, mixed herbs, decaying oak mulch, and some dried leaves. Tannin, acid, and fruit all in perfect balance. Follows through with a huge and long finish. Stood up to a grilled Ribeye steak. An outstanding California Merlot, this will not benefit from further cellaring, but it could drink well for another 2-3 years if cellared properly.
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4/18/2019 - norsktorsk wrote: 92 Points
This is drinking very nice at the moment.
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2/23/2019 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Aging really well - only needed about 2 hours to fully flesh out and integrate everything. Classic merlot fruit and nose. Finish was nice but not epic. This wine has a suede mouthfeel and coats nicely. Fun!
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12/25/2017 - acorelli wrote:
nice, but not complex. 90ish
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12/22/2017 - wine4lux Likes this wine: 91 Points
Last bottle from Shafer’s 2007 vintage merlot. Served with grilled lamb in a tamarind glaze. The old merlot still had enough fruit, acidity and structure to hang with a complex dish with a lot of flavors. That said, this vintage is starting to fade away, the finish is shorter and the tannins are fading. Drink up soon as it still is a solid merlot.
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12/31/2016 - callmeacab22 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big and powerful, either at it's peak or a bit beyond. A fantastic wine but drink now.
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8/22/2016 - Tige wrote: 88 Points
Un bon merlot mais c'est un peu sucré et lourd. Je recommande de prévoir un plat sucré pour accompagner ce vin. QPR pas très intéressant.
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7/7/2016 - tastark Likes this wine:
Whoa, this is a big wine. Clocking in at 14.9% ABV, the alcohol is definitely noticeable, bordering on hot. The fruit is lush and ripe. The oak is well integrated. Had the ABV come in a little lower, this would've been a much more pleasant experience.
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5/3/2016 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of cassis, plum and black pepper. Flavors of plum,, black berries and black raspberries. Medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink over the next few years.
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4/19/2016 - JBD wrote: 93 Points
Really fabulous.
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4/19/2016 - Neecies Likes this wine:
At peak. Last of six bottles purchased years ago. Oddly perhaps, though it's drinking very well, we didn't love it. We have this now because we appreciate aged wines, but there was a nerve in the younger bottles that this wine, elegant as it is now, lacks.
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4/1/2016 - gigmoney Likes this wine:
Pnp. Cellared since release. No need to wait on these. This is ready to go. Tannins are nearly non-existent and the fruit is velvety soft yet powerfully complex. A great merlot. This wine leaves me speechless. We cellar wine for a reason, and catching wines in their optimal zone is what i reach for. I reached correctly on this night. This one is certainly in my zone. Drink now and for the next year.
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3/13/2016 - Hawk94 Likes this wine: 93 Points
It gets a lot better than my last bottle. Superb nose with sweet plum, berries, licorice. Very powerful, sweet tannins, firm structure, meaty and chucky, but still very smooth, complex mid palate with waves of dark fruits, herbs, licorice, coffee mocha, balanced with delicious acidity. Overall impression - powerful but still soft. A great wine!
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11/14/2015 - Steve&Carolyn Likes this wine: 92 Points
Red brick in appearance with great legs. Fragrances of blackberry and violets. From the moment the fragrance washed over us we knew we were in the presence of a great wine. The wine is very balanced with black fruits and spices.Well integrated and could age longer but is delicious as is. No one guessed it was a Merlot.
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10/12/2015 - Eags25 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big but elegant - still great fruit and long finish. Excellent.
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9/25/2015 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark, sweet cherry, medium finish
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7/29/2015 - TXtea wrote: 89 Points
With Vivian & Peter & Ebiz
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7/27/2015 - Sonoffalstaff wrote: 91 Points
Brubron and evanrose have this just right. Californian merlot at its luscious best. Not the most complex wine but just lovely.
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7/10/2015 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Thick, rich and luscious.
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3/21/2015 - EvanRose wrote: 93 Points
Fruit forward, long, lush mouth feel, good finish
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3/18/2015 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dinner and Tasting @ 83 1/2 - Triple Play of Bordeaux Varietals. One of 8 wines we had for 10 people, and one of two that was not tasted blind.
Very much enjoyed this CA Merlot. A touch softer than the Cabernet Sauvignons that we tried. Nicely balanced, medium tannins and acidity. Good with food, or just for sipping. As it was a late decision to open this bottle, it was popped and poured with no chance to breathe.
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10/3/2014 - Eags25 wrote: 91 Points
Nose of dark berry fruits, smoke, wood, game & spice. Big & soft mouthfeel but great balance. Dark berries, blackberry, black cherry, game, herb and rich mocha spice. Well integrated soft tannins to medium finish.
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9/27/2014 - Jurgens wrote: 92 Points
Very good
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9/12/2014 - John McCabe wrote: 90 Points
Some coffee and dark chocolate notes, a bit gritty and strident. Will benefit from more mobbke age. A bit closed down right now, even after decanting.
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8/2/2014 - jfurey21 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Yummy. Nice with pizza. I enjoyed this
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7/25/2014 - brubron Likes this wine:
this is a good california style merlot. strong, concentrated fruit, smooth mouth feel, soft tannins and a good finish. Oak was a bit much at first but calmed down after about an hour. not at all like its cousin on the right bank of Bordeaux, but a polished wine nonetheless.
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4/19/2014 - Eags25 wrote: 92 Points
Nose of roasted meats, herbs and blackberry. Beautiful wine, well integrated silky tannins, smooth, big and supple. Black berry, blackcherry and roasted herbs, Long finish.
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4/8/2014 - Double D wrote: 94 Points
Ditto previous, wonderful balance, soft dark fruit, no harsh or alcoholic edge.
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3/11/2014 - Barbaro wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. This is a big Merlot. Seems to be a Merlot trying to be a Cabernet.
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9/28/2013 - folsomarndt wrote: 92 Points
Wow....is this really a Merlot??? What a concentrated and expressive wine! Pleasant nose, loads of spice, ripe red fruit. Well balanced, with firm tannins and a lengthy enjoyable finish, that goes on and on and on. Still quite young, with plenty of aging potential...
Shafer wines rock!
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9/25/2013 - iawcc wrote: 91 Points
Always a pleasure drinking Shafet. Plenty of fruit and body with this wine. One big merlot.
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9/7/2013 - Double D wrote: 94 Points
Too bad that Merlot is loosing some of its success because this Shafer is a beauty, great balance and nice dark fruit and a nice change from the usual Napa Cab.
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4/7/2013 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured and it was great right away and kept getting better. I think this is drinking awesome right now.
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4/5/2013 - elarmann wrote:
Smooth with strong finish. Not a dry Merlot
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3/12/2013 - ellars wrote:
A very unexpected "wow"! Bold fruit right out of the bottle, but perhaps a bit too boozy for my taste. Decanting (aerating) really helped both mellow out the alcohol and bring out the subtly of flavors. And what flavor! Nice jammy red fruit with earthy undertones. Quite unexpected from a Merlot. Paired amazingly with a hearty lasagne (also unexpected). Wish we had another bottle, but the one we had was a gift. Buy it if you find it.
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2/22/2013 - wondersofwine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep purple color; opaque. Viscous. Dark-fruited scents pour from the wine in the glass. At the start and in mid-palate this is juicy with ripe dark fruits--dark plum mostly. Slightly bitter on the finish. A little earthy and buffered by some minerality this performs so much better than the Simi Merlot from the same vintage. Still, in most instances I would choose a Pinot Noir, Syrah, or blended red wine over a Merlot and most Cabernets. This matched fairly well with broiled lamb chop and with a sharp Tillamook Cheddar cheese.
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1/23/2013 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
In a word delicious. Nice big chocolaty nose with tobacco and vanilla notes. Palate is richly fruited with a mix of red and black fruit - more tobacco, spice and earth notes add flavor complexity. Good structure frames the fruit and provides freshness across the palate. Nice flavorful long finish. Guessing this one is best drunk young.
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10/11/2012 - cartime wrote: 90 Points
Similar notes, although I had a less favorable overall impression than the last time I tried his, probably due to a change in tastes. Ripe blackberry, raspberry, cocoa, and earthy vanilla on the nose. Mouth-coating palate of ripe black cherry, chocolate, and smokey spices. Ok acidity and a plush, fruity finish.
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10/2/2012 - Outplaying wrote:
Dark fruits, cigar box, oak, chocolate. Fairly rich and ripe but not over the top. Good structure. Should drink well for a few more years.
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8/27/2012 - Adam T 12 wrote: 91 Points
Solid wine, opened up nicely after a 2 hr decant. Lots of fruit, very smooth.
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8/10/2012 - toddmk wrote:
Delicious wine. Excellent nose. The palate has a great burst of dark fruit and a smooth texture. Very fruit forward wine with quite a bit of sweetness. Falls just short of being over the top. Ready to drink now but certainly has the stuffing to age a little longer. However, I don't know if this wine will benefit much from additional cellaring.
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8/1/2012 - Double D wrote: 94 Points
Still one of the best Merlots around...rich with a touch of sweetness and very well balanced...worked great with homemade gaspacho.
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6/21/2012 - KenPlace wrote: 91 Points
Opened 3 hrs, then decanted, drank over the next hour. Dark purple color, no signs of ageing. Nose is somewhat restrained, but shows plum, and dark berries. The tannins are well integrated and the velvety tannins show through (tasted throughout and the 3 hours really helped smoothen the wine). Not much of a finish, which is why I don't score higher.
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6/10/2012 - Tarrant wrote: 92 Points
Another amazing bottle from Shafer, fabulous teetering on the edge of 'over the top', but at the end of the day extremely delicious and enjoyable - Dark, full bodied with a nose of extreme plum, blackfruit, cigar box, mocha and vanilla, excellent structure and complexity, balanced with a touch of heat, velvety smooth on the palate with terrific length, nice! (92 Points).
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5/13/2012 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Really smooth and flavorful. Oak added a nice componenet to the NY Strip, but it could stand some time to integrate if that is your preference.
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4/28/2012 - danielbleier wrote: 90 Points
Deep ruby color. Herb nose. Plum, tobacco, cherry, oaky finsih. Feels like a few years is needed here for the oak to recede a bit, but a lovely wine right now.
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4/1/2012 - Chateau du Fey 1994 wrote: 93 Points
Awesome wine. Not cheap but a nice treat. Well balanced and don't notice the 14.9% alc. Drinking well now but a few ,ore years of cellaring may integrate the oak more.
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2/23/2012 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ruby red and full bodied. Great earthy aroma and a great finish on the palate
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2/6/2012 - Jgrubb wrote: 92 Points
Great wine from a great producer.
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2/3/2012 - chuckk Likes this wine: 89 Points
[Note: drank half-bottle format, popped and poured]
Vary dark purple color; full body, thick texture. Heavy on the tongue. Tons of oak. Some smoke and cassis on the nose. On the palate tastes of plum, blackberry, cherry, vanilla. Was very smooth and well integrated. Tannins were fairly balanced. Nice wine!
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2/3/2012 - jcasey555 wrote: 91 Points
- Brick color.
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1/21/2012 - cknibb wrote: 93 Points
Supple, easy fruit, vanilla - this wine a so nice and easy to drink. Good juice! It's drinking great right now.
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1/2/2012 - awise45 wrote: 88 Points
Good, but with a little bit of a strange, and hard to pinpoint, aftertaste for the first hour open. Aftertaste seemed to fade after a bit of time open, but the bottle just wasn't as good as I recall prior bottles.
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12/24/2011 - wmccone54 wrote: 90 Points
Dark, opaque purple color; full body, thick texture . Lots of smoke, asphalt, cassis, and cedar on the nose, that lead to plum, black cherry, dark berries, spice and cocoa on the palate. Smooth, rich, and easy drinking with a rounded tannic structure. Very nice lingering finish of spicy cocoa.
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11/27/2011 - awise45 wrote: 92 Points
Really love this wine -- full and rich and wonderful with food. Rich collection of light fruits with a ribbon of vanilla throughout.
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11/14/2011 - signotim wrote: 90 Points
berries and spice and everything nice. hints of bubble gum on the nose and palate.
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11/12/2011 - vinodonpedro wrote: 90 Points
Lots of fruits, dark berries, spices... actually really spicy... If blind I would almost think this is a Cab. Cery enjoyable now but the acidity in it suggests its got a few more years ahead of itself
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10/30/2011 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Much more even handed than the 08 which is huge with fruit. Yeah, dark cherry, cherry cola, tobacco, nice yet very approachable structure and a little spice on the finish. Drank over the course of two hours with Kelly and this remained pretty tight and wound up the entire time. Quite a world apart from the 2008 in terms of sheer hedonism, but the acid here really stands tall and suggests loads of time ahead.
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10/30/2011 - Etonian wrote: 93 Points
Right out of the gate quite hot but nice tobacco on the nose and palate. After a few minutes it settled down and had prominent toasty oak. Over the next 30 minutes began to focus on cherry cola. Very fruit forward but well integrated oak and enough weight to balance it out. Day 2 less cherry and more cola. Very enjoyable wine if you like this style.
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10/22/2011 - vinodonpedro wrote: 90 Points
fruit forward.. nice wine. A bit of vanilla mixed with fresh berries
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10/17/2011 - Tige wrote: 90 Points
Au nez et au goût, on perçoit des notes de caramel, de torréfaction sur fonds de fruits rouges. En bouche, c'est la Californie sans sur-extraction. Belle longueur, ça reste équilibré et agréable sans rien réinventer.
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10/8/2011 - Kraigers1 wrote: 88 Points
Racy & hot, I was surprised how powerful this was for a merlot. Big fan of Shafer, but didn't love this one - agree with others it's a fruit bomb, almost trying to be a Cabernet rather than relaxing into its own as a supple Merlot.
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9/18/2011 - pkbackman wrote: 90 Points
Fruit forward style, but not over the top
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9/18/2011 - awise45 wrote: 92 Points
A full mouthful of dark fruit and a long and lingering finish. Very nice, and held its own against the Switchback from the night before. A true Shafer wine.
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9/15/2011 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Very pure strawberry, fresh herbs, light floral notes, beautiful elegant nose; mouth is concentrated, layered, but not heavy; there are fine tannins, good acidity and excellent structure. Well balanced and a formidable merlot for sure.
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8/29/2011 - talesofthegrape wrote:
Two words: FRUIT BOMB! Tons of ripe dark fruit and spicy oak. Acidity is still prevalent, keeping the fruit lively. Easy drinker, almost too easy. Needs a good Texas BBQ to contend with all the spicy fruit.
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8/20/2011 - njc2o wrote: 89 Points
Drank out of 375 purchased from the winery December 2010. Dark plum color. Nose of gamey meat, leather, candied cherry. Tannis rip on the palate. Tart cranberry attack, leads into a pleasantly dry midpalate with a heat-spike on the midpalate, but it's backed up with a lush mouthfeel, and a long bitter mocha finish. All in all an enjoyable wine that could probably use more time in bottle to soften the edges. Pleasant experience from shafer as usual.
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8/17/2011 - Dasher wrote: 92 Points
Always a great bottle of wine.
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8/11/2011 - djlevin wrote: 91 Points
Drank over a 2 hr. decant. Meaty, with a little heat on the nose. Deep garnet color to the edge. Medium-high acidity and a bit more residual alcohol than I prefer, with nicely integrated tannins. Fruit gradually disappears over decant. Front of the palate has a savory character with a mid-palate of tobacco & leather and some dark chocolate on the finish. Silky mouth-feel develops over time in the decanter. Really enjoyed this wine, but missed the bigger fruit of some other merlot producers and was hoping for a longer finish.
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8/5/2011 - CK6865 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Would agree with Dasher's comment ,this is a great Cab drinkers merlot ! This has a great nose, decanted for 45 minutes great with or without food.
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7/28/2011 - sjdcellar wrote: 91 Points
great merlot taste - even though popped and poured. rich choclolate and dark fruit tastes. highly recommended
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6/3/2011 - Dasher wrote: 92 Points
A great Cab drinkers merlot!
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5/18/2011 - NJ BIG CHRIS wrote: 91 Points
This wine is really good. Super smooth tannins, Rich Powerful fruit. Beautiful dark fruit w/ creamy vanilla and spicy oak flavors. Maybe a bit over oaked for me. Also this wine come across a little hot for me. If the alchol was under control this would be a 93 point wine.
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5/1/2011 - jfkwines wrote:
Drinks really well right now.
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4/21/2011 - EMTAME wrote: 91 Points
This was really nice, and a good step up from the '06. Beautiful, translucent ruby-violet in the glass, and giving off a big nose of dark fruits and spring flowers from the initial pour. Lush mouthfeel, with vanilla and a spicy oak note overlaying a wealth of rich CA fruit. Just a little chocolate on the finish, but definitely not a chocolate shake. The vanilla might be a bit prominent for some, but I didn't mind it and would also expect it to fade a bit with more time in bottle. Again, this was really enjoyable to my palate and I'll be looking to add more to the cellar.
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4/9/2011 - Miceri wrote: 91 Points
Dark red; sunny burned nose; soft, velvety, licorice, lots of fruit/berries, slightly soft drink like, young; straightforward, nice, good value for money
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3/27/2011 - JCaress wrote: 86 Points
Coffee and berry notes. Does mot seem well integrated or finished. Just average.
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3/24/2011 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Creamy and round. A lot of good cherries. Soft tannin with a pleasant bite.
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3/3/2011 - Matteo's wrote: 90 Points
Nice nose. Opened up after about an hour and a half. I agree with strno, the $45 price tag isn't in line with this one...
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3/1/2011 - DSaeedi wrote: 90 Points
Shafer Vineyards Seminar with Doug Shafer (Lincoln Park Binnys Tasting Room): Soft nose of red fruit, plum, violets, some very light mint and plenty of coffee and mocha. Suave tannins, but very young and full of life. Some pleasant greeness and cofee on the back end. Complex and very suave. Approachable now or put away for a few years, depending on your preference. Excellent but does not have the intense concentration of fruit like the rest of Shafer's wines.
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2/18/2011 - soyhead wrote: 89 Points
nose - sweet oak, dark berry, a suggestion of deliciousness coming...
mouth - open for several hours, midbodied, long juicy berry fruit on the midpalate as well as tea with slowly building dry backend tannins. more restrained than expected
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2/10/2011 - Hawk94 wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding Merlot. Dark color, concentrate, complex, plum, black berry, currant, a hint of chocolate, good finish.
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2/2/2011 - strno wrote: 89 Points
Loved the nose of cassia, fruit and vanilla with an earthy overtone. Sweetness, oak and balanced tannins on the palate quickly became overcome by heat. Maybe it's young, maybe the spice of the jerk pork meal exaggerated the heat, but I think I paid $45 for a $30 merlot.
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1/31/2011 - Robert Pavlovich wrote:
A good entry level Napa value. All casual wine fans who like CA wine seem to love this.
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1/21/2011 - Porchino wrote: 72 Points
Shocking to my friends and I how this 07 is so screwed up all heat not fun to drink just a real misfire!
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1/12/2011 - Dasher wrote: 92 Points
Great botle of wine!
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1/9/2011 - vinodonpedro wrote: 91 Points
Great fruit, aging well. Subtle oaky finish with a tiny bit of vanilla.
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12/31/2010 - f.cella wrote: 93 Points
Great Merlot
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12/26/2010 - raydawgone wrote: 93 Points
Drank with home made Italian dinner (on Thanksgiving weekend), paired well with rich pasta sauce. Blackberry & elderberry, slight oak with creme de cassis. A bit on the green side at this time. Needs 3-5 years of cellaring, certainly the makings of a typical high-test, dynamic Shafer juice.
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12/10/2010 - kbhiggins wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyed a great bottle with an Italian meal. The bottle could use some more age, but the wine has a lot of depth and complexity. Looking forward to trying some more down the road.
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12/3/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
AWS White Clay Chapter - Merlot (Newark, Delaware): Slightly herbaceous and and just a touch hot. Fruity with some vanilla. Overall I like this.
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11/24/2010 - Robert Pavlovich wrote:
Enjoyed with friends at Houston's. Good purple color. Not a very big nose, but this wine is a direct hit with its tasty purity of fruit. The moderate oak and pleasant finish helps to further distinguish itself.
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11/19/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 85 Points
A visit to Shafer (Shafer Winery, Napa CA): Ruby/garnet in color, clear and bright. Very tight nose, maybe some cherries. Juicy texture which is nice. The palate has lots of oak, cherries and pretty straight forward. Slightly green notes emerge. Medium tannins. Searing oak. With air, it smooths out a bit. Just nothing special here. I know lots of people would like this a lot though.
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10/24/2010 - Drink&Trade wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour. Still very youthful. Dark concentrated black cherry fruit. Spice and mocha. Finish is long and strong. great mouth feel with great body.
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10/20/2010 - Berno wrote: 92 Points
Anther showcase of how good '07 was. Expressive nose of black cherry, cocoa powder, baking spice and vanilla. In the mouth, medium bodied, great mouthfeel and ripe berry fruit flavors that linger. Much improved from the 06.
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10/17/2010 - Dasher wrote: 92 Points
Smooth as silk! WHat a great bottle of Merlot.
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10/16/2010 - cartime wrote: 92 Points
Earthy blackberry, plum, cherry, and mocha with a hint of vanilla and spices. Lots of fruit on the palate that isn't too ripe or jammy and is nicely balanced by earthy, smoky flavors. Moderate tannins give nice structure but remain very smooth. Good acidity and medium plus finish. Very nice.
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10/14/2010 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
West Coast Tasting (Binny's South Loop - Chicago, IL): Classic Shafer. Plump juicy ripe and chocolate. Excellent length and balance. Lots of plum berries.
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10/8/2010 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Soft floral notes with small berry fruits and a touch of soft plum; then goes from vanilla to coffee on the palate; medium bodied, sticky tannins, and really a lot going on. A bit oaky, but mixes well with this wine.
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9/14/2010 - tp096255 wrote: 90 Points
COLOR: Deep ruby w/ruby miniscus
NOTE: Nice spicy plum cake nose w/cherry tobacco, a little meat juice. Mouth has nice glycerin, is quite tannic and a bit hotter than prior vintages. Finish is a nicely bitter 65% cocoa powder mixed with blackberry jam. 14 months in barrel, mostly new oak.
DECANT: 1 hour
GLASS USED: Bordeaux
TASTE: 9.0
COST: 48
VALUE: 5.0
TRY AGAIN: 2012
PAIRING: Winery says to put it with grilled salmon?
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9/12/2010 - slywka7 wrote: 91 Points
This actually put on some weight as well. The fruit was more prominent and powerful.
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9/12/2010 - JCaress wrote: 88 Points
Nice merlot, nothing remarkable. Always good fruit with Shafer wines, but a little short on the finish. Let's see in a year.
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8/20/2010 - Dasher wrote: 91 Points
Great Bottle of Merlot
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7/17/2010 - thomaskeil wrote: 86 Points
PnP. Spot on with previous CT note. Muted cherries on nose with some vanilla. Soft medium intensity, straight line, almost pure cherry fruit on palate. Some acidity, but I do not sense tartness. No complexity or finesse. No mineral. Texturally bland, lacks dimension. If you're looking for a big fruit, soft merlot without edges this is not bad.
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6/28/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 86 Points
I didn't get this wine. Muted nose, cherries with tart tannins. somewhat disjointed and a bit hot at the back end. Linear red fruit.
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6/27/2010 - lsnider wrote: 91 Points
My favorite merlot that I have tried. Berry and cherry with a touch of chocolate. Full to medium bodied with plenty of backbone. Decanted for 1 hour. Had a glass the following day and it only got better.
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6/6/2010 - awise45 wrote: 93 Points
Really rich -- a wonderful version of an 07 Merlot. Full and fruity - lots of vanilla and cherry, very accessible even without much time open.
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6/2/2010 - vegasoenophile wrote: 89 Points
Nose of dark cherry and some smoky, charred qualities. Just a hint of licorice. Powerful nose. On the palate, it's much lighter, exhibiting some pinot noir fruit. Some currant and light vanilla as well. Lots of red berries. It's a pretty merlot.
- Tasted at Khoury's 6/2/10
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5/17/2010 - slywka7 wrote: 90 Points
This was impressive, with bright cherry and earth aromas. On the palate, it had nice blackberry and black cherry fruit, earth with a touch of something vegetal.
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5/17/2010 - Rubanyi wrote: 87 Points
A bit young, little acidic, probably will balance out better in a few years.
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3/15/2010 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 92 Points
It's got an ink dark ruby color that gradually lightens toward the edges with a viscous consistency indicating a high alcohol content but doesn't go over the top on the nose. In fact, it exhibits a fresh whiff of red cherry, raspberry and vanilla. The palate has a core of jammy red cherry, licorice, sandalwood and almonds over a smooth, silky texture with enough grip to hold a lengthy finish. This is just excellent, and if you can't find the 2008 vintage, get this. Drink now until 2015.
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3/9/2010 - cns Likes this wine: 93 Points
Have to say, I am very impressed by this wine - to my surprise. Wonderful nose, with black fruit notes and good oak (restraint won out here). On the palate, this wine has a good backbone and a long finish. Mid-palate is also Right now, since it's so young, it has pretty pronounced tannins, but with decanting it's definitely enjoyable. However, with a few more years, this wine will only get better.
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3/2/2010 - Chasman5 wrote: 92 Points
Inky with great legs. Deep cherry nose followed by chocolate, spice and lingering fruit on the palet. Stood up nicely against the tenderloin.
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2/26/2010 - OregonWineGeeks wrote: 93 Points
Inky dark ruby full bodied merlot with a fragrant blackberry jam nose, graphite, loam. The taste sweet fruit, very tangy acidic middle with tannic finish, oaky. The Shafer Merlots are one of my favorite each year and the 2007 is of the same quality, will be even better next year. 93, Shafer Rocks
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2/17/2010 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 72 Points
Rombauer and Shafer at Old Port Wines (Old Port Wine and Cigar): Burned and charred wood.
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1/16/2010 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
Did not take notes, and it was a few days ago, but this was a very rich, full-flavored merlot with terrific balance and good structure. Multiple layers of vibrant flavors - berry, spice, earth and oak. Delicious!
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