2002 Villa Maria Merlot Reserve

Community Tasting Notes (6) Avg Score: 89.8 points

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  2/20/2024 - twing wrote:

  Interesting wine considering the 22 yrs under screwcap. A deep dark red with fine line to the rim. Rich plum, cranberry, dried strawberry and perhaps a little over ripe for my taste.
  Still has texture but now mellowed a little, still a big wine and has developed slowly in my mind due to the screwcap but I don't see it improving.

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  6/26/2010 - Senso-beak wrote: 89 Points

  Pours very dark from screw cap. Thick, extracted merlot, dense aromas of blueberry, dried blackberry, iodine, sweet tea. Holding well, fruit subdued and then attacks at mid-palate and finish, with some tannin. Palate notes of wood, fermenting orange, sour cherry, black fruits. Day two under vac-u-vin provides a jucier, fruit driven profile which is quite good. Blackberry coming out in droves here....some of the tart/sour flavors have receded. Cheers. May hold final bottle for experiment in long aging given this and prior experience.

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  11/6/2009 - Senso-beak wrote: 89 Points

  Paired w/ Papparadelle Lamb Ragu. Dark red to purple hued and full bodied, this Villa Maria Merlot boasts jammy notes of boysenberry, plum and pie filling. A nice fruit forward attack of merlot, with a round toasty mouthfeel and decent length. An opulent fruity unctuous style. Day two still very nice, several years left with fruit holding strong and long.

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  10/31/2009 - Ian S wrote:

  Opaque purple colour with a rich plummy/black fruit nose, albeit also some pleasant green pepper.
  
  The palate, whilst of medium to full body, has strong enough acidity plus some soft tannins keeping it in check. The fruit is still quite youthful & plummy, supported by a little milk chocolate, with a touch of greenness coming through on the finish.
  
  Overall, still quite youthful, though I'm not sure of what else you'd get from further ageing.

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  6/30/2008 - BigJ wrote: 91 Points

  Beautiful new world Merlot which is probably in its prime now. Nose of cassis, berry and just a touch of Wood. In the mouth there is still tannin but nothing to obtrusive, cedar, blue and black berry, tobacco and a little chocolate.
  very tasty although dont drink it with a spicy malaysian curry like i did!!

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