Merlot

Bonterra wines are made from organically farmed grapes.  This is a blend of mostly Merlot and Petite Sirah.  It is a different take, a bit lighter and easier, but a delicious and well priced wine.  Deep ruby in color, lighter at the rim, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has raspberries and cranberries with a bit of char.  On the palate, this has raspberries and candied cherries with an underlying char.  Some complexity.  This is clean and easy drinking.  It is not likely to get any better but should be good over the next three to five years.  It drinks well on its own and will work with f

This is from the younger wines at Chateau Pavie (under 10 years old).  It is a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries with a bit of cigar box.  On the palate, this is drinking well now.  Nice cherry fruit with a bit of cocoa and slight tobacco.  Not a lot of concentration or complexity but it is tasty.  Good acidity.  It seems as though this will be as good as this gets and thought it should do another five to ten years, the safer bet is to drink it now.  It will go well with stews and medium weight foods.  

Bordeaux wines from 1982 are often still drinking great.  While one might think a wine such as this might be over the hill, that is not true.  At least for this bottle.  It still has some youthful freshness.  It is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  No real bricking or browning.  On the nose there is cassis, dust, slight cigar box and hints of cherry.  On the palate, this has lively energy.  Cassis and cherries with some underlying dried herbal notes.  Not a big wine.  Some depth and slight layering.  Nice finish. 

75% Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale & Eden Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - 20% Langhorne Creek Merlot - 5% Eden Valley Shiraz.  This is the flagship wine of this property.  The bottle was gifted to me a couple of years ago, and it got opened at the end of a 1980's Bordeaux tasting which seemed appropriate.  It did not disappoint and held its own in the tasting.  Purple with ruby swirls, ruby at the rim, not much bricking.  On the nose, this is dusty with black cherry fruit and a bit of black pepper.  On the palate, this has some depth with nice layering that is immediately apparent.  Good aci

I have been lucky enough to have this on a few occasions.  Never has it been open or showing anything like it's lofty status with the critics would indicate so I approached with trepidation.  No need.  This bottle was amazing.  Everything it was supposed to be including still a bit on the young side.  It is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim.  Bright but mostly opaque.  On the nose, lovely cassis, cigar box, ash and slight pencil lead.  The lead becomes more pronounced with air and there is some chocolate and spi

This wine showed quite well considering the vintage and pedigree and age of the wine.  Ruby in color, purple at its core, clear and bright.  The nose has dried cherries, slight dust, a bit of mint.  With air, some fresh cherries.  On the palate, fresh and dried cherries above a baseline of tea leaves.  Medium bodied.  A bit of drying tannins underneath.  Nice finish.  This is very food friendly and easy to drink.  Probably a bit past prime but still enjoyable.  Drink up now.  

Stunning showing for this wine.  Its about 50/50 Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  Still youthful and might indeed improve a bit more.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is complex and enticing with black raspberries, dust, cherries and a slight cocoa note.  With air, a bit of char comes out.  On the palate, this has a "jelly-like" texture which is great.  Lots of black cherry fruit over and char and slight tobacco base.  Tightly layered, the layers unwind nicely in the glass.  It might improve more over the next five years, but should easily be at this level for ten to fifteen years mo

The first bottle that we opened was corked.  A second bottle proved quite fresh indeed.  This was a surprise as it showed quite well.  Still, in the older style.  The label was actually in very good shape as well.  Purple in color with just a slight bit of bricking at the rime.  Clear and bright.  The nose has cherry fruit, with a slight bit of funk.  With air it becomes a bit more cigar box.  On the palate, this is clean and fresh.  Certainly mature but nice cherry fruit, just a wisp of tannins with underlying barnyard.  The finish is a bit drying.  Older wines can be a gamble, mostly due

This is certainly not today's Pavie.  A very different style of Bordeaux.  Whether that is good or bad is subjective.  Ruby/brown in color though clear if a bit muted.  The nose is all about the earthy funk.  There is some slight mine and slighter cherry fruit.  Tart acidity.  On the palate, this starts out with thin cherries.  As it blows off bottle stink, it adds some weight but tastes old and past prime.  Certainly no sin for a 37 year old wine.  There is a lot of funk on this wine.  One of the people sharing this wine called it "dirty" which might (or might not) be a bit strong.  Still,

This is the home winery from longtime Beringer winemaker, Ed Sbragia.  This is an accessible Merlot that is drinking well right now.  Purple in color.  The nose has cherries, slight tobacco and slight chocolate.  On the palate, there is not a lot of depth but the cherries are strong.  A bit of a char underneath.  Some tobacco on the finish.  It seems like it should probably be drunk in the next few years.  It will work well with burgers or pasta and has enough flavor to drink on its own.  It has 95% Merlot and 5% Petite Sirah.