Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley 2017 Merlot, $42.49-$56.99, 95 points, poured a core rosewood red radiating to a cranberry red with a broad clear wine ring and hanging fat legs.
The excellent bouquet was earthy, woody, and fruity with cinnamon and clove.
Near full-bodied red wine with good acidity and an up front silky mouth-feel, tannins were round to soft and supportive, flavors were robust and yet subtle with red raspberry and plums nuanced with mint which carried very deep into a rather long finish with a hint of cocoa, warm pepper spices, and a spot on 14.5% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my barbequed grass-fed strip steak.
Index-of-reviewed-wines
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Oooh, I like Duckhorn's Merlot. Not quite as much as Shafer's (don't think they make a Merlot anymore, I stopped buying it anyway), but Duckhorn do a decent job with this varietal.
ReplyDeleteIt was scrumptious!
DeleteI don't usually buy Merlot, I believe Cabernet is usually a better wine dollar for dollar, but in this case it far surpasses the expensive Groth Cab I had this week.
Nice!
ReplyDeleteYes, it seems like the price is very fair. Have never done a dollar/fl oz comparison of Merlot and CS.
V-girl: Just seems difficult to be as satisfied with Merlot as I am with Cabernet Sauvignon, but thankfully there's always an exception.
DeleteWould you turn your nose up at a good vintage of Petrus?
ReplyDeleteHa! When I commonly refer to Merlot, it doesn't include right-bank Bordeaux, of which I've had some incredible 100% Merlot wines; Saint-Émilion is my favorite Bordeaux appellation, not withstanding Pomerol's pedigree.
DeleteI love Saint-Émilion also.
ReplyDeleteV-girl: 2015 was a great year for 'right bank' wines, and I was fortunate to have had thirty three wines from different 'right bank vineyards.
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