Our final bottle, double decanted off its sediment and poured 1.25 hrs laters. Brick red color showing age. A worn leather note opens the show, giving way to black cherry and red plum aromas. Plush and integrated, with flavors of red fruit, plum, coffee and cherry cordial, finishing with good length. One taster guessed Bordeaux, others red blends but DR correctly identified merlot. Fully mature with no benefit to cellaring further. Drink now.
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This was dark inky purple garnet colored, medium-full bodied, with intense firm concentrated structured rich black currant and blackberry fruits with notes of cedar and nutmeg, black tea, dark mocha and cigar box with firm focused tannins on the gritty lingering finish. At nineteen years, the fill level was perfect, as was, importantly, the cork, reflecting the ideal conditions of our cellar for long term aging. Like I did back in 2013, tonight I once again extended the drinking window for this wine as it is still showing well, holding its own, likely at the peak of its drinking window, to 2022,perhaps nearing the end such that it might now start to diminish from further again. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/09/paloma-napa-merlot-2003.html
First bottle from a recent auction purchase. Expected to acquaint myself with a well-aged California merlot, and was I ever surprised. No bricking to the rim, the very evocative nose features bright dark cherry, red alpine currant, blueberry and some baking spice. Excellent intensity and concentration, superb acidity, with still good structure. Some juicy tannins still present. Agree this has not yet moved to the tertiary stage. This was really nice! I'll be overjoyed if all remaining bottles of this vintage perform similarly.
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Remarkable 16 yr-old showing from a notably "off" Napa Valley merlot vintage. Nose is incredible, promising a merlot at the end of its peak drinking. Palate a little more age appropriate, still surprisingly secondary.
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4th Saturday Group (Sue's): Double blind. Notes of cherry cough syrup with red berry fruit and plum. Ther's also a hint of something chemical/plastic. Iron, red currant and oak spice flavors. Meh.
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This wine was such a Parker-style wine. So much oak, vanilla, and black fruit. It was higher in alcohol and very extracted. I could see people liking it but this was not a hit at our 4th of July party with a Burg and Bordeaux loving crowd. I disagree with prior reviewers and argue that considering it is Spring Mountain fruit, if it is going to get better, it might need another decade of aging.
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Everything you want in a sub $50 Merlot. Nose of red plums, currants, and black cherry with hints of mocha. On the palate, plum, cherry, red currant, hints of spice. Plenty of grip and acids on the finish. Very well done for the vintage.
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big deep cherry notes on this one with all the wood integrated. Very enjoyable in a flight of Paloma. I liked this as it was very mature and ready for business. Very much in its prime. Acids and mineral added to the pleasure.
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Aromas of cherry blossom and spearmint jump from the glass. The deep garnet fills out my Riedel to the edge. Across the palate the plush flavors of dried cherry, spearmint leaf and chalk push through to the mountain finish that still has grip. Along with the '07, one of my favorite Palomas. California Merlot does not get much better than this. Crushes the '03 DHorn 3Palms and gives the PMeyer a run for its money. This and the Seavey Cab are the best Calif wines I've had from the '03 vintage. Legit. Drink Now -2020
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A bit past it's prime but still going very strong lots of fruits and a great attendance an excellent wine from an excellent winemaker if I had more of this vintage I would drink it immediately it will not be getting better
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Delicious. Balanced. Popped and poured and the wine improved over the couple of hours it was enjoyed. Served with grilled ribeye and filet. This wine appears to be at its peak, but still has staying power. Unfortunately, it might be my last bottle!
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At ten years old this may be at or approaching its apex as it is drinking better than any of the previous half dozen bottles we've tasted from our case. I was worried at first when decanted as the color seem a bit dark with a slight brown hue but the aromas were pure berry. Medium bodied, silky smooth, elegant and polished with complex layers of raspberry, sweet current, blue and black berry highlights. This tasting was consistent with my last posted tasting notes from a year ago this week when I wrote, "Medium full bodied, smooth polished, complex harmonious symphony of finely integrated aromas and flavors - predominant sweet black currant, red raspberry, milk chocolate, a hint of ripe plum, sweet oak and a bit of burnt sugar caramel on the long smooth polished finish." Based on this tasting, I extended my drinking window in Cellartracker which was listed as drink by 2011 to 2016.
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4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Joe's): Dark color. Opens with an odd cheesy note, but that quickly blows off leaving dark fruit, violets and chocolate. Flavors of blackberry, plum and chocolate. Loads of fruit that kept exapnding on the palate and the wine opened further in the glass. Developed a wonderful sweet, raspberry liqueur quality. Long balanced finish. Guessed Napa Cab.
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Medium aromas of currant, herbs and spice. Palate has medium bodied, polished fruit and is awash in acidity. Currant, raspberry with some earth, dark chocolate and saddle notes. Very fresh and lively. Good persistence on the mid-palate into a medium, chalky finish.
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Better than a previous bottle, probably because this one had ample time to breathe (about 90 minutes). Berries and cassis on the nose. Same on the palate, along with a healthy dose of chocolate. Plush texture and an extremely long, rich finish.
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Medium full bodied, smooth polished, complex harmonious symphony of finely integrated aromas and flavors - predominant sweet black currant, red raspberry, milk chocolate, a hint of ripe plum, sweet oak and a bit of burnt sugar caramel on the long smooth polished finish.
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I have had this wine a few times before and thought it was good, but not great. This bottle was much richer with deeper flavors and more complexity. Lots of ripe, red and blue fruits with some chocolate and caramel. Black tea appears on the nose and finish. Looses some fruit on the back-end and finishes a bit flat. Seems like the fruit is starting to turn just a bit dry - I will drink up pretty soon.
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Deep crimson color. Plum, chocolate, black cherry and raspberry aromas. Develops a nice floral overtone, along with vanilla and spice. Full-bodied, with sweet tannin and oak tones, along with chocolate, raspberry liqueur, cherry and caramel. Lengthy finish dominated by dark fruit, vanilla and spice. 92 for me, 93 for Domino.
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Opened an decanted table side at rest., dark, no visible sed. Nice nose of some tasty oak, cherries n some earth. Palate was nice, medium bodied that continued to open as the night wore on, 2+ hours. Nice oft tannins. A pleasure to drink after returning from recent trip to napa, where we actually tasted 09s with proprietor on Spring Mtn.
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Beautiful dark red color, decanted and it opened nicely. Some aromas of dark fruit, in the glass dark cherries and berries with softening tannins and some black tea on the finish.
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Decanted for an hour and served at room temperature. Great Merlot, very balanced - light tannin structure and probably getting close to the end of its ideal window. In the mouth I get tea, ginger. lavander and some berry at the back-end. Nice depth for a Merlot, say medium. I have one more and will probably consume within the next 6 months.
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This has become a rich, full bodied wine with nice round tannins and huge blue/black fruits with just a slight notion of secondary leather/minerality coming through. Popped and poured into those restaurant wine "goblets" at an Italian restaurant so not allowed to breathe at all except in the bottle and glass. Very pleasantly surprised after the last bottle!
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Big hit at a party. Not decanted. About what I expected - very Pride-like, but holding up better than the '03 Pride merlot. Dark with no signs of age. Nice cassis and herb nose. Dark red fruit and quite a bit of chocolate on the palate. Nice- but not luxurious - texture, and a good finish. Probably should drink up pretty soon.
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Somewhat translucent, dark garnet in the glass. Aromas of cedar and cocoa on the nose. Medium-full bodied with ripe, somewhat chocolatey berry fruit. Tasty.
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Tasting better from open, I thought it faded a little fast. Best diuring the first two hours. Big, ripe dark fruit. A good merlot, but I had slightly higher expectations. Other vintages of Palmoa have shown better.
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I love the bottle design and label but this wine does not blow me away. The wine smells good and it has a lot of dark fruit with some tannin, but it just always seems somewhat off the mark. The 03 Paloma probably has the structure to last another 3 to 4 years. For example, I think the Robert Keenan Merlot is a lot better, and it costs less.
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Quick TN: Popped and poured to pair with short ribs. Out of the gate this was open for business - predominantly showing dark cherries and red currants and some mocha, with minimal tannin. The fruit was round and lush. It was drinking so well that a second bottle was opened. The second bottle was much more tight and restrained, showing more tannin and what I thought to be a hint of TCA/mustiness. Corked the bottle and put it in the fridge overnight. Tried again yesterday, and the TCA note from the night before was gone (so it obviously was not corked), but this bottle drank more like a cab - darker, brooding fruit and more tannin than the first bottle. Finished it up with a veggie pizza. I'll be in no hurry to drink my remaining bottle.
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round, full, lush, dark mountain fruit. Everything a great merlot can be (think Petrus). Purchased directly from Barbara and we chatted on the balcony and tasted in the kitchen. This is what wine is all about
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Took to dinner at Test Kitchen. Round and supple, chocolate notes on the midpalate. Long finish. Doesn't seem close to over the hill but doesn't seem like it will get any better either.
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The Blind Drunks monthly tasting (Our house): Dark crimson color. Black cherry and dark fruit notes, with a subtle herb and vanilla tones. Balanced with dark fruit and cocoa flavors. Cab-like. Medium length finish.
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Decanted and consumed over 2 hours. Lighter in color than I recall. Red fruit on the nose, cherries with a little mocha. Tanins are fading but the soft fruit - which is still enjoyable but just very soft and mature - shows that this is a "drink now" bottle. Hints of green and stem show through at times.
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I was surprised how fruit forward this Merlot was after 7 years. A little hotter than I expected too, but after giving it another day to breath in the bottle after opening, it became much more pleasant and balanced. Tastes of cassis, blueberries and maybe some choco, with a long, pleasant finish. A very nice merlot, and it still has quite a bit go life left.
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Medium full nose of cherry, plum, earth and spices. Palate has medium-to-full body with rich, bright fruit that is grounded in an earth tones. Modest complexity with spice, herbs and a hint of tobacco. Well balanced with moderate acidity. A quality -- if down the middle -- Merlot.
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This seems to have rounded into a pretty nice bottle of wine. Slight oak that seemed to blow off a bit, or I got used to it fast. Still lacking the oomph of some better vintages on the mid palate, but finishes with a classic long Paloma ending. Still some fine tannin there too. Surprisingly this one was not showing much advancement of age, just a more complete wine.
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Nose of spices and red meat. On the palate there is lots of chocolate and coffee flavors that are backed up sweet red and black fruit. Ends with more notes of milk chocolate and cherries and some peper notes.
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From memory - Sweet smelling nose of red fruit and mocha. On the palate this was showing very well with creamy red berry fruit and a follow-up of chocolate mocha nuance.
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A little dissapointing as a whole. Not what I've experienced with prior and more recent vintages. Nose was nice and rich showing classic Paloma milk chocolate and blueberries but palate fell short. A little austerity in the finish and an awkward disjointedness on the mid palate. Still nice, but not up to this producer's usual caliber.
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Good well made wine. Decanted 2 hours prior. This had good black currant fruit on the nose with hints of walking through floral/rose garden. The usual Paloma great silky mouth feel is present, with dark red/blue fruit and cocoa/mocha with a medium length finish. Not as good as their stellar 2002 IMHO, but a good solid bottle. Can you be be disappointed if a wine is very good and but does not floor you? With Paloma I guess the expectations are always extremely high.
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Pop and pour. Better than last bottle, but not as good as it was shortly after release. Oak and glycerin on the nose, dark berries in a well-balanced and light-weighted package. Should consume by 2011.
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Not as good as previous bottles that I've had. Some oak and blueberry on the nose; finish was short which is not what I've come to expect from Spring Mountain fruit. Still happy with this pick-up from WineBid at $30 plus premium, shipping and tax.
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Singular in complexity, mild nose dark currants and cedar, strong mocha chocolate with dark raspberry plum turn to graphite with a nice medium finish last leaves a roasted Carmel lingering in your mouth.
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I was going to hold off opening this wine for a another year or two, but decided to do a Spring Mountain tasting and included it. Decanted and aired for about 45 minutes. Drank it alongside a Pride merlot, and while the Pride was much richer and more flavorful, the Paloma was still very good. Dark ruby color, and not much nose. Dark berry flavors with some secondary notes of blueberry, chocolate and a hint of oak - but not especially complex. Medium bodied with good structure and a short to medium finish. Nothing special, but still a decent pour.
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Nose not giving much at all with some heat, surprisingly lighted bodied with absolutely no complexity at all. I have had much better wines for a half the tariff. This may need more time to develop but I’m not holding breath…
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Popped and poured. Dark blueberry, boysenberry and raspberry with some chocolate and vanilla in the background. Full bodied and with a rich texture, but with enough structure to match. Slightly chewy and drying tannins. It never really opened up in the first 1 hr +. I had the impression there was more flavor and complexity lurking. I think I will give it another year or two before I open any more.
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Drinking beautifully. Pop and pour, this had a lot of blueberry, chocolate and a lush, fruity texture. Poured half the bottle into a decanter, and this was a bit disjointed for about an hour - tannic, chalky and the fruit was largely hidden. This changed to a more pleasant wine over 60-90 minutes, but the wine that remained in the bottle yielded more enjoyable quaffs.
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Smooth polished, complex harmonious symphony of finely integrated aromas and flavors - predominant currant, red raspberry, milk chocolate, a hint of ripe plum, sweet oak and a bit of burnt sugar caramel on the long smooth polished finish.
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Unctuous was the first thought that came into my mind. Rich, mocha and dark fruit. Some spice showing from the oak but not the vanilla variety. This one should be fun to watch evolve. Another great effort from Paloma.
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A super merlot. After a 2 hour decant, it was nice. And, it only got better and better. Drank over another 4 hours. Velvety cream that had wonderful fruit. Very integrated. Very impressed.
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Rich red fruits and boysenberries; 14.8% alcohol. round mouthfeel, with some stemminess coming through in the finish..agree that the drinking window can be extended
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Bright red fruits and blueberry with a tad over-ripeness on the nose. Earthy and spice initially on the palate finishing with some sour cherry's and a bit of over-sweetness.
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This wine has come around nicely since the last time I had it. Not as deep or complex as the 2001/02, but improving. Rich dark fruits, with lots of chocolate. Medium length finish. While still tannic, the wine is softening. Makes me glad to be on Paloma's list, because these wines give me lots of pleasure.
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Tasted August 22, 2007 at a DAWGS offline. Opened and served immediately. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black berries, soft spices, tobacco and cocoa powder. Tightly wound showing some notes of red currants and red licorice with a touch of bitters on the finish. Light to medium acidity, firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold. Docking my previous rating by 1 point.
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Always a winner. Big cherry nose and palatte with a rounded mouthfeel finished with a touch of clove. Went very well with our rosemary and mint marinated lamb.
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Was the WOTN, big ripe with dark fruit, some mocha and a upfront fruit style. Heavy tannins but well balance the fruit signature. The crowd loved it, more so than the 2001 Pride Mountain Top Merlot (which was a better wine but just now showing well). Dark well from cork pull, but really opened up after an hour, and continued to do well for two, until it was gone. I thought it could be better integrated overall, but that might be due to not enough decanting time.
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Double decanted for 30 minutes. Medium-bodied wine that is dark ruby in color. On the nose, creamy chocolate and dark red fruit. On the palate, plums and espresso ending in a very long 30-40 second finish. Good balance and structure, but the tannins are a bit chalky right now...give it some time.
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Opened and decanted around 5:30pm and served around 6:30pm and needed it. At first, dry and very tight tannins with some clarity at the edge. The middle went from thin to a nice roundness as it opened up. A somewhat sweet, black cherry and blackberry, dry tannic finish that softened towards the end of the bottle. Good to Very Good.
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WIML91. This was a big merlot. Lot’s of dark berries and maybe some plums mixed in with the heavy mocha notes. Drink now with a decant or hold another year.
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Mcuhe tighter than previous bottles despite 2-1/2 hours decanting. Still great texture and intensity up front but not much complexity in the mid or finish.
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Found this bottle to be much superior to the last one just a couple of months ago. More weight and body to this bottle. Not in the vein of 02 but this was a very nice wine.
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Wine Spectator Grand Tasting (Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, CA): Excellent merlot that beat many of the cabs in the WS Grand Tasting. Elegant styled wine that delivers big aromas/flavors of black cherry, blackberry, currant, oak and a touch of earth. Beautiful example of Spring Mountain Merlot. Well balanced tannins deliver seductively long finish. Jim and Barb Richards are the nicest couple that I have met on my wine journeys.
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A very good bottle of wine but falls short of outstanding. This was much better than the one i opened last new year's day. The nose was expressive upon opening. First taste you could tell the wine had some layers but heat was dominent in the finish. After two hours this wine had really integrated and the 30 sec finish was not hot and full of spice. Great food wine and we enjoyed with Prime T-Bones, mushroon cous cous and mixed vegetables. The black fruit was very forward upfront and the coffee/chocolate accents were there. Again a nice long spicy finish. If a little more complex this wine could merit an o/s score.
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Despite the comments about this wine being open for business, I found it tight and closed (did not decant). Didn't come to life even with air. Update on second day showed wine a little more open. I'm going to let my remaining bottles rest.
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Brought to my brother-in-law's birthday dinner. A good bottle but lacked the depth of the wonderful 01 and even the 02. Still a wonderful wine that went very well with some roast.
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($51) This time not showing well. In part the problem may have been the food pairing - a tomatoe-based pasta sauce seemed to make the wine metallic and short. Mocha was the secondary characteristic after red berry fruit.
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Surprisingly closed down. Splash decanted for about half an hour and then back in the bottle. Tight and tannic although the nose was pure and beautiful. Others liked it more than we did, but it was not the black fruit and chocolate bomb that we've had in the past. Left a half glass to open up over the evening, but our server topped it off with Mondavi Reserve. Not a good blend.
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Drank after decanting for five hours. Served with steaks. A friend brought a 2000 Paloma which seemed oaky and simple by comparison. This was rich, with tons of chocolate and blueberry. Huge round mouthfeel and long finish. I'm not sure it's going to get any better, but it was a wonderful, rich wine.
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Elegant Merlot with aromas of cherry, berry, currant and oak. Layer upon layer of flavors in the mouth from the rich and intense Spring Mountain fruit. Excellent strucutre with impeccable balance and long finish. Great tasting experience drinking this with Barb Richards at her kitchen table overlooking their vineyard. Great wine from great people.
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Translucent purple. Cherries and sweet herbs with some heat on the nose. Chocolate on the palate with cherries as well. Moderate depth with tannin that complements the medium body of the wine. Agreed that this lacks the depth of the 01 or 02. Nevertheless, a great effort.
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Not a complex wine but nicely balanced except maybe some heat from the alcohol, notes of vanilla choclate and dark red fruit. The nose of the wine was very sweet, nearly like caramell.
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Full deep red. Huge aroma of SWEET cotton candy red fruit with caramel undertones. Smells like walking into a candy store. Big forward ripe sweet red/black cherry wit hbracing acidic finish. Controversial, but nice. 3/06
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Inky purple color with loads of chocolate and sweetness. Nice merlot but would have liked to see just a touch more acidity from this very sweet offering. None the less a solid effort from Paloma.
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Opened prior to dinner and let sit in the bottle and glass. Muted nose iniaially, but after 45 minutes of air, a nice chocolate covered cherry nose emerged. Nice smooth mouthfeel with a big spash of cherry and a smooth lingering finish. I have no reference point to compare prior Paloma's, but this was a very enjoyable bottle. No hard edges at all, drink up.
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Rich but not hot. Very sweet not sure if it will develop additional complexity. Vevety mouth feel and gobs of ripe fruit but not showing the spring mountain earth. Enjoyable but not exactly what I was expecting.
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bricky, red brown Nose: intense fruit, strawberries/cherries, light chocolate, pepper hot Pal: savory, chalk, berries, chocolate, expresso, licorice, fruit forward, oaky, jammy Feel: medium, full, jammy and chewy Finish: long and savory TC10
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Medium ruby. Explosive nose of mocha and currant. Medium to full bodied. Soft in the mouth with rich chocolate and berries. Extracted. Fine tannins show up mid palate and blend nicely into a 40+ second finish. Not my style of wine, but very well done for what it is.
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Opened on a whim for Randy's party so Chris, Stef, Randy and a few others could try something different. The bottle had just arrived earlier this afternoon, but there was no evidence of bottle shock. This was singing right out of the bottle. Deep garnet/purple color. Explosive nose of blueberries and blackberries. Noticeable heat which blew off with some vigorous swirling in the glass. Black cherries and blackberry flavors on a rich palate. Tannins are evident, but very fine and slightly sweet. Medium length finish. An incredibly fun bottle.
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3/29/2024 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Our final bottle, double decanted off its sediment and poured 1.25 hrs laters. Brick red color showing age. A worn leather note opens the show, giving way to black cherry and red plum aromas. Plush and integrated, with flavors of red fruit, plum, coffee and cherry cordial, finishing with good length. One taster guessed Bordeaux, others red blends but DR correctly identified merlot. Fully mature with no benefit to cellaring further. Drink now.
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9/18/2022 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was dark inky purple garnet colored, medium-full bodied, with intense firm concentrated structured rich black currant and blackberry fruits with notes of cedar and nutmeg, black tea, dark mocha and cigar box with firm focused tannins on the gritty lingering finish.
At nineteen years, the fill level was perfect, as was, importantly, the cork, reflecting the ideal conditions of our cellar for long term aging. Like I did back in 2013, tonight I once again extended the drinking window for this wine as it is still showing well, holding its own, likely at the peak of its drinking window, to 2022,perhaps nearing the end such that it might now start to diminish from further again.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/09/paloma-napa-merlot-2003.html
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7/17/2020 - wicozani Likes this wine: 92 Points
First bottle from a recent auction purchase. Expected to acquaint myself with a well-aged California merlot, and was I ever surprised. No bricking to the rim, the very evocative nose features bright dark cherry, red alpine currant, blueberry and some baking spice. Excellent intensity and concentration, superb acidity, with still good structure. Some juicy tannins still present. Agree this has not yet moved to the tertiary stage. This was really nice! I'll be overjoyed if all remaining bottles of this vintage perform similarly.
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6/18/2019 - Michigan Mostberg Likes this wine: 89 Points
Remarkable 16 yr-old showing from a notably "off" Napa Valley merlot vintage. Nose is incredible, promising a merlot at the end of its peak drinking. Palate a little more age appropriate, still surprisingly secondary.
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11/24/2018 - AllRed wrote: 87 Points
4th Saturday Group (Sue's): Double blind. Notes of cherry cough syrup with red berry fruit and plum. Ther's also a hint of something chemical/plastic. Iron, red currant and oak spice flavors. Meh.
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11/13/2016 - AllRed wrote: 83 Points
Second Sunday Group: Paloma Merlot Vertical (Our house): Reticent at first, then very dirty and muddy with red frut nuances underneath. Red fruit on the palate with a very sour edge.
My #8, Domino's #8
Group #8, 61 pts
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7/4/2015 - Bordeaux_Jon Does not like this wine: 88 Points
This wine was such a Parker-style wine. So much oak, vanilla, and black fruit. It was higher in alcohol and very extracted. I could see people liking it but this was not a hit at our 4th of July party with a Burg and Bordeaux loving crowd. I disagree with prior reviewers and argue that considering it is Spring Mountain fruit, if it is going to get better, it might need another decade of aging.
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4/25/2015 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Everything you want in a sub $50 Merlot. Nose of red plums, currants, and black cherry with hints of mocha. On the palate, plum, cherry, red currant, hints of spice. Plenty of grip and acids on the finish. Very well done for the vintage.
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4/25/2015 - Champagneinhand wrote: 92 Points
big deep cherry notes on this one with all the wood integrated. Very enjoyable in a flight of Paloma. I liked this as it was very mature and ready for business. Very much in its prime. Acids and mineral added to the pleasure.
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4/16/2015 - juicejammer Likes this wine: 95 Points
Aromas of cherry blossom and spearmint jump from the glass. The deep garnet fills out my Riedel to the edge. Across the palate the plush flavors of dried cherry, spearmint leaf and chalk push through to the mountain finish that still has grip. Along with the '07, one of my favorite Palomas. California Merlot does not get much better than this. Crushes the '03 DHorn 3Palms and gives the PMeyer a run for its money. This and the Seavey Cab are the best Calif wines I've had from the '03 vintage. Legit. Drink Now -2020
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8/16/2014 - NicholsPK Likes this wine: 88 Points
A bit past it's prime but still going very strong lots of fruits and a great attendance an excellent wine from an excellent winemaker if I had more of this vintage I would drink it immediately it will not be getting better
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7/28/2014 - johnnyo wrote: 94 Points
One of my favorite Cali Merlots.
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3/15/2014 - stufis wrote: 89 Points
Still a charmer, with plenty of life ahead.
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3/15/2014 - Frijole wrote:
heavy plum red, little clarity, brickish hue
Nose: sour blueberries, chalk, cinnamon, vanilla, leather, earth, dirt
Pal: sour blueberries, chalk, cinnamon, vanilla, leather, earth, dirt, chocolate, expresso, licorice, oak
Feel: full, chewy, savory
Finish: long
TC10
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12/26/2013 - sw92130 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious. Balanced. Popped and poured and the wine improved over the couple of hours it was enjoyed. Served with grilled ribeye and filet. This wine appears to be at its peak, but still has staying power. Unfortunately, it might be my last bottle!
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9/6/2013 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 93 Points
At ten years old this may be at or approaching its apex as it is drinking better than any of the previous half dozen bottles we've tasted from our case. I was worried at first when decanted as the color seem a bit dark with a slight brown hue but the aromas were pure berry. Medium bodied, silky smooth, elegant and polished with complex layers of raspberry, sweet current, blue and black berry highlights. This tasting was consistent with my last posted tasting notes from a year ago this week when I wrote, "Medium full bodied, smooth polished, complex harmonious symphony of finely integrated aromas and flavors - predominant sweet black currant, red raspberry, milk chocolate, a hint of ripe plum, sweet oak and a bit of burnt sugar caramel on the long smooth polished finish." Based on this tasting, I extended my drinking window in Cellartracker which was listed as drink by 2011 to 2016.
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8/31/2013 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Joe's): Dark color. Opens with an odd cheesy note, but that quickly blows off leaving dark fruit, violets and chocolate. Flavors of blackberry, plum and chocolate. Loads of fruit that kept exapnding on the palate and the wine opened further in the glass. Developed a wonderful sweet, raspberry liqueur quality. Long balanced finish. Guessed Napa Cab.
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8/6/2013 - cpdwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drink responsibly...this is on the backend of its peak, but drinking nicely now.
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4/10/2013 - weinzett Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine was amazing, just melted in my mouth with bold flavor and ultra-smooth finish! Yum! Wish I had another!
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4/7/2013 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Medium aromas of currant, herbs and spice. Palate has medium bodied, polished fruit and is awash in acidity. Currant, raspberry with some earth, dark chocolate and saddle notes. Very fresh and lively. Good persistence on the mid-palate into a medium, chalky finish.
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3/31/2013 - Night Train Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better than a previous bottle, probably because this one had ample time to breathe (about 90 minutes). Berries and cassis on the nose. Same on the palate, along with a healthy dose of chocolate. Plush texture and an extremely long, rich finish.
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11/3/2012 - johnnyo wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful again.
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9/2/2012 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium full bodied, smooth polished, complex harmonious symphony of finely integrated aromas and flavors - predominant sweet black currant, red raspberry, milk chocolate, a hint of ripe plum, sweet oak and a bit of burnt sugar caramel on the long smooth polished finish.
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8/30/2012 - AJG wrote: flawed
Corked.
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8/30/2012 - GA wrote: 93 Points
8/12 Intense and concentrated - very new world. 93 pts
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7/29/2012 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
I have had this wine a few times before and thought it was good, but not great. This bottle was much richer with deeper flavors and more complexity. Lots of ripe, red and blue fruits with some chocolate and caramel. Black tea appears on the nose and finish. Looses some fruit on the back-end and finishes a bit flat. Seems like the fruit is starting to turn just a bit dry - I will drink up pretty soon.
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6/6/2012 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Deep crimson color. Plum, chocolate, black cherry and raspberry aromas. Develops a nice floral overtone, along with vanilla and spice. Full-bodied, with sweet tannin and oak tones, along with chocolate, raspberry liqueur, cherry and caramel. Lengthy finish dominated by dark fruit, vanilla and spice. 92 for me, 93 for Domino.
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3/3/2012 - Whine-oh wrote: 91 Points
Opened an decanted table side at rest., dark, no visible sed. Nice nose of some tasty oak, cherries n some earth. Palate was nice, medium bodied that continued to open as the night wore on, 2+ hours. Nice oft tannins. A pleasure to drink after returning from recent trip to napa, where we actually tasted 09s with proprietor on Spring Mtn.
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2/17/2012 - emf Likes this wine:
Beautiful dark red color, decanted and it opened nicely. Some aromas of dark fruit, in the glass dark cherries and berries with softening tannins and some black tea on the finish.
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12/22/2011 - ours de vin wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour and served at room temperature. Great Merlot, very balanced - light tannin structure and probably getting close to the end of its ideal window. In the mouth I get tea, ginger. lavander and some berry at the back-end. Nice depth for a Merlot, say medium. I have one more and will probably consume within the next 6 months.
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12/10/2011 - buckeye76 wrote: 90 Points
BLACKBERRIES AND BLACK RASPBERRIES IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH.
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9/18/2011 - biggwater wrote: 92 Points
rich and dense, inky color...
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8/19/2011 - drycab wrote:
This has become a rich, full bodied wine with nice round tannins and huge blue/black fruits with just a slight notion of secondary leather/minerality coming through. Popped and poured into those restaurant wine "goblets" at an Italian restaurant so not allowed to breathe at all except in the bottle and glass. Very pleasantly surprised after the last bottle!
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8/6/2011 - Night Train wrote: 90 Points
Big hit at a party. Not decanted. About what I expected - very Pride-like, but holding up better than the '03 Pride merlot. Dark with no signs of age. Nice cassis and herb nose. Dark red fruit and quite a bit of chocolate on the palate. Nice- but not luxurious - texture, and a good finish. Probably should drink up pretty soon.
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5/28/2011 - johnnyo wrote: 93 Points
Excellent again!
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5/1/2011 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 91 Points
Shared with friends - and company
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3/29/2011 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 92 Points
Somewhat translucent, dark garnet in the glass. Aromas of cedar and cocoa on the nose. Medium-full bodied with ripe, somewhat chocolatey berry fruit. Tasty.
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3/25/2011 - Mark wrote: 90 Points
Tasting better from open, I thought it faded a little fast. Best diuring the first two hours. Big, ripe dark fruit. A good merlot, but I had slightly higher expectations. Other vintages of Palmoa have shown better.
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2/19/2011 - VinoServant wrote: 88 Points
I love the bottle design and label but this wine does not blow me away. The wine smells good and it has a lot of dark fruit with some tannin, but it just always seems somewhat off the mark. The 03 Paloma probably has the structure to last another 3 to 4 years. For example, I think the Robert Keenan Merlot is a lot better, and it costs less.
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2/14/2011 - johnnyo wrote: 93 Points
Drinking fantastically right now. One of my favorite Cali Merlot.
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1/8/2011 - JFish wrote:
Quick TN: Popped and poured to pair with short ribs. Out of the gate this was open for business - predominantly showing dark cherries and red currants and some mocha, with minimal tannin. The fruit was round and lush. It was drinking so well that a second bottle was opened. The second bottle was much more tight and restrained, showing more tannin and what I thought to be a hint of TCA/mustiness. Corked the bottle and put it in the fridge overnight. Tried again yesterday, and the TCA note from the night before was gone (so it obviously was not corked), but this bottle drank more like a cab - darker, brooding fruit and more tannin than the first bottle. Finished it up with a veggie pizza. I'll be in no hurry to drink my remaining bottle.
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12/31/2010 - biggwater wrote: 91 Points
round, full, lush, dark mountain fruit. Everything a great merlot can be (think Petrus). Purchased directly from Barbara and we chatted on the balcony and tasted in the kitchen. This is what wine is all about
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12/25/2010 - 1800kidney wrote: 92 Points
Lovely merlot, ready to enjoy...round and full; stemminess not an issue
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12/3/2010 - winotoo wrote: 92 Points
Took to dinner at Test Kitchen. Round and supple, chocolate notes on the midpalate. Long finish. Doesn't seem close to over the hill but doesn't seem like it will get any better either.
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11/20/2010 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
The Blind Drunks monthly tasting (Our house): Dark crimson color. Black cherry and dark fruit notes, with a subtle herb and vanilla tones. Balanced with dark fruit and cocoa flavors. Cab-like. Medium length finish.
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7/10/2010 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 90 Points
almost a floral note. Very soft and well balanced.
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6/13/2010 - davidandrose wrote: 88 Points
Decanted and consumed over 2 hours. Lighter in color than I recall. Red fruit on the nose, cherries with a little mocha. Tanins are fading but the soft fruit - which is still enjoyable but just very soft and mature - shows that this is a "drink now" bottle. Hints of green and stem show through at times.
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6/2/2010 - StainedGlass wrote: 90 Points
I was surprised how fruit forward this Merlot was after 7 years. A little hotter than I expected too, but after giving it another day to breath in the bottle after opening, it became much more pleasant and balanced. Tastes of cassis, blueberries and maybe some choco, with a long, pleasant finish. A very nice merlot, and it still has quite a bit go life left.
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5/2/2010 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Medium full nose of cherry, plum, earth and spices. Palate has medium-to-full body with rich, bright fruit that is grounded in an earth tones. Modest complexity with spice, herbs and a hint of tobacco. Well balanced with moderate acidity. A quality -- if down the middle -- Merlot.
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4/16/2010 - Ekoostik wrote: 91 Points
This seems to have rounded into a pretty nice bottle of wine. Slight oak that seemed to blow off a bit, or I got used to it fast. Still lacking the oomph of some better vintages on the mid palate, but finishes with a classic long Paloma ending. Still some fine tannin there too. Surprisingly this one was not showing much advancement of age, just a more complete wine.
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3/2/2010 - MJTed wrote: 90 Points
Still pretty strong for a 7-year old merlot. Medium bodied, with black fruit, mocha and a pleasnat creamy texture. Not overp[owering and OK with food.
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2/27/2010 - MCUBEB wrote: 90 Points
Nose of spices and red meat. On the palate there is lots of chocolate and coffee flavors that are backed up sweet red and black fruit. Ends with more notes of milk chocolate and cherries and some peper notes.
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2/23/2010 - spotfin wrote: 92 Points
At its peak.
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1/30/2010 - ssouth wrote: 93 Points
Rich and mocha driven...drinking very well
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12/20/2009 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
From memory - Sweet smelling nose of red fruit and mocha. On the palate this was showing very well with creamy red berry fruit and a follow-up of chocolate mocha nuance.
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12/17/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 88 Points
A little dissapointing as a whole. Not what I've experienced with prior and more recent vintages.
Nose was nice and rich showing classic Paloma milk chocolate and blueberries but palate fell short.
A little austerity in the finish and an awkward disjointedness on the mid palate.
Still nice, but not up to this producer's usual caliber.
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12/6/2009 - ken-yyz wrote: 91 Points
All the telltale characteristics that I love in the Paloma Merlot. Dense fruit, chocolate / mocha.
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12/2/2009 - Scruff wrote:
Good well made wine. Decanted 2 hours prior. This had good black currant fruit on the nose with hints of walking through floral/rose garden. The usual Paloma great silky mouth feel is present, with dark red/blue fruit and cocoa/mocha with a medium length finish. Not as good as their stellar 2002 IMHO, but a good solid bottle. Can you be be disappointed if a wine is very good and but does not floor you? With Paloma I guess the expectations are always extremely high.
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8/19/2009 - stevenjstein wrote: 89 Points
Decent fruit. A little on the hot side.
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7/19/2009 - ken-yyz wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic. Cheers to Jim.
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6/6/2009 - davidandrose wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour. Better than last bottle, but not as good as it was shortly after release. Oak and glycerin on the nose, dark berries in a well-balanced and light-weighted package. Should consume by 2011.
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4/21/2009 - johnnyo wrote: 92 Points
This wine is at its peak. Fruit is well integrated with tannins, voluptuous mouth feel
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4/3/2009 - davidandrose wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour; not as enjoyable as I recall from a few months ago. Off bottle?
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3/21/2009 - dmorris wrote: 89 Points
Not as good as previous bottles that I've had. Some oak and blueberry on the nose; finish was short which is not what I've come to expect from Spring Mountain fruit. Still happy with this pick-up from WineBid at $30 plus premium, shipping and tax.
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3/11/2009 - MJTed wrote: 86 Points
I wasn't crazy about this bottle. Oak was out of joint and fruit was somehwat faded and tart. Hints of mocha. May already be past prime.
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3/7/2009 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
Similar notes to previous bottle but better integrated. Drinking well now!
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3/2/2009 - jc510 wrote: 90 Points
Singular in complexity, mild nose dark currants and cedar, strong mocha chocolate with dark raspberry plum turn to graphite with a nice medium finish last leaves a roasted Carmel lingering in your mouth.
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2/10/2009 - rickspicks wrote: 89 Points
I was going to hold off opening this wine for a another year or two, but decided to do a Spring Mountain tasting and included it. Decanted and aired for about 45 minutes. Drank it alongside a Pride merlot, and while the Pride was much richer and more flavorful, the Paloma was still very good. Dark ruby color, and not much nose. Dark berry flavors with some secondary notes of blueberry, chocolate and a hint of oak - but not especially complex. Medium bodied with good structure and a short to medium finish. Nothing special, but still a decent pour.
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1/7/2009 - RWilkinson wrote:
Nose not giving much at all with some heat, surprisingly lighted bodied with absolutely no complexity at all. I have had much better wines for a half the tariff. This may need more time to develop but I’m not holding breath…
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1/2/2009 - rickspicks wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured. Dark blueberry, boysenberry and raspberry with some chocolate and vanilla in the background. Full bodied and with a rich texture, but with enough structure to match. Slightly chewy and drying tannins. It never really opened up in the first 1 hr +. I had the impression there was more flavor and complexity lurking. I think I will give it another year or two before I open any more.
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12/24/2008 - davidandrose wrote: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully. Pop and pour, this had a lot of blueberry, chocolate and a lush, fruity texture. Poured half the bottle into a decanter, and this was a bit disjointed for about an hour - tannic, chalky and the fruit was largely hidden. This changed to a more pleasant wine over 60-90 minutes, but the wine that remained in the bottle yielded more enjoyable quaffs.
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12/10/2008 - rmcnees wrote: 90 Points
Smooth polished, complex harmonious symphony of finely integrated aromas and flavors - predominant currant, red raspberry, milk chocolate, a hint of ripe plum, sweet oak and a bit of burnt sugar caramel on the long smooth polished finish.
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11/28/2008 - spotfin wrote: 92 Points
full bodied, could be mistaken for a cab, but very nice.
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10/9/2008 - JFish wrote:
Unctuous was the first thought that came into my mind. Rich, mocha and dark fruit. Some spice showing from the oak but not the vanilla variety. This one should be fun to watch evolve. Another great effort from Paloma.
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9/28/2008 - MJTed wrote: 91 Points
Concentrated blue fruit, toasty oak and mocha. Silky mouthfeel. Solid, if somewhat monolithic.
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9/2/2008 - Cheryl wrote:
Reconsidering Merlot, a Barolo and a Mystery White (Il Corso, NYC): No notes. Anyone?
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8/16/2008 - carlwhat wrote:
overly dense quagmire of tannins and fruit. not my glass of wine....
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7/29/2008 - glg wrote: 91 Points
Chewy tannis, and some elements of spice (like a zin) - this wine is showing very well, and even better with air.
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7/4/2008 - bambam wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruits, wine has added weight from the first time I had it. Nice.
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6/28/2008 - TRS-Wine wrote: 93 Points
Excellent Merlot. Drinks well right now.
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5/31/2008 - dougie wrote: 92 Points
A super merlot. After a 2 hour decant, it was nice. And, it only got better and better. Drank over another 4 hours. Velvety cream that had wonderful fruit. Very integrated. Very impressed.
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3/19/2008 - 1800kidney wrote: 90 Points
Rich red fruits and boysenberries; 14.8% alcohol. round mouthfeel, with some stemminess coming through in the finish..agree that the drinking window can be extended
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11/3/2007 - pakabear wrote: 90 Points
Bright red fruits and blueberry with a tad over-ripeness on the nose. Earthy and spice initially on the palate finishing with some sour cherry's and a bit of over-sweetness.
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10/3/2007 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Delicious black cherry and blackberry aromas and flavors with hints of chocolate and oak finishing with chewy tannins.
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9/18/2007 - MJTed wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with last time. I think I'll sit on my last 3.
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9/3/2007 - glg wrote: 91 Points
This wine has come around nicely since the last time I had it. Not as deep or complex as the 2001/02, but improving. Rich dark fruits, with lots of chocolate. Medium length finish. While still tannic, the wine is softening. Makes me glad to be on Paloma's list, because these wines give me lots of pleasure.
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8/22/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML90,WA89,WS90
Tasted August 22, 2007 at a DAWGS offline. Opened and served immediately. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black berries, soft spices, tobacco and cocoa powder. Tightly wound showing some notes of red currants and red licorice with a touch of bitters on the finish. Light to medium acidity, firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold. Docking my previous rating by 1 point.
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8/17/2007 - dougie wrote: 91 Points
It took two hours after decanting for it to open up. Bright cherry and mocha. Wait atleast two years for other two.
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5/28/2007 - Elkiholic wrote: 90 Points
Always a winner. Big cherry nose and palatte with a rounded mouthfeel finished with a touch of clove. Went very well with our rosemary and mint marinated lamb.
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5/12/2007 - Mark wrote: 92 Points
Was the WOTN, big ripe with dark fruit, some mocha and a upfront fruit style. Heavy tannins but well balance the fruit signature. The crowd loved it, more so than the 2001 Pride Mountain Top Merlot (which was a better wine but just now showing well). Dark well from cork pull, but really opened up after an hour, and continued to do well for two, until it was gone. I thought it could be better integrated overall, but that might be due to not enough decanting time.
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5/3/2007 - DFC wrote: 91 Points
Double decanted for 30 minutes. Medium-bodied wine that is dark ruby in color. On the nose, creamy chocolate and dark red fruit. On the palate, plums and espresso ending in a very long 30-40 second finish. Good balance and structure, but the tannins are a bit chalky right now...give it some time.
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4/21/2007 - ken-yyz wrote: 89 Points
Nice, typical Paloma but tighter and less opulent than normal. Still a fantastic merlot.
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3/31/2007 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened and decanted around 5:30pm and served around 6:30pm and needed it. At first, dry and very tight tannins with some clarity at the edge. The middle went from thin to a nice roundness as it opened up. A somewhat sweet, black cherry and blackberry, dry tannic finish that softened towards the end of the bottle. Good to Very Good.
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3/28/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91. This was a big merlot. Lot’s of dark berries and maybe some plums mixed in with the heavy mocha notes. Drink now with a decant or hold another year.
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3/23/2007 - rloomis wrote: 90 Points
bursting with velvety fruit: red currant, plum, touch of raspberry; and nice earthy musk, white chocolate, leather, earth, mocha.
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2/12/2007 - ken-yyz wrote: 92 Points
Fanstastic! Everything that I expect from Paloma, supple red fruit with velvety texture riding on a smooth carpet of chocolate and mocha.
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2/10/2007 - rothdog wrote: 87 Points
Not that great this time. A little oaky and a little vegetal.
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12/17/2006 - MJTed wrote: 88 Points
Mcuhe tighter than previous bottles despite 2-1/2 hours decanting. Still great texture and intensity up front but not much complexity in the mid or finish.
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12/13/2006 - Ekoostik wrote: 91 Points
Found this bottle to be much superior to the last one just a couple of months ago. More weight and body to this bottle. Not in the vein of 02 but this was a very nice wine.
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12/2/2006 - budman wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful chocolate notes. Tastes like something Foley!!!
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10/19/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 92 Points
Wine Spectator Grand Tasting (Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, CA): Excellent merlot that beat many of the cabs in the WS Grand Tasting. Elegant styled wine that delivers big aromas/flavors of black cherry, blackberry, currant, oak and a touch of earth. Beautiful example of Spring Mountain Merlot. Well balanced tannins deliver seductively long finish. Jim and Barb Richards are the nicest couple that I have met on my wine journeys.
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10/9/2006 - bmauger wrote: 89 Points
A very good bottle of wine but falls short of outstanding. This was much better than the one i opened last new year's day. The nose was expressive upon opening. First taste you could tell the wine had some layers but heat was dominent in the finish. After two hours this wine had really integrated and the 30 sec finish was not hot and full of spice. Great food wine and we enjoyed with Prime T-Bones, mushroon cous cous and mixed vegetables. The black fruit was very forward upfront and the coffee/chocolate accents were there. Again a nice long spicy finish. If a little more complex this wine could merit an o/s score.
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9/23/2006 - glg wrote: 88 Points
Despite the comments about this wine being open for business, I found it tight and closed (did not decant). Didn't come to life even with air. Update on second day showed wine a little more open. I'm going to let my remaining bottles rest.
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8/27/2006 - Love4Vino wrote:
Brought to my brother-in-law's birthday dinner. A good bottle but lacked the depth of the wonderful 01 and even the 02. Still a wonderful wine that went very well with some roast.
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8/23/2006 - Elkiholic wrote: 91 Points
Consistent wine. Very nice overall and can't add more than what I stated a few months back. Only one left (boo-hoo)
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8/14/2006 - Mike V wrote: 90 Points
Lovely cool soft round. Delicious fruit, chocolate. Ready to go
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7/18/2006 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($51) This time not showing well. In part the problem may have been the food pairing - a tomatoe-based pasta sauce seemed to make the wine metallic and short. Mocha was the secondary characteristic after red berry fruit.
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6/12/2006 - bsherwin wrote:
Surprisingly closed down. Splash decanted for about half an hour and then back in the bottle. Tight and tannic although the nose was pure and beautiful. Others liked it more than we did, but it was not the black fruit and chocolate bomb that we've had in the past. Left a half glass to open up over the evening, but our server topped it off with Mondavi Reserve. Not a good blend.
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5/28/2006 - budman wrote: 92 Points
Chocolate and cocoa on the nose. Berries and more chocolate on the palate.
Very impresssive wine!
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5/27/2006 - irish87 wrote: 94 Points
Drank after decanting for five hours. Served with steaks. A friend brought a 2000 Paloma which seemed oaky and simple by comparison. This was rich, with tons of chocolate and blueberry. Huge round mouthfeel and long finish. I'm not sure it's going to get any better, but it was a wonderful, rich wine.
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5/24/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 92 Points
Elegant Merlot with aromas of cherry, berry, currant and oak. Layer upon layer of flavors in the mouth from the rich and intense Spring Mountain fruit. Excellent strucutre with impeccable balance and long finish. Great tasting experience drinking this with Barb Richards at her kitchen table overlooking their vineyard. Great wine from great people.
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4/11/2006 - Wusman wrote: 91 Points
Translucent purple. Cherries and sweet herbs with some heat on the nose. Chocolate on the palate with cherries as well. Moderate depth with tannin that complements the medium body of the wine. Agreed that this lacks the depth of the 01 or 02. Nevertheless, a great effort.
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3/9/2006 - A&B wrote: 89 Points
Not a complex wine but nicely balanced except maybe some heat from the alcohol, notes of vanilla choclate and dark red fruit. The nose of the wine was very sweet, nearly like caramell.
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3/6/2006 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($50) From memory - Pleasant red berry fruit with some mocha nuances. Plump, ripe, easy going. Okay.
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3/1/2006 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Full deep red. Huge aroma of SWEET cotton candy red fruit with caramel undertones. Smells like walking into a candy store. Big forward ripe sweet red/black cherry wit hbracing acidic finish. Controversial, but nice. 3/06
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2/5/2006 - HH wrote:
Super Bowl bottle...rich dark fruit with a caramel/mocha touch and plenty of depth. Not a huge merlot drinker but this one works!
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2/3/2006 - jonphillips wrote: 88 Points
roasted
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2/2/2006 - MJTed wrote: 92 Points
Intense, deep fruit flavors lacking a little complexity. Structure seems age-worthy but not likely to improve. Nice merlot overall, even for $55.
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2/1/2006 - stt1118 wrote: 91 Points
Inky purple color with loads of chocolate and sweetness. Nice merlot but would have liked to see just a touch more acidity from this very sweet offering. None the less a solid effort from Paloma.
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1/27/2006 - ken-yyz wrote: 89 Points
Not a great showing. Great concentration, but simple and quite sweet.
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1/26/2006 - ScottS wrote: 93 Points
SEXY, SEXY Wonderful wine!
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1/21/2006 - Elkiholic wrote: 91 Points
Opened prior to dinner and let sit in the bottle and glass. Muted nose iniaially, but after 45 minutes of air, a nice chocolate covered cherry nose emerged. Nice smooth mouthfeel with a big spash of cherry and a smooth lingering finish. I have no reference point to compare prior Paloma's, but this was a very enjoyable bottle. No hard edges at all, drink up.
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1/1/2006 - bmauger wrote:
Rich but not hot. Very sweet not sure if it will develop additional complexity. Vevety mouth feel and gobs of ripe fruit but not showing the spring mountain earth. Enjoyable but not exactly what I was expecting.
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12/4/2005 - Frijole wrote:
bricky, red brown
Nose: intense fruit, strawberries/cherries, light chocolate, pepper hot
Pal: savory, chalk, berries, chocolate, expresso, licorice, fruit forward, oaky, jammy
Feel: medium, full, jammy and chewy
Finish: long and savory
TC10
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11/27/2005 - Mike V wrote: 91 Points
Deep Purple color. Nice nose of mocha to pure chocolate. Palate is a bit more austere than 01, or 02. lovely Merlot.
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11/27/2005 - PurpleHaze wrote: 92 Points
Medium ruby. Explosive nose of mocha and currant. Medium to full bodied. Soft in the mouth with rich chocolate and berries. Extracted. Fine tannins show up mid palate and blend nicely into a 40+ second finish. Not my style of wine, but very well done for what it is.
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10/31/2005 - Chicago Wine Geek wrote: 93 Points
Yum! Killer stuff.
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10/21/2005 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Opened on a whim for Randy's party so Chris, Stef, Randy and a few others could try something different. The bottle had just arrived earlier this afternoon, but there was no evidence of bottle shock. This was singing right out of the bottle. Deep garnet/purple color. Explosive nose of blueberries and blackberries. Noticeable heat which blew off with some vigorous swirling in the glass. Black cherries and blackberry flavors on a rich palate. Tannins are evident, but very fine and slightly sweet. Medium length finish. An incredibly fun bottle.
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