I have a soft spot for this bottling given a lovely ‘94 many years ago. This is totally different. Nose shows VA. Some cedar and oak spice. Black fruited palate but somewhat behind rather asteingent tannins. Seems out of balance and probably over the hill.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Garnet color in the glass, fairly clear looking. Nose of menthol, eucalyptus, berries and cherries. Flavors of berries, cherries and a hint of currants. Medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Completely opaque garnet color with red-orange hues to the rim. Smells are plum, espresso, dark chocolate, damp earth and currant. The tastes are dark chocolate, currant, cedar, plum, blackberry, stony notes and earth, and menthol. This bottle makes up for the last one. The tannins are still massive which really surprises me and lend to a very dry finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The color is brick red and a bit cloudy. The smell is a bit funky and vegetal with notes of currant, plum. The taste is spicy with notes of currants, dark chocolate, pepper, and some zing. This bottle may suffer from VA and shows it's age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $40+ (Bin 75): Dark core, cloudy, half inch meniscus, light ruby rim; dill, vanilla, ash; tobacco, green pepper, rich and tannic, spicy, red currant; really needs a few more years but the fruit may be lacking too much at that point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is what a well defined merlot has to offer. Paired it with perfectly cooked duck from DB Modern in Miami and it was spectacular. fruit forward long silky finish and has another 5-8 years left to enjoy. Needs to be decanted beforehand the richness and complexity is in full harmony.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic wine, this bottle was still very youthful with bright fruit. Blackberry aromas with cedar and vanilla overtones, the pallette shows tiers of blackberry, cherry, and wild red berry flavors with spicy oak overtones on the silky long finish that lasts nearly 60 seconds. So good and much better than any other Beringer Howell Mtn melots in recent memory. Drink now or over the next few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sweet, rich and sexy! Showing its age, but gracefully. Dense. 11 years on, this is sublime. Typical blackberries and cherries on the nose and palette. Lots of toasted oak on the finish. Nice balanced mouthfeel. If you have this wine, get after it.
:0)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking really nicely still. A great example of a California Merlot with agability and complexity. Balanced, subdued and mature. Could be more exciting, but worth appreciating none the less
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice...not much on the nose for me but in the glass I had dark fruit, currant and a hit of spice in the mouth. Prob need to finish this off before too long
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We had this wine with some great chocolate tonight, just because we could! It was excellent - lots of loam and deep leathery nose, black fruit on the palate and a long finish of deep black cherry. A great wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped/poured. Surprisingly nice. Dark fruit, cassis, sweet leather and oak on the nose. Midweight trending toward full bodied on the palate. Still some slight acidity that is very nicely balanced and gives the midpalate a welcome lift. Little shows up at this early juncture in the way of tannins. Overall, a bit more traditionally crafted than other recent merlots I've had (e.g Pride, Buccella). Scary easy to drink. Update: Falls apart, pretty dramatically, with 45-60 minutes in the glass. Holds up in the bottle (without a decant), but not once it's out in the open. Mid 80's after the fall.....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
thought this was an amazing merlot from california. especially as old as a 2001 vintage where cal is not known for the longevity of their wines. especially merlot. it had full fruit , and a leather bacon fat smell with a port like after taste that lingered for a while. i feel this wine is drinking perfect now , and can only guess that it will last for at least 5 years more. perfect now..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: Opened up over the period of an hour or two. Lots of cocoa, mint, leather, oak and earth. Taste: Similar, but the taste did not linger as long as I had hoped. Started strong, but then washed out all of a sudden into almost nothing. Small percentage of the flavor did linger for about 20seconds, though it was minimal. I was able to get this on sale for $35, so a steal for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice merlot. Incredible structure for a merlot, makes sense given all that time in new oak. And I must admit that that is most of what I taste on night one. Some tobacco and a good earthiness. Not at all fat or over-sweet. In fact could do with a bit more sweetness to bring out the cherry and chocolate flavors, but I suspect I should have decanted a bit, and I will revisit on night two. For now the prominence of the oak and the more muted quality of the fruit keeps this from a higher rating, but I suspect this will come around with a bit of air or a bit of time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perhaps the best merlot in the country. Dense dark berries and plums, chocolate, t, I should have bought obacco, and rocking the sense of place you rarely get in the new world. I wish I bought more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
this is a monster! right up in your face with all that it got just love the nose wish i could get my hands on a bunch of these, the taste goes on for 1min+ a real treat
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big nose of cherry, currant, black pepper, and hint of earth. The palate is huge and rich with black currants, mocha, toasty vanilla, and firm a firm tannic finish. This thing drinks more like a Cab. Acidity is a touch lower than what I prefer, but it is overall nicely balanced. Good juice!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
now this is a wine. Knockedthe socks of some very nice merlot's tasted before this wine. Purple color. Black pepper and huge red fruit. There's some tannins and structure, but they are dealable right now. This is just a gorgeous, complex wine. It fits the magic mark, where you just ant to sit back and enjot the wine. It's a show stopper.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opening: Nose of Cherry Vanilla and a tiny bit of Chocolate and Black Tea. In the mouth there is a serious lack of fruit and is a tad bitter. Some Scorched Earth, Coffee and Smokey flavors linger. Somewhat dusty tannins. 85pts.
2 Hrs: The flavors have began to come into balance, although still lacking in fruit. 87pts.
4 Hrs: The nose is not at ripe as it once was, but the wine has become very well balanced. 88pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/30/2023 - Nutty08 Does not like this wine: 86 Points
I have a soft spot for this bottling given a lovely ‘94 many years ago. This is totally different. Nose shows VA. Some cedar and oak spice. Black fruited palate but somewhat behind rather asteingent tannins. Seems out of balance and probably over the hill.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Oh my gosh! It’s 22 years old and still a blueberry milkshake. Horrifying and mystifying at the same time!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2015 - bsclemson wrote: 91 Points
Aging well! Light fruit bouquet. Light tannins. Soft raspberry and cherry on the palate. Long, smooth finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2015 - bsclemson wrote: 91 Points
Aging very well! Light fruit bouquet. Light smooth tannins. Soft raspberry and cherry on the palate. Long, smooth finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2014 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91
Tasted non blind.
Garnet color in the glass, fairly clear looking. Nose of menthol, eucalyptus, berries and cherries. Flavors of berries, cherries and a hint of currants. Medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2014 - hackey37 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Completely opaque garnet color with red-orange hues to the rim. Smells are plum, espresso, dark chocolate, damp earth and currant. The tastes are dark chocolate, currant, cedar, plum, blackberry, stony notes and earth, and menthol. This bottle makes up for the last one. The tannins are still massive which really surprises me and lend to a very dry finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2014 - hackey37 wrote: flawed
The color is brick red and a bit cloudy. The smell is a bit funky and vegetal with notes of currant, plum. The taste is spicy with notes of currants, dark chocolate, pepper, and some zing. This bottle may suffer from VA and shows it's age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2013 - Rezy13 wrote:
Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $40+ (Bin 75): Dark core, cloudy, half inch meniscus, light ruby rim; dill, vanilla, ash; tobacco, green pepper, rich and tannic, spicy, red currant; really needs a few more years but the fruit may be lacking too much at that point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/9/2013 - miamidivorceatty Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is what a well defined merlot has to offer. Paired it with perfectly cooked duck from DB Modern in Miami and it was spectacular. fruit forward long silky finish and has another 5-8 years left to enjoy. Needs to be decanted beforehand the richness and complexity is in full harmony.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2013 - SchlaepDog Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic wine, this bottle was still very youthful with bright fruit. Blackberry aromas with cedar and vanilla overtones, the pallette shows tiers of blackberry, cherry, and wild red berry flavors with spicy oak overtones on the silky long finish that lasts nearly 60 seconds. So good and much better than any other Beringer Howell Mtn melots in recent memory. Drink now or over the next few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2012 - TheDarkPrince wrote: 93 Points
Normal service has been resumed!
Sweet, rich and sexy! Showing its age, but gracefully. Dense. 11 years on, this is sublime. Typical blackberries and cherries on the nose and palette. Lots of toasted oak on the finish. Nice balanced mouthfeel. If you have this wine, get after it.
:0)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2012 - Ed & MB's Wine wrote: 89 Points
Very good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2012 - nms1987 wrote: 89 Points
Drinking really nicely still. A great example of a California Merlot with agability and complexity. Balanced, subdued and mature. Could be more exciting, but worth appreciating none the less
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2012 - wineboat wrote: 90 Points
Nice...not much on the nose for me but in the glass I had dark fruit, currant and a hit of spice in the mouth. Prob need to finish this off before too long
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2012 - Nedder_travels_the_world wrote: 96 Points
Gorgeous voluptuous nose, great mouth feel. Such a surprise. drink this now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2011 - DY1978 wrote:
Great bottle of Merlot. In a great place right now, has aged gracefully.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2011 - JSPuskar wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for about 1/2 hour; opened up nicely with restrained barnyard nose, good dark fruit and inky nose, long finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2011 - JSPuskar wrote: 93 Points
We had this wine with some great chocolate tonight, just because we could! It was excellent - lots of loam and deep leathery nose, black fruit on the palate and a long finish of deep black cherry. A great wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2011 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
Popped/poured. Surprisingly nice. Dark fruit, cassis, sweet leather and oak on the nose. Midweight trending toward full bodied on the palate. Still some slight acidity that is very nicely balanced and gives the midpalate a welcome lift. Little shows up at this early juncture in the way of tannins. Overall, a bit more traditionally crafted than other recent merlots I've had (e.g Pride, Buccella). Scary easy to drink. Update: Falls apart, pretty dramatically, with 45-60 minutes in the glass. Holds up in the bottle (without a decant), but not once it's out in the open. Mid 80's after the fall.....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2010 - golfer5349 wrote: 92 Points
thought this was an amazing merlot from california. especially as old as a 2001 vintage where cal is not known for the longevity of their wines. especially merlot. it had full fruit , and a leather bacon fat smell with a port like after taste that lingered for a while. i feel this wine is drinking perfect now , and can only guess that it will last for at least 5 years more. perfect now..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2010 - mtkutzman@gmail.com wrote: 89 Points
Home with BBQ lamb chops
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/29/2010 - plow68 wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely fantastic Merlot. Drink now or over the next 2 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2010 - mtkutzman@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Home with pork roast. Wine super
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2009 - winelovr2001 wrote: 92 Points
Actually I was pretty impressed. Very femine in its structure, showing crushed berries, cassis, and loam. At its peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2009 - TheWinedown wrote: 90 Points
Nose: Opened up over the period of an hour or two. Lots of cocoa, mint, leather, oak and earth. Taste: Similar, but the taste did not linger as long as I had hoped. Started strong, but then washed out all of a sudden into almost nothing. Small percentage of the flavor did linger for about 20seconds, though it was minimal. I was able to get this on sale for $35, so a steal for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2008 - MikeW wrote: 92 Points
This is an excellent Merlot at it's best. Incredible nose followed by a full, delicious, fruit-filled taste. I'm sorry I didn't by more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2008 - winelovr2001 wrote: 90 Points
A very nice merlot at its peak now. Showing plum, berry, black cherry, and leather. Nicely balanced wine, but I expected a little more...
Should last a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2008 - mtkutzman@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
wine at its peak, very nice; currant tannins smooth;
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2008 - sleepyhaus wrote: 90 Points
Very nice merlot. Incredible structure for a merlot, makes sense given all that time in new oak. And I must admit that that is most of what I taste on night one. Some tobacco and a good earthiness. Not at all fat or over-sweet. In fact could do with a bit more sweetness to bring out the cherry and chocolate flavors, but I suspect I should have decanted a bit, and I will revisit on night two. For now the prominence of the oak and the more muted quality of the fruit keeps this from a higher rating, but I suspect this will come around with a bit of air or a bit of time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2008 - bpsancho wrote: 93 Points
Perhaps the best merlot in the country. Dense dark berries and plums, chocolate, t, I should have bought obacco, and rocking the sense of place you rarely get in the new world. I wish I bought more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2007 - Hecht_Pede wrote: 95 Points
this is a monster! right up in your face with all that it got just love the nose wish i could get my hands on a bunch of these, the taste goes on for 1min+ a real treat
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2007 - jmd60611 wrote: 90 Points
Pretty tasty juice...Deep and rich with structure and tannins, a very good/great merlot
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2007 - DaveArsenault wrote: 91 Points
Thick, rich, mouth coating glass of wine. Very deep powerful nose. Is this really a merlot?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2007 - jjclips2 wrote: 91 Points
Big nose of cherry, currant, black pepper, and hint of earth. The palate is huge and rich with black currants, mocha, toasty vanilla, and firm a firm tannic finish. This thing drinks more like a Cab. Acidity is a touch lower than what I prefer, but it is overall nicely balanced. Good juice!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2007 - redpine42 wrote: 90 Points
Nice earthy nose. The alcohol is a little harsh on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2006 - hutch wrote: 94 Points
now this is a wine. Knockedthe socks of some very nice merlot's tasted before this wine. Purple color. Black pepper and huge red fruit. There's some tannins and structure, but they are dealable right now. This is just a gorgeous, complex wine. It fits the magic mark, where you just ant to sit back and enjot the wine. It's a show stopper.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/13/2006 - cousteau wrote: 82 Points
Same problem with every beringer wine I have drank. you just can't get past the third sip, it's too heavy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2006 - trucrime wrote: 89 Points
Big strawberry jam nose that continues in the palate with a backbone of firm tanins but not a whole lot of depth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2006 - pakabear wrote: 88 Points
Opening: Nose of Cherry Vanilla and a tiny bit of Chocolate and Black Tea. In the mouth there is a serious lack of fruit and is a tad bitter. Some Scorched Earth, Coffee and Smokey flavors linger. Somewhat dusty tannins. 85pts.
2 Hrs: The flavors have began to come into balance, although still lacking in fruit. 87pts.
4 Hrs: The nose is not at ripe as it once was, but the wine has become very well balanced. 88pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment