One of the best California merlots and soon to be obsolete. Lots of sweet red fruit, good body and minimal tannins. One could say a fruit bomb, but more sophisticated than that.
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huge dark expression on the nose of blackberry and cedar. Wonderful currant backbone with explosive flavors of black cherry and mocha .Impressive 30 second finish of wild cherry fruit that coats the mouth I always love Shafer but this was beyond my normal expectations even for a winery that I demand so much from
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huge dark expression on the nose of blackberry and cedar. Wonderful currant backbone with explosive flavors of black cherry and mocha .Impressive 30 second finish of wild cherry fruit that coats the mouth I always love Shafer but this was beyond my normal expectations even for a winery that I demand so much from.
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Wow, huge dark expression on the nose of blackberry and cedar. Wonderful blackberry backbone with explosive flavors of black cherry and mocha . Impressively long 30 second finish of wild cherry fruit that coats the entire mouth . I always love Shafer but this was beyond my normal expectations even for a winery that I demand so much from.
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The bouquet here (violet and ripe bold red fruit) is the best I have come across. The palate is not nearly as present. While still good in its own (mature) right. It's not nearly the big chewy fruity Merlot it was 5 years ago. I agree with the "chalky" tannins description.
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90 minute decant was not enough. Typically nice Shafer merlot with sweet dark red fruit, medium-plus body, nice structure and acidity. Long finish. Tannins were a bit edgy and chalky which detracted from the wine but was getting better with air. Probably would have scored higher on 2nd day. Can drink or hold
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From Magnum, no decant. Gorgeous aromas of coffee and chocolate and sweet oak along with nice dark berry and currant. Flavors similar, went great with bacon wrapped pork chop. Second day after being gassed wine was even more integrated and supple. Drinking great right now. I would think 750s would be close to peak, magnums could go another 5 years+.
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pop n pour.drnk side by side with chateau la providence 09(100% merlot).nice energy of ripe fruits but yet with enuff acidity to balance the wine.rather surprise tat its high alcohol but didnt actually feel it.may bcoz of rich lushes fruit to cover the high alcohol.gd structure bttl,quite a balance wine.nice intensity.complexxity is decent.conclusion:wat is slight lacking here is some power to score more points.
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Merlot Madness (Extra Space): Pop and poured. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, initially tight, but opened up with air to show aromas of blackberries, dark plums, bits of licorice, cinnamon spice, and vanilla oak. Developing. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, 14.9% alc that feels like a medium alcohol only, plush medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavor intensity, with flavours of sweet blackberries, dark plums, blueberries, bits of licorice, cinnamon spice, mint, vanilla oak. Medium+ finish. Rather elegant and restrained for a New World Merlot from Napa. Very good quality. Drinking well now, and will last another 3-4 years.
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Black jam blackberry after pop and pour. Closed notes on the nose but suggests hints of blackberry and thyme. Wow wine after 3 hours . Beautiful blueberry note on the nose and palate. Nice soft vanilla hints and nutmeg. Rutherford dust are mingled in on the finish. Great Schafer merlot but needed time to open . Drink until 2016
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Opened and poured. Improved as it opened up over 2hrs. Very nice and smooth. Blind I would have guessed it was a cab. Definitely a good match for a steak.
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A good, solid Napa Merlot. Still one of the best for the price, in our opinion. As others have said, the layered flavors and structure make it drink more like a Cabernet. Big, flavorful Merlot with plenty of fruit and that perfect touch of chocolate. Stands up to a big juicy steak perfectly.
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In the sunlight can see slight brick colour at the rim, tannins have softened, quite smooth, deep purple colour, still some nice fruit but I get the sense the fruit is starting to fade. I'm drinking it without food and it is quite splendid.
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Compared to the CdP and brunello this showed riper and richer with loads of fruit and some chocolate. It has good tannins and acidity though and was enjoyed by everyone.
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Very nice Merlot... Dark Ruby color. Nose has lots of red and black fruits, floral notes and some vanilla. Medium to ful bodied palate has plum, mocha and some bright red raspberry notes along with some vanilla. Nice, lingering finish.
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The nose bursts with plum, blackcurrant, and gunpowder, with overtones of rubber true, coconut, and fresh squeezed papaya. Rich and hearty but never overwhelming. Full bodied, with tobacco, grapefruit, thyme, and blackberry. Medium finish. An excellent but simple and accessible wine; enjoyable to drink, but not one to challenge your palate.
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Wow, what a difference 18 months make, either that or the first bottle we had was somewhat flawed, this was amazing, really enjoyable and very tasty with our steaks tonight - Dark, full bodied with a nose of extreme plum, cherry, mocha, cedar and vanilla, well structured, complex, quite integrated at this point, sweet, silky smooth on the palate with outstanding length, really nice, and an amazing wine (94 Points).
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Upon opening would have rated lower. Too much alcohol. However, after about an hour the nose began to reveal fruit and coffee... And on the palette berry, tannins, a bit of chocolat, and coffee. Give this time, Paired well with pasta and sausage, and very well with dark chocolate.
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Popper and poured. This took about an hour to open up. Aromatic nose of blueberry and cofee. Rich, smooth mouthfeel very much in the Shafer style. Lots of dark blueberry and cherry fruit with great flavors of dark chocolate and roasted cofee. Full bodied and opulent on the palate. Long finish with grippy tannins indicating that this is not yet at peak and has several years of prime drinking left. Excellent merlot. I found this to be veery well balanced and did not pick up any heat as noted by others.
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Deep, extracted. Wafts of menthol and cassis. Rich and mouthfilling. Too heavy for my taste. A whopping 15% alcohol was mostly concealed with the rich fruit, but jaded my palate rapidly. Sweet fruit. Some complexity. I guess it is delicious, but overdone and lacking complexity and - above all - style. I was unable to drink more than a glass or so of this the first night. Finished up the second night with no vast evolution. Classic Parker-wine. 90+
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No notes but very enjoyable. This paired well with my braised short rib and Ann's Filet at Harry's Savoy. Several other people at the table commented on how much they liked this wine as well.
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Tasted this at a tasting and bought a six pack. I was nervous it would be as good when I drank it at home, but it completely lived up to our memory and expectations. We really enjoyed this merlot...not completely Napa-fied which we liked.
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I especially like this wine with a good pizza. The wine has nice complex fruit, smooth mid palate and lingering after taste. Shafer is a favorite no matter what varietal it is.
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Classic Shafer. Showing really well. Nice fruit driven aromas - juicy and showing nice balance. Layers of blueberries, plum, chocolate and vanilla. Some nice earth components as well but mostly fruit shining through. Solid mass produced bottling. Consistent from year to year.
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Drank this last weekend at Ava's Pizza and wine bar in St. Michaels. Very enjoyable with a pizza with spanish ham, arugala, a cheese of some sort and balsamic. I would purchase this again.
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From 375ml off the wine list to celebrate the end of tax season with a nice Porterhouse at the Anvil Club. Deep ruby/garnet color. Upon opening, aromas of cherry, black raspberry, coffee and thyme. Lush, with soft, approachable tannins and flavors of black cherry and spice. Juicy. Develops a mint note with air, and gains a little depth on the palate.
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76% Merlot and 24% Cab Franc from Carneros. This was drinking a lot better than it was in February. Ripe black cherry and white pepper in the nose. Fruit forward and well balanced. Wonderful. B+/A-
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I expect more from this label and this price especially, in that you could be almost 4 bottles of Columbia Crest Merlot and have a better experience, this was aerated for a couple of hours beforehand, so let's hope the second bottle that will sit in the cellar for at least a few years will yield a better result - Dark, full bodied with a nose of plum, tobacco leaf, chocolate, licorice and vanilla, balanced towards the 'fat' side at the moment with a touch of heat and tannins as well, soft, simple, not complex as yet, sweet/smooth on the palate with medium length (87 Points).
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Very good but not outstanding. We popped and poured at Bandero in Sacto. Very tight with heavy tanins when opened. The tanic bit was a distractionj however, by the end of dinner it started to open up to solid berry flavors. We should have decanted for a couple hours before the meal.
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really big and sexy, black fruit and chocolate, very intense, consumed way too young but still really tasty. excited to see where this will go in a couple of years...
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Unusual bit of cranberry on the nose. Darker fruit profile of blackberry and plum. 17% cab and % franc. Nice acid, great supple tannins. It's soft, but the acid prevents any trace of flab. Excellent.
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Trip to Napa/Sonoma; 11/7/2009-11/14/2009 (Napa/Sonoma): Aromatic nose with plum and candied cherry. Bright red fruits on the palate with complex spicebox and cedar. Medium finish. Very focused and restrained with fine tannic background that is slightly drying. Well made but boring.
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rather unimpressed, especially for price. was shut down and to be fair, may have needed to have opened up more but nose was rather restrained with dark fruit and not much complexity. In the mouth, medium bodied, refined tannins but too high in acidity for my liking.
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taste: Elegant medium body with nice tannins and a silky feel providing plush tones of berries, red florals, red currants and bing cherries. Good depth and very classy
overall: I always like Shafer merlots. Plush and pretty, these wines always bring out a real elegant merlot that shows off its california roots, but also is restrained at the same time.
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A touch of liquid mineral to the nose. Also with touches of vanilla. The mid palate for Shafer is quite restrained and you wonder if Doug meant to do that. Actually, I would guess this is showing its youth and needs about a year to fully flesh up and get that delcious Merlot mid palate. Just my opinion.
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chocolate wood and black fruit on the nose. Big and rich black nose for merlot. I guess that's what you get here. chocolate black raspberry for the palate. quite striking.
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taste: good silky medium feel with polished tones of red cherries, blueberries, red licorice and some bits of root vegetables
overall: I do love how shafer does merlot. While there isn't as much depth as some previous vintages, there is a whole lot of class and elegance to this with some lovely flavors and aromatics
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Drank at Brix in Napa – from 375ml. Medium, almost deep bright ruby, clear. Youthful nose of black and red cherries, plum and some oak. Flavours of red fruits, some oak and candied red cherries. Medium body, acidity and tannin with a slightly boozy medium length finish. Drink or hold. Good. 87+
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Tasted at winery – medium bright ruby, clear. Youthful nose of bright red fruits with some oaky notes as well. Flavours of red cherries, green tobacco, tart and mouth puckering. Medium body, medium to high acidity, low to medium with a medium length finish. Drink or hold. Good. 87+
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Decanted for about an hour before serving. Ripe and juicy plums and dark berries on the nose and palate. Young, somewhat dusty tannins on the medium length finish. Good wine, if a bit simple.
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Lots of currant and spice. Surprisingly tannic for a CA merlot. Enjoyable but probably a pass at this point ($28/half bottle). That said, this might turn into a 90+ with some age. I'd wait another year before popping.
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4/26/2021 - Tarpon222 wrote: 91 Points
Drink up. Nice now...not much longer
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3/20/2020 - Halfeel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Now is probably a good time to drink this wine up. Still great, but I don't really see it improving with any additional aging.
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9/21/2019 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 95 Points
Like butter. Silky smooth, layered, lots of red fruit
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7/30/2019 - Cleanrun2000 wrote:
Very good
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5/28/2019 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of the best California merlots and soon to be obsolete. Lots of sweet red fruit, good body and minimal tannins. One could say a fruit bomb, but more sophisticated than that.
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4/26/2019 - Julieandluca Likes this wine:
Jummy
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2/16/2019 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smooth as silk with good depth and balance. Lots of diffused fruit and a long round. Finish
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8/31/2018 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a great merlot, full bodied, deep dark fruit, soft tannins and phenomenal finish. It’s a shame that they are discontinuing this stellar wine
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7/31/2018 - norsktorsk wrote: 93 Points
super
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6/9/2018 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smoke, tobacco and oak on the nose, lots of black cherry with a floral/raspberry undertone. Soft tannins and a medium finish.
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4/3/2018 - wthreadgill wrote: 89 Points
RATING IS GIVEN BY WINERY
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2/14/2017 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 93 Points
My wife's favorite shared on Valentine's Day. Dark fruit and earthy, soft tannins and a long finish. Aged very well
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4/15/2016 - Paytondogger wrote: 93 Points
Wow
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4/15/2016 - Paytondogger wrote: 93 Points
huge dark expression on the nose of blackberry and cedar. Wonderful currant backbone with explosive flavors of black cherry and mocha .Impressive 30 second finish of wild cherry fruit that coats the mouth I always love Shafer but this was beyond my normal expectations even for a winery that I demand so much from
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4/15/2016 - Paytondogger wrote: 93 Points
huge dark expression on the nose of blackberry and cedar. Wonderful currant backbone with explosive flavors of black cherry and mocha .Impressive 30 second finish of wild cherry fruit that coats the mouth I always love Shafer but this was beyond my normal expectations even for a winery that I demand so much from.
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4/15/2016 - Paytondogger wrote: 93 Points
Wow, huge dark expression on the nose of blackberry and cedar. Wonderful blackberry backbone with explosive flavors of black cherry and mocha . Impressively long 30 second finish of wild cherry fruit that coats the entire mouth . I always love Shafer but this was beyond my normal expectations even for a winery that I demand so much from.
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11/21/2015 - Whodeyinsea Likes this wine: 90 Points
The bouquet here (violet and ripe bold red fruit) is the best I have come across. The palate is not nearly as present. While still good in its own (mature) right. It's not nearly the big chewy fruity Merlot it was 5 years ago. I agree with the "chalky" tannins description.
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8/15/2015 - Hawk94 wrote: 90 Points
A solid, complex merlot, sweet, and smooth. A fruit bomb.
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4/17/2015 - iamandyc wrote: 91 Points
90 minute decant was not enough. Typically nice Shafer merlot with sweet dark red fruit, medium-plus body, nice structure and acidity. Long finish. Tannins were a bit edgy and chalky which detracted from the wine but was getting better with air. Probably would have scored higher on 2nd day. Can drink or hold
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12/29/2014 - brockley23 wrote: 94 Points
From Magnum, no decant. Gorgeous aromas of coffee and chocolate and sweet oak along with nice dark berry and currant. Flavors similar, went great with bacon wrapped pork chop. Second day after being gassed wine was even more integrated and supple. Drinking great right now. I would think 750s would be close to peak, magnums could go another 5 years+.
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10/3/2014 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Incredible mouth feel, taste of chocolate and a tinge of tobacco.
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6/11/2014 - clairenclarence wrote: 92 Points
pop n pour.drnk side by side with chateau la providence 09(100% merlot).nice energy of ripe fruits but yet with enuff acidity to balance the wine.rather surprise tat its high alcohol but didnt actually feel it.may bcoz of rich lushes fruit to cover the high alcohol.gd structure bttl,quite a balance wine.nice intensity.complexxity is decent.conclusion:wat is slight lacking here is some power to score more points.
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6/11/2014 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 92 Points
Merlot Madness (Extra Space): Pop and poured.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, initially tight, but opened up with air to show aromas of blackberries, dark plums, bits of licorice, cinnamon spice, and vanilla oak. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, 14.9% alc that feels like a medium alcohol only, plush medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavor intensity, with flavours of sweet blackberries, dark plums, blueberries, bits of licorice, cinnamon spice, mint, vanilla oak. Medium+ finish. Rather elegant and restrained for a New World Merlot from Napa.
Very good quality. Drinking well now, and will last another 3-4 years.
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5/9/2014 - tuccipa Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking very nice. Smooth and refined. Still a lot of fruit
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4/12/2014 - Paytondogger wrote: 93 Points
Black jam blackberry after pop and pour. Closed notes on the nose but suggests hints of blackberry and thyme. Wow wine after 3 hours . Beautiful blueberry note on the nose and palate. Nice soft vanilla hints and nutmeg. Rutherford dust are mingled in on the finish. Great Schafer merlot but needed time to open . Drink until 2016
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3/29/2014 - Guns and Rosés Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and poured. Improved as it opened up over 2hrs. Very nice and smooth. Blind I would have guessed it was a cab. Definitely a good match for a steak.
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1/12/2014 - Kevdog Likes this wine: 90 Points
good food wine, but needs plenty of time to open up.
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12/27/2013 - absolutvodka wrote: 92 Points
Great wine. The bottle age has allowed it to show its elegant side.
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12/27/2013 - Hereinto wrote: 93 Points
An excellent Merlot. Deep ruby/garnet colour. Lots of blackberry/cherry taste, nice balance, rich mouthfeel, silky texture, and nice finish.
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12/24/2013 - ajfret01 wrote:
Outstanding!
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12/15/2013 - christyspring Likes this wine: 91 Points
A good, solid Napa Merlot. Still one of the best for the price, in our opinion. As others have said, the layered flavors and structure make it drink more like a Cabernet. Big, flavorful Merlot with plenty of fruit and that perfect touch of chocolate. Stands up to a big juicy steak perfectly.
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9/21/2013 - jbehrendt Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very nice merlot. Paired it with beef filets prepared on the grill. Continued to improve through the evening.
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6/14/2013 - The Raven wrote:
A full bodied wine that has hint of blackberry. With a peppery finish, this drinks more like a cabernet than a merlot. Lover this wine!
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5/27/2013 - Colia wrote: 91 Points
Textbook, and drinking quite well right now.
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5/4/2013 - The Bossman wrote: 90 Points
In the sunlight can see slight brick colour at the rim, tannins have softened, quite smooth, deep purple colour, still some nice fruit but I get the sense the fruit is starting to fade. I'm drinking it without food and it is quite splendid.
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3/14/2013 - jmottern Likes this wine: 90 Points
Another good Shafer merlot. Inky black color with strong fruit. Nice finish.
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9/23/2012 - Kevdog wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured... This wine has aged well. Big nose with heavy fruit, taste fruit and a touch of chocolate.
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7/19/2012 - Chris Herron wrote:
Outstanding. Wonderful dark color. Surprised me with the vibrant fruit. Delighted me with the aromas and flavors. Balanced. Red fruits dominated.
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5/28/2012 - jswine15 wrote: 91 Points
one of my favorite everyday wines...well made, flavors are integrated, just a great bottle of wine for the price
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3/4/2012 - Outplaying wrote:
Compared to the CdP and brunello this showed riper and richer with loads of fruit and some chocolate. It has good tannins and acidity though and was enjoyed by everyone.
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1/20/2012 - Kevdog wrote: 88 Points
Didn't decant this time, wine lacks character w/out around an hour to open up
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10/30/2011 - maklain wrote: 93 Points
As always a very good merlot. Blackberry and currant undertones, subtle and soft on the palate. Very enjoyable.
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9/18/2011 - bmarshall wrote: 92 Points
Very nice Merlot... Dark Ruby color. Nose has lots of red and black fruits, floral notes and some vanilla. Medium to ful bodied palate has plum, mocha and some bright red raspberry notes along with some vanilla. Nice, lingering finish.
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9/11/2011 - puzzl Likes this wine: 89 Points
The nose bursts with plum, blackcurrant, and gunpowder, with overtones of rubber true, coconut, and fresh squeezed papaya. Rich and hearty but never overwhelming. Full bodied, with tobacco, grapefruit, thyme, and blackberry. Medium finish. An excellent but simple and accessible wine; enjoyable to drink, but not one to challenge your palate.
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8/1/2011 - Tarrant wrote: 94 Points
Wow, what a difference 18 months make, either that or the first bottle we had was somewhat flawed, this was amazing, really enjoyable and very tasty with our steaks tonight - Dark, full bodied with a nose of extreme plum, cherry, mocha, cedar and vanilla, well structured, complex, quite integrated at this point, sweet, silky smooth on the palate with outstanding length, really nice, and an amazing wine (94 Points).
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7/20/2011 - Kevdog wrote: 90 Points
Upon opening would have rated lower. Too much alcohol. However, after about an hour the nose began to reveal fruit and coffee... And on the palette berry, tannins, a bit of chocolat, and coffee. Give this time, Paired well with pasta and sausage, and very well with dark chocolate.
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5/29/2011 - J8876g wrote: 90 Points
Always good. Little potent: alcohol wise for a merlot. But hard pressed to find a better for the price.
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5/16/2011 - Yamadori wrote: 91 Points
Popper and poured. This took about an hour to open up. Aromatic nose of blueberry and cofee. Rich, smooth mouthfeel very much in the Shafer style. Lots of dark blueberry and cherry fruit with great flavors of dark chocolate and roasted cofee. Full bodied and opulent on the palate. Long finish with grippy tannins indicating that this is not yet at peak and has several years of prime drinking left. Excellent merlot. I found this to be veery well balanced and did not pick up any heat as noted by others.
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4/6/2011 - Rob-Rah wrote: 90 Points
Deep, extracted. Wafts of menthol and cassis. Rich and mouthfilling. Too heavy for my taste. A whopping 15% alcohol was mostly concealed with the rich fruit, but jaded my palate rapidly. Sweet fruit. Some complexity. I guess it is delicious, but overdone and lacking complexity and - above all - style. I was unable to drink more than a glass or so of this the first night. Finished up the second night with no vast evolution. Classic Parker-wine. 90+
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1/16/2011 - The Raven wrote: 91 Points
Big taste for a big wine. very nice.
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1/9/2011 - Outplaying wrote:
No notes but very enjoyable. This paired well with my braised short rib and Ann's Filet at Harry's Savoy. Several other people at the table commented on how much they liked this wine as well.
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12/11/2010 - rhpeters wrote: 91 Points
Tasted this at a tasting and bought a six pack. I was nervous it would be as good when I drank it at home, but it completely lived up to our memory and expectations. We really enjoyed this merlot...not completely Napa-fied which we liked.
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10/1/2010 - bulldurham wrote: 89 Points
I especially like this wine with a good pizza. The wine has nice complex fruit, smooth mid palate and lingering after taste. Shafer is a favorite no matter what varietal it is.
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9/25/2010 - beezer6 wrote: 90 Points
Classic Shafer. Showing really well. Nice fruit driven aromas - juicy and showing nice balance.
Layers of blueberries, plum, chocolate and vanilla. Some nice earth components as well but mostly fruit shining through. Solid mass produced bottling. Consistent from year to year.
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7/18/2010 - nstryland wrote: 92 Points
great merlot. Very fruity. smooth
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6/25/2010 - Double D wrote: 92 Points
Pleasant but not outstanding.
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6/8/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
Drank this last weekend at Ava's Pizza and wine bar in St. Michaels. Very enjoyable with a pizza with spanish ham, arugala, a cheese of some sort and balsamic. I would purchase this again.
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4/15/2010 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
From 375ml off the wine list to celebrate the end of tax season with a nice Porterhouse at the Anvil Club. Deep ruby/garnet color. Upon opening, aromas of cherry, black raspberry, coffee and thyme. Lush, with soft, approachable tannins and flavors of black cherry and spice. Juicy. Develops a mint note with air, and gains a little depth on the palate.
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3/31/2010 - bulldurham wrote: 88 Points
Shafer is a family favorite. Chewy mouth feel but luscious fruit with red and black currant plus a sage like bouquet.
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3/6/2010 - Neurasthenia wrote:
Blind Merlot tasting party with 6 bottles priced $6 to $50, twelve tasters. This was the overall favorite.
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3/5/2010 - Double D wrote: 93 Points
A mouthful of fruit, lots of legs in the glass, a throughly smooth and drinkable merlot.
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2/25/2010 - Berno wrote: 91 Points
76% Merlot and 24% Cab Franc from Carneros.
This was drinking a lot better than it was in February. Ripe black cherry and white pepper in the nose. Fruit forward and well balanced. Wonderful. B+/A-
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1/30/2010 - Tarrant wrote: 87 Points
I expect more from this label and this price especially, in that you could be almost 4 bottles of Columbia Crest Merlot and have a better experience, this was aerated for a couple of hours beforehand, so let's hope the second bottle that will sit in the cellar for at least a few years will yield a better result - Dark, full bodied with a nose of plum, tobacco leaf, chocolate, licorice and vanilla, balanced towards the 'fat' side at the moment with a touch of heat and tannins as well, soft, simple, not complex as yet, sweet/smooth on the palate with medium length (87 Points).
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12/28/2009 - DJSeiler wrote: 89 Points
Very good but not outstanding. We popped and poured at Bandero in Sacto. Very tight with heavy tanins when opened. The tanic bit was a distractionj however, by the end of dinner it started to open up to solid berry flavors. We should have decanted for a couple hours before the meal.
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12/26/2009 - thecobalt9 wrote: 93 Points
really big and sexy, black fruit and chocolate, very intense, consumed way too young but still really tasty. excited to see where this will go in a couple of years...
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12/16/2009 - Colia wrote: 90 Points
Unusual bit of cranberry on the nose. Darker fruit profile of blackberry and plum. 17% cab and % franc. Nice acid, great supple tannins. It's soft, but the acid prevents any trace of flab. Excellent.
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11/11/2009 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Trip to Napa/Sonoma; 11/7/2009-11/14/2009 (Napa/Sonoma): Aromatic nose with plum and candied cherry. Bright red fruits on the palate with complex spicebox and cedar. Medium finish. Very focused and restrained with fine tannic background that is slightly drying. Well made but boring.
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9/29/2009 - lumpkins wrote: 86 Points
rather unimpressed, especially for price. was shut down and to be fair, may have needed to have opened up more but nose was rather restrained with dark fruit and not much complexity. In the mouth, medium bodied, refined tannins but too high in acidity for my liking.
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9/16/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 90 Points
Napa Valley Vintners Association (Fleming's Steak House): nose: very pretty nose of berries, red and black currants, red florals, and some tasty tones of red cherries. Good depth with a nice red fruit base and expression
taste: Elegant medium body with nice tannins and a silky feel providing plush tones of berries, red florals, red currants and bing cherries. Good depth and very classy
overall: I always like Shafer merlots. Plush and pretty, these wines always bring out a real elegant merlot that shows off its california roots, but also is restrained at the same time.
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8/12/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
A touch of liquid mineral to the nose. Also with touches of vanilla. The mid palate for Shafer is quite restrained and you wonder if Doug meant to do that. Actually, I would guess this is showing its youth and needs about a year to fully flesh up and get that delcious Merlot mid palate. Just my opinion.
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7/24/2009 - nzinkgraf wrote:
chocolate wood and black fruit on the nose. Big and rich black nose for merlot. I guess that's what you get here. chocolate black raspberry for the palate. quite striking.
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7/24/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Rather beautiful merlot.
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3/20/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 90 Points
Binny's Spring California Night (Binny's Highland Park, highland park IL): nose: nice elegant and polished nose with red cherries, blueberries, fresh picked berries, some red licorice and hints of root vegetables. Good polish, but not as deep as the 05, but still has a nice class to it
taste: good silky medium feel with polished tones of red cherries, blueberries, red licorice and some bits of root vegetables
overall: I do love how shafer does merlot. While there isn't as much depth as some previous vintages, there is a whole lot of class and elegance to this with some lovely flavors and aromatics
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3/19/2009 - godx wrote: 87 Points
Drank at Brix in Napa – from 375ml. Medium, almost deep bright ruby, clear. Youthful nose of black and red cherries, plum and some oak. Flavours of red fruits, some oak and candied red cherries. Medium body, acidity and tannin with a slightly boozy medium length finish. Drink or hold. Good. 87+
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3/19/2009 - godx wrote: 87 Points
Tasted at winery – medium bright ruby, clear. Youthful nose of bright red fruits with some oaky notes as well. Flavours of red cherries, green tobacco, tart and mouth puckering. Medium body, medium to high acidity, low to medium with a medium length finish. Drink or hold. Good. 87+
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1/20/2009 - keelegl wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for about an hour before serving. Ripe and juicy plums and dark berries on the nose and palate. Young, somewhat dusty tannins on the medium length finish. Good wine, if a bit simple.
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1/18/2009 - mdefreitas wrote: 89 Points
Football & Merlot @ Howard's 2009 (Old Greenwich, CT): Aromatic. Pleasant. Surprisingly accessable for such a young wine. Good balance.
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1/6/2009 - B Paul wrote: 89 Points
Lots of currant and spice. Surprisingly tannic for a CA merlot. Enjoyable but probably a pass at this point ($28/half bottle). That said, this might turn into a 90+ with some age. I'd wait another year before popping.
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12/30/2008 - wabi47 wrote: 88 Points
clean round vanilla and mixed berry fruit; soft tannins, some pepper
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8/24/2008 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
The Merlot Dinner a/k/a Richard's Last Supper (The Acorn, Nashville, TN): Only note I had is that this was my 4th in the flight, though I'm not sure why as I usually enjoy the Shafer merlots.
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