Just shedding some baby tannin to display deep lush dark fruit but there’s still some tannin to shed. This will likely improve a bit over the next 5-10 years. Moderate French oak toast, blackberry, cassis, very slight minty licorice, tasty but still some grip here.
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Almost no bouquet upon opening - faint whiff of wet cardboard. Sour cherries and tartness predominate on the palate now, but I will try again with the rest of the bottle tomorrow.
Much better on day 2 - I’ve raised the score accordingly. Still tastes like cherries, but riper and rounder, without the astringency from the just opened bottle. I’m definitely keeping the other bottle I have until 2020 or later. It’s now in the solid qpr, good example of a Washington merlot, category. And I no longer think the garagiste folks are nuts for recommending it. ;)
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This wine has come a long way over the last 14 months; but still requires a good decant and hearty food. Dark ruby color, developing, medium plus intensity aromatics. Aromatic and flavor profile yields spicy raspberry, wild blackberry, dark chocolate cocoa powder, ripe dark cherry, a steak of leafy greenery and cedar infused compost. A noticeable tannic backbone and medium plus acidity supports a long finish. Should improve and cellar for another 8-10 years, seems to have plenty of stuffing.
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Medium ruby red. Dark nose with cherry liqueur, black raspberries, dark cocoa and crushed petals. Medium tannins (5.5/10) and medium bodied. Elegant with some dark elements on the palate. Notes of graphite, dark bitter cocoa, black raspberries, currants, anise, liqueur, plush plums and black cherries. Quite dry, almost like paper, in the long finish. Drink till 2027.
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Decanted. Aromas show rich cherry cordial notes with raspberry, cassis and notes of vanilla, floral pastille, cheese danish and hints of fresh cut leaf tobacco and tomato leaf. The medium-plus body shows moderate to above moderate acid, alcohol and grippy tannins. Flavors of raspberry truffle and cherry cordials meet notes of mocha, floral pastilles, vanilla bean, pastry dough and notes of herbs, toast and oak. The grippy finish lingers with pure fruit.
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Still way too young to drink, even with a decant. Very closed, unbalanced, oaky and displaying some odd funky flavors on the first day. Improved significantly on day two, much more approachable, and balanced, displaying a nice mix of red fruits, earthiness, structure, and acidity. Average finish. Enjoyed with food both days, but I'll hold my two remaining bottles for 2-3 years before trying again. Needs time to come togetherr.
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Color: garnet Nose: muted Taste: dark red fruit, iron, earth, leather This is very young and flavors have not quite integrated. Medicinal almost astrigent but with an underlying good structure. I would expect this to improve significantly with age.
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4/8/2024 - Mmomike Likes this wine: 89 Points
Just shedding some baby tannin to display deep lush dark fruit but there’s still some tannin to shed. This will likely improve a bit over the next 5-10 years. Moderate French oak toast, blackberry, cassis, very slight minty licorice, tasty but still some grip here.
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10/21/2023 - Teamrehfeld wrote:
Excellent. Perfect balance of fruit, tannin, and acid. Very smooth. Sadly last bottle.
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2/11/2022 - fmginc Likes this wine: 89 Points
deep rich color with full round fruit notes
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5/11/2021 - fmginc Likes this wine: 89 Points
great full fruit notes
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1/5/2019 - Bob23 wrote: 89 Points
Almost no bouquet upon opening - faint whiff of wet cardboard. Sour cherries and tartness predominate on the palate now, but I will try again with the rest of the bottle tomorrow.
Much better on day 2 - I’ve raised the score accordingly. Still tastes like cherries, but riper and rounder, without the astringency from the just opened bottle. I’m definitely keeping the other bottle I have until 2020 or later. It’s now in the solid qpr, good example of a Washington merlot, category. And I no longer think the garagiste folks are nuts for recommending it. ;)
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10/19/2018 - wmccone54 wrote: 91 Points
This wine has come a long way over the last 14 months; but still requires a good decant and hearty food. Dark ruby color, developing, medium plus intensity aromatics. Aromatic and flavor profile yields spicy raspberry, wild blackberry, dark chocolate cocoa powder, ripe dark cherry, a steak of leafy greenery and cedar infused compost. A noticeable tannic backbone and medium plus acidity supports a long finish. Should improve and cellar for another 8-10 years, seems to have plenty of stuffing.
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10/18/2018 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 91 Points
Medium ruby red. Dark nose with cherry liqueur, black raspberries, dark cocoa and crushed petals. Medium tannins (5.5/10) and medium bodied. Elegant with some dark elements on the palate. Notes of graphite, dark bitter cocoa, black raspberries, currants, anise, liqueur, plush plums and black cherries. Quite dry, almost like paper, in the long finish. Drink till 2027.
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9/15/2018 - bjamesclark wrote: 91 Points
Decanted.
Aromas show rich cherry cordial notes with raspberry, cassis and notes of vanilla, floral pastille, cheese danish and hints of fresh cut leaf tobacco and tomato leaf.
The medium-plus body shows moderate to above moderate acid, alcohol and grippy tannins. Flavors of raspberry truffle and cherry cordials meet notes of mocha, floral pastilles, vanilla bean, pastry dough and notes of herbs, toast and oak. The grippy finish lingers with pure fruit.
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6/29/2018 - fmginc Likes this wine: 88 Points
Notes of cherry some tannin on back slight pepper
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5/19/2018 - SMHalps wrote: 87 Points
Eh....short finish. Pleasant bouquet. Overrated by Gargasite. It was a Mystery wine of theirs.
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9/16/2017 - rakasome Likes this wine: 86 Points
This was OK. I'm not a big Merlot fan, but can enjoy one. I think it was popped too soon, I hope. Sorta gave a flat presentation.
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8/10/2017 - wmccone54 wrote:
Still way too young to drink, even with a decant. Very closed, unbalanced, oaky and displaying some odd funky flavors on the first day. Improved significantly on day two, much more approachable, and balanced, displaying a nice mix of red fruits, earthiness, structure, and acidity. Average finish. Enjoyed with food both days, but I'll hold my two remaining bottles for 2-3 years before trying again. Needs time to come togetherr.
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1/28/2017 - smahk wrote: 90 Points
Color: garnet
Nose: muted
Taste: dark red fruit, iron, earth, leather
This is very young and flavors have not quite integrated. Medicinal almost astrigent but with an underlying good structure. I would expect this to improve significantly with age.
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