| Description |
$ / * |
Tasting notes |
2006 Newton Claret
Napa Valley |
22
** |
12/2008 Full body, nice aroma. This is a fairly serious wine,
nice flavors and depth. |
2004 Markham
Napa Valley |
22
** |
09/2008 Big body, nice aroma, medium fruit. Flavors are nice,
but after about 1/2 hour, it starts to get tannic. Initially tastes a bit better than the Matanzas
Creek. |
2004 Matanzas Creek
Bennett Valley - Sonoma |
25
** |
09/2008 Big body, good aroma, medium fruit. Flavors are nice,
but after about 1/2 hour, it starts to get tannic. |
| 2004 Benziger |
17
** |
06/2008 Medium body, nice aroma, low fruit. Flavors are nice,
but this is not as good as I expected, based on
past releases. It is OK to drink by itself, but did not match up very well with grilled steak. |
2005 Parcel 41
Napa |
20
*** |
12/2007 Full body, nice aroma. This is a fairly serious wine,
nice flavors and depth. The favorite of the wines we tasted 12/07/07. |
2004 R Collection
California |
12
** |
12/2007 Medium body, nice aroma. Good varietal flavors and some depth. |
2004 Santa Ema
Reserve - Chile |
13
** |
12/2007 Medium body, nice aroma.
This has typical Merlot flavor and a touch of oak. |
2002 Januik
Columbia Valley
Washington State |
28
*** |
10/2006 Medium body, good fruit.
This wine took a while to open up.
This wine is drinkable, but may not improve with age. This is a bit pricey,
but I am buying more! |
2000 Franciscan
Oakville Estate
Napa Valley |
22
*** |
06/2005
Nice - Full
body, good fruit. This has a typical nose, and good varietal flavors.
This wine seems MUCH more drinkable than the 2001
vintage. |
2001 Franciscan
Oakville Estate
Napa Valley |
22
** |
05/2005 Nice - Full bodied, medium fruit. This
tastes pretty good, but it seems somewhat closed.
I think it needs at least two years of aging. |
2001 Rutherford Hill
Napa Valley |
28
*** |
03/2005
Very nice - Full bodied, good fruit. This
tastes mature, and is fairly complex. |
1999 Joseph Phelps
Insignia |
95
*** |
03/2005
Very nice - Full bodied, good
fruit. We tasted this against a few other high end
meritage wines. This is quite complex, and was my
favorite. Cynthia preferred the Mondavi Opus One. |
2002 Santa Rita
Reserva - Chile |
13
** |
01/2005
Nice - medium body and fruit. This has real Merlot character, which
surprised me. |
1999 Joseph Phelps
Napa Valley |
25
*** |
08/2004
Very nice - Full bodied, good fruit. This
tastes mature, and is fairly complex. I was lucky to
find a few bottles of this vintage. |
2001 Fetzer Eagle Peak
California |
6
* |
02/2004 Fair wine - very light body and fruit. This
was the least interesting of the wines. I have enjoyed other vintages of
this wine much more.
Not recommended. |
2001 Talus
California |
7
** |
02/2004 Nice - medium body and fruit. This has
real Merlot character, which surprised me. We tasted this from a magnum
which only cost $11. |
2000 Christian Moueix
Bordeaux (France) |
8
* |
02/2004 Fair wine - light body and fruit. This
was noticeably different from the other wines. It had some herbaceous
character. |
2001 Bogle
California |
9
** |
02/2004 Nice - medium body and fruit. This has
real Merlot character, which surprised me. I had heard good things about
this wine from other people before. This wine was the favorite of the
entire group. |
2001 Franciscan
Oakville Estate
Napa Valley |
20
** |
02/2004 Nice - Full bodied, medium fruit. This
tastes pretty good, but it was quite tannic. I think it needs at least two
years of aging. Otherwise, have it with a grilled steak so you won't
notice the tannin. |
2001 Markham
Napa Valley |
21
*** |
02/2004 Very Nice - Full bodied, nice nose. This
tastes really good, with enough fruit to balance the tannin. It will
improve with aging, but is quite drinkable now. |
1999 Santa Ema
Reserve - Chile |
13
** |
12/2003 Medium body, nice aroma. Interesting
flavors and some depth. |
1999 Columbia Crest
Washington |
10
** |
12/2003 Medium body, light aroma. Seemed
lighter and less interesting than the 1998 vintage. |
2000 Franciscan
Oakville Estate |
20
*** |
11/2003 Big body, nice aroma. Flavors are fairly complex.
Based on past experience, this will improve with age. |
2001 Francis Coppola
Diamond Series
Blue Label |
16
*** |
11/2003 Big body, nice aroma. Flavors are fairly
complex, with notes of cherries. This will likely improve with age. |
2000 Francis Coppola
Diamond Series
Blue Label |
16
*** |
11/2003 Big body, nice aroma. Flavors are fairly
complex, with notes of cherries. This will likely improve with age. |
2000 Fetzer
Barrel Select |
13
** |
02/2003 Medium body, nice aroma. Interesting
flavors, but this was not as attractive as earlier years' bottlings. |
1999 Newton
Claret |
30
*** |
12/2002 Medium body, nice aroma. Really nice
flavors, and a lot of depth. Definitely on the expensive side!
(This is a meritage wine, with no grape indicated) |
1999 Fetzer
Barrel Select |
13
*** |
05/2002 Medium body, nice aroma. Interesting
flavors and some depth. |
1998 Columbia Crest
Washington |
10
*** |
05/2002 Medium body, nice aroma. Interesting
flavors and some depth. |
1998 Santa Ema
Reserve - Chile |
11
*** |
05/2002 Medium body, nice aroma. Interesting
flavors and some depth. |
1998 Beringer
Founders' Estate |
9
** |
12/2001 Medium body, nice aroma. Flavors are not too complex,
but good. Incredible buy at this price! Cynthia prefers this versus Fetzer. |
1999 Fetzer
Eagle Peak |
7
** |
12/2001 Medium body, nice aroma. Flavors are not too complex,
but good. Incredible buy at this price! Rick prefers this versus Beringer. |
1997 Montes Alpha
Reserve - Chile |
14
*** |
05/2001 Medium body, nice aroma. Flavors are not too complex,
but good. |
| 1999 Blackstone |
10
** |
05/2001 Medium body, nice aroma. Flavors are not too complex,
but good. Incredible buy at this price! |
| 1998 Blackstone |
10
** |
10/2000 Medium body, nice aroma. Flavors are not too complex,
but good. Incredible buy at this price! |
1996 Franciscan
Oakville Estate |
20
*** |
04/2000 Big body, nice aroma. Flavors are fairly complex.
This will improve with age - try it in 2001. (I did - it is really good
now!) |
| 1997 Benziger |
16
*** |
03/2000 Medium body, nice aroma, good fruit. Flavors are NOT
complex, since this is a bit young. This has the potential to be really good, based on
past releases. My favorite Merlot under $20. |
| 1995 Hess Select |
15
** |
05/1999 Medium body, nice aroma. Light flavors, seems a bit
"hot". Something is missing. Not recommended. |
1996 Columbia Crest
Washington |
13
*** |
04/1999 Medium body, nice aroma. Flavors are not too complex,
but good. This should improve with age. |
| 1996 Blackstone Reserve |
16
*** |
03/1999 Big body, nice aroma. Flavors are not too complex,
but good. This should improve with age. |
| 1995 Benziger |
15
*** |
03/1998 Big body, nice aroma. Flavors are complex, really
good! My favorite Merlot under $20 (no longer available). |
| 1995 Kendall Jackson Vintner’s reserve |
15
** |
03/1998 Big body, nice aroma. Flavors are not complex.
Something is missing. Not recommended. |