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Merlot Wine Tasting Notes
1997 Round Hill
California Merlot
Score: 84.0
"Good value and consistent quality are the hallmarks of Round Hill. The '97 Merlot is a nicely structured wine with dark cherry fruit. Its somewhat one-dimensional, but an enjoyable everyday wine at an everyday price."
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1997 Rodney Strong
Sonoma County Merlot
Score: 88.0
"Complex forest floor flavors are woven through substantial black cherry fruit in this smooth, medium bodied Merlot. A natural for any beef or tomato based dish."
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1998 Robert Mondavi Coastal
Monterey County Merlot
Score: 80.0
"Soft and round on the palate, the fruit is somewhat muted and theres some bitterness in the finish that I found bothersome. Not among the panels favorites."
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1997 Peju
Napa Valley Merlot
Score: 88.0
"Ripe black cherry and vanilla, with just a touch of dill. Chewy, mouthfilling, with a neverending finish, well-integrated tannin and firm structure make this a wine for current drinking, as well as for aging over the next decade."
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1997 Hogue Barrel Select
Columbia Valley Washington Merlot
Score: 86.0
"Tight at first, with a little aeration thiswine really opens up, revealing lots of blackcherry on the palate with a touch of oak spice, medium tannin and a long fruity finish."
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1998 Fetzer Vineyards Eagle Peak
California Merlot
Score: 85.0
"A very elegant style of Merlot with a fruit cocktail melange of bright cherry and raspberry flavors, a hint of oak, moderate tannin, and a drying fruity finish. "
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1999 Errazuriz
El Descanso Estate Curico Valley [Chile] Merlot
Score: 75.0
"Hard, tight, with a bitter edge to the dry fruit. Not one of Errazurizs best efforts."
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1997 Cosentino Winery
Napa Valley Merlot Reserve
Score: 88.0
"Not a Merlot for the faint of heart, this is a powerful wine crammed full of black cherry fruit and subtle oak spice. Full-bodied, with firm structure and well-integrated tannin, drink it now or lay it down for another 3 to 5 years."
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1996 Hogue Reserve
Columbia Valley Washington Merlot
Score: 88.0
"Smokey, dense blackberry-cherry fruit and vanilla flavors, lean and herbal on the palate. Good now, this one has great potential for further aging over the next decade."
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1997 KENWOOD
Sonoma County Merlot
Score: 91.0
"A perfectly integrated wine, all of a piece: medium body, full spicy berry, chocolate and vanilla flavors melded into a seamless whole; soft tannin, fine structure. Very elegant. Drink now and for the next three to five years. Pair with game, beef and tomato sauces."
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1996 Sella & Mosca Raim
Isola Dei Nurahgi [a blend of Carignane and Merlot]
Score: 73.0
"Loads of fruit, but it reeks of bretanomyces, a bacteriological spoilage, quite common in many famous wines, that smells of a horse stall. I know many qualified tasters who rather like it. I dont, hence the low score. "
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1996 Bonterra
Mendocino County Merlot
Score: 94.0
"Too often overlooked by the wine press, Bonterra is one of the best labels in California. Its hallmark is balance, restraint, subtlty and great varietal definition. This Merlot is but one more example- deep black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, light smoke, soft tannins and a long complex finish. Fabulous now, it weill develop very nicely over the next 5 to 8 years."
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1997 Chateau Souverain
Alexander Valley Merlot
Score: 85.0
"Full blackberry fruit, but buried somewhat beneath the tannin. Has promise, but for now its a hard match for food."
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1997 Canoe Ridge Vineyard
Columbia Valley Merlot
Score: 88.0
"Rich, ripe, black cherry fruit, medium-body, light vanilla, firm tannin and a persistent finish. Not only is it luscious now, it should last a decade or more. Pair with pasta marinara, chicken paprikash, or scampi. "
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1997 R.H. Phillips Toasted Head
Dunnigan Hills Merlot
Score: 88.0
"A medium-bodied, supple blend reminiscent of Pomerol, with 76% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot. The result is a seamless blend of flavors that starts with red currant and morphs into toffee and a hint of cafe au lait. Crisp acidity lifts the fruit back up in the finish. A natural for steak, risotto, grilled portabello mushrooms. "
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Tasting notes 31 to 45 of 59
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