Abbey Vale Vineyard

Freemark Abbey

Napa Valley Merlot 2021

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose and full bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate and complex.

Showing black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, toast, light vanilla, spices, dark chocolates, licorice, coffee, tobacco, light earth, herbs and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Merlot from Napa Valley. Rich and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with nice complexity. Tangy and interesting.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes of airtime.

Still young, and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly, but already drinking beautifully.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 94% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 19 months in (32% new) French Oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$55.
— 2 days ago

Douglas, Tom and 2 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Their Merlot is consistently good, year after year.

Freemark Abbey

Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Big oaky flavor matched with strong tannins. This wine can cellar a few more years. Nice fruit with cherry and strawberry finishes. Nice wine that is pairing well with smoked pork tenderloin. — 5 months ago

Jeron SennJessica
with Jeron and Jessica

d'Arenberg

The Dead Arm McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016

Vintage 2016 | Opaque and dark. Multi layered bouquet to dream of: dark pepper, plum, leather, tobacco, Scottish pipe tobacco, everything in a rich, chic style. Chocolate in taste, rondeur as well as some unbending characteristics. A real treat. — 6 months ago

Willem, Daniel and 12 others liked this

Two Hands

Sexy Beast McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Powerfull well rounded blueberry and black currants. Soft tannins carrying pepper leather and tobacco. Well balanced with acidity that rounds out the red fruit flavors the wine is abundant with. — 8 months ago

Mollydooker Wines

Two Left Feet Shiraz Blend 2021

Blend of 69% Shiraz, 16% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from McLaren Vale, deep Ruby color with aromas of berry fruits and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and cherry with notes of vanilla, spice, licorice and tobacco. Fine tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit, sweet spice and earthy notes. — 9 months ago

Tom, Paul and 2 others liked this

Freemark Abbey

Sycamore Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Ok the patio in NH on the lake. Good fruit. Balanced. Soft tannins. — 4 years ago

Milissa, Eric and 5 others liked this

Freemark Abbey

Cabernet Bosché Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and some signs of very fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of mostly ripe with some tart and drying fruits: cassis, blackberries, pipe tobacco, Serrano pepper, purple flowers, leather, and a pleasant mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the alcohol is medium+. FWIW, this is an impressive wine on the nose and the palate.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet Sauvignon (or blend there of) or Sangiovese-blend, or Tempranillo (or blend) from the United States, France, Italy or Spain. However, the shear generosity of fruit and lavish oak treatment leads me to Napa. Additionally, there’s a structure that gives me mountain fruit vibes. Final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the United States, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain, 2015. Perhaps I was trying to be a bit too clever but scoring lots of points nonetheless. Probably one of the more memorable, contemporary Freemark Abbey’s I’ve had. Really impressive. Drink now through 2050.
— a month ago

Ceccherini, Rob and 10 others liked this

Two Hands

Angels' Share McLaren Vale Shiraz

Had the 2022 in February of 2026. Blackberry and dark cherry with a barrel forward character on the nose. Not super tannic- berry/cherry throughout. Short finish with hints of tannin on the end. — 5 months ago

Matthew HeyboerEthan HeyboerJody Wycech
with Matthew, Ethan and 2 others

Freemark Abbey

Napa Valley Chardonnay 2023

Pale lemon color with aromas of stone and citrus fruits with toasty aromas, aged in about 35% new oak. On the palate flavors of melon and peach with lemon citrus zest and nutty vanilla notes, good balanced with acidity. Medium+ finish ending with fruit, oak and mineral character. — 7 months ago

Juan, Tom and 2 others liked this

Mollydooker Wines

The Scooter Merlot 2021

Dark Ruby color with aromas of ripe berry fruit and herb spice aromas. On the palate flavors of ripe cherry and blackberry with leather and tobacco notes. Dusty tannins, medium+ finish ending with toasty herb mineral spice. — 8 months ago

Tom, Juan and 1 other liked this

Dow's

Vale do Bomfim Douro Red Blend 2020

Touriga Nacional (40%), Touriga Franca (20%), Tinta Roriz (30%), Tinta Barroca (10%). Medium to deep purple. Medium body, medium tannin at most, medium acidity, dry. Some slight funk on the nose, in a very good way. Wet rocks, violets, light baking spices. Better after open for a day. Benchmark Duero for what I can find in the US so far. — a year ago

Freemark Abbey

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

One of the more expensive wines we have tried. Very good flavor and enjoyed with steak. Good pairing — 2 months ago

Pewsey Vale Vineyard

Single Vineyard Estate Eden Valley Dry Riesling 2021

Some petrol/diesel aromas and flavors in this lovely bone dry Australian Riesling, solid acid, some white stonefruits as well, great cut/acidity, medium-long finish, very good! — 4 months ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Tom, Peter and 6 others liked this

Noon Winery

Eclipse Grenache Blend 2006

Opened for my 80th birthday. From a magnum, fully mature, still plenty of freshness, perfect balance, full body with excellent presence in the mouth, so tasty, it really went well with roasted suckling pig dinner. — 6 months ago

Kay Brothers

Amery Vineyard Block 6 Shiraz 2004

Still looks young, high acidity keeps it fresh. So different from an Hermitage! — 8 months ago

Freemark Abbey

Bosché Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Double decant for sediment(lots of chunky sediment) and pour. A remarkable dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: expressive perfumed notes of cherry, currants, dark olives, worn leather, wet forest floor, smoked meat. Taste: silky, savory, elegant wine with fading dried cherries, tobacco, dark chocolate, bell pepper, earth, and a nice mineral, espresso medium plus finish. YUM! Never disappointed with well aged Bosche or Sycamore wines — 9 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Tom, Brenda and 13 others liked this

Two Hands

Lily's Garden McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004

Somm David T
9.4

First, if you haven’t had this producers wines at 15-20 years of age, you’re missing some spectacular juice. I bought this at auction for $38-$40 a bottle and because I was unaware of its storage, I was prepared to short decant it. Well…until I pulled the cork, smelled it and saw the color. This nearly 20 year old bottling is still big but with nice integration & evolution. I would say it has another 5-8 years of good life in it.

The palate fruit is ruby, ripe and lush; blackberries, boysenberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum. Mid berry cola, dark chocolate to pudding, mocha powder, wet clay, light, black pepper, Asian spice, dry-ish tobacco, black licorice, some dry herbs-sage dominate, limestone, dry top soil, dry brush, used leather, sandlewood, fresh to slightly withering, dark, purple, red florals set/framed in violets and lavender. The acidity is near perfect. The well balanced, structured, knitted finish is excellent and lingers minutes. Steal for the price. Another excellent gourmet burger wine. Beef Patties from El Salchichero.
— 3 years ago

Dawn, Shay and 12 others liked this