Vanessa D

8.9

Deep ruby, almost purple, hue. Ripe purple fruit, such as blackberries, black currant, fig jam, and plum sauce, and tobacco, cocoa, bell pepper, sage, smoked meat, cedar, and delicate baking spices. Velveteen on the palate with soft tannins and a long finish. Vintage 2016. 14.5% ABV. #merryvale #merryvalevineyards #coombsvillenapa #merlot #merlotday #merlot #napavalley #napavalleywine #napawine — 16 days ago

with Deked1

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.9

I’ve had this wine maybe 12 times over the past 25 years. It remains the single best domestic wine I’ve ever encountered. Balance, power, and exquisite grace are the hallmarks. It bursts from the glass with pure notes of cassis and black fruit, but caresses and embraces your mouth. Pure, craven seduction that keeps you going back for more. This wine just keeps getting better and better. Perfect with rare tenderloin sliders and creamy horseradish sauce. — 6 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.

Rich, powerful, extracted and fruit forward with black fruits and chocolate notes, vanilla, wood, spices, peppercorn, tobacco, graphite and dark coffee.

Full bodied with medium acidity.

Spicy with a long finish and round tannins.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up. Good for parties.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$80. — 6 days ago

Ira Schwartz

10

Flashback 20+ years ago to the Wine Library in New Jersey. Walking with my 14-year-old niece she was drawn to a double magnum sitting in the corner of the cold room. She exclaimed, “ Uncle Ira , that is the biggest bottle of wine I have ever seen.” Excited by her enthusiasm I told her I would buy it and we would drink it at her wedding. That opportunity presented itself this weekend. I decided this was best consumed at the rehearsal dinner. As one would expect the bottle drew its share of oohs & aahs. The cork was pristine. I should have decanted as the bottle had a ton of sediment. On the nose; earth, hints of leather, and tobacco. In the mouth a textbook example of an aged California Bordeaux blend. Concentrated flavors of red and dark fruit, herbs, vanilla, and graphite flow into a stunning finish that still has a tannic structure. An elegant and seamless wine that has years of life remaining . I have been fortunate to taste wines that could bring you to tears. This bottle brought me to tears before a drop of wine touched my lips — 11 days ago

with Randy, Monica and 1 other

"Odedi"

9.2

It's time for #MerlotThursday. Here's a delicious one from Napa.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose of blueberries, black plums, cherries, wood, cloves, vanilla, spices, espresso, dark chocolates, peppercorn, dust and graphites.

Full bodied with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, sweet raspberries, tobacco, peppercorn, cedar, leather, vanilla, earth, licorice, spices, metals, chocolates, dark roast coffee and light vegetables.

Long finish with firm tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a great Merlot from Napa Valley. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Rich and extracted.

Needs an hour to open up properly and show the tannins. After 3 hours of airtime, black licorice notes come in, which was a nice surprise.

Could use a few more years in the bottle to mature, but already drinking very nicely now.

This Single Vineyard is a very hard one to come by. Thank you Kim and Barry for sharing this with me.

I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

100% Merlot grapes were grown at 2,100 feet of elevation. Aged in French oak (60% new) barrels for 25 months. A small production of only 143 cases.

Delicious and tasty.

15.3% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$215. — 11 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

This is a delicious Napa Cabernet.
Showing black fruits, cedar, earth, vanilla, leather, tobacco and spices.

Full-bodied, big, bold, spicy and extracted.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens (two hours).

Fruit forward and tasty, but needs 5 years to mature properly. Very yummy already, though.

15.1% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$53. — 12 hours ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Wow, a Fav! Had new ‘17 vin a few months back and tried again. Blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah & Grenache, aged for 10 months on French oak (40% new). Deep Ruby with aromas of black fruits & sweet spice. On the palate, ripe blueberries, plum & sweet cherry with oak & vanilla spice, Lingering finish, good length, tannins are soft with slight grip, bit softer than previous taste. Good structure, ending with fruit character & mineral tones, drinks well, better to decant. Produced with 12 different labels. Nice! — 3 days ago

"Odedi"

9.1

It's time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a nice one from Napa Valley.


Dark ruby in color with a brick rim.

Fruity on the nose with blackberries, cooked cherries, dried figs, licorice, cedar, heavy vanilla, tobacco, peppercorn, espresso, chocolates, spices and mocha.

Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, cooked cherries, figs, raisins, vanilla, sweet oak, spices, chocolates, peppercorn, dark coffee and tobacco.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a very nice Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Fruit forward with a tangy finish.

Good right out of the bottle and will be better in the next few years with proper care.

Good by itself or with food. Delicious and yummy.

I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats, cheeses and light appetizers.

Aged for 16 months in 50% new French oak barrels.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$33. — 9 days ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.3

It is Friday night and I have opened the 2016 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. The Hall Cabernet Sauvignons I first tasted several years ago in Palm Springs, CA with close friends. Ever since that first tasting I have become a fan of the Hall brand. Thank you Jim for bring them to our wonderful gathering.

On the nose there is blackberry, black cherry, black currant, chocolate, mint, violet, pencil lead and an earthy note.

On the palate there is black cherry, blackberry, green bell pepper, black currant, milk chocolate, fine integrated oak and dark soil.

This wine is full bodied with supple mouthfeel, medium+ acidity and medium+ sandy tannins that leads you right into a long dark fruit finish. Have a great weekend, rest, rejuvenate and be close with family and friends. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 2 days ago

Mike Mayer

9.2

Medium ruby colored. Pronounced aromas of plums, blackberries, cedar, and vanilla. Great flavors of dark plums, dried fruit, licorice, cocoa and dark chocolate with slight hints of tobacco. Intensely fruit forward with a very long finish. Perfectly integrated wine that I would love to drink every day. — 8 hours ago

with Lisa