It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Very fresh nose of cherries, plums, light oak, licorice, spices, herbs, chocolates, tobacco, earth and minerals.
Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blueberries, black plums, fresh cherries, light oak, spices, chocolates, black tea, dark coffee, herbs and peppercorn.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.
This is a delicious Merlot from Saint Emilion. Rich and engaging. Elegant and fruit forward with a silky soft mouthfeel.
This 8 year old Merlot is still young, but already drinking beautifully.,and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.
Complex and interesting. Nicely balanced and spicy. Loved smelling on it for a while.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food.
A blend of 77% Merlot and 23% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (56% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.
14% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$125. — 5 hours ago
This is right bank at its best ! Wet forest floor, mushrooms, oak, meat juice, earth, black currant, and almost a minty thing in the rear. Very complex. The palate is model of balance with good acid, a very soft, silky mouthfeel, some black currant and blackberry notes all along, some good width, some grippy tannins in the rear, that leave a tar-like impression over a long, fruity, meaty, umami finish that lasts for a very long while. This is great stuff. — 18 days ago
Far more expressive than the 2019 at this stage, the 2020 Château Laroque is a gorgeous example of young Bordeaux and my first encounter with this vintage. The nose is quite generous at first and only closes down with time in the decanter, continuing the trend that I find with young Cru Classé Bordeaux of actually not benefitting from exposure to air. I wonder at what age this begins having a beneficial effect? Anyway, it’s replete with dark and sappy aromas of blackcurrant, cherry, cocoa, and graphite. The palate is rich, saturated and savoury, but fresh and not over-extracted, and following a relatively red fruited profile for this part of Bordeaux and certainly the wine does not possess any plush or luxurious character. No, this is a gastronomic St Emilion with great structure and length, which should age wonderfully. It may not be long before I pull the cork on another.
94+
May 2025 — 3 days ago
Vintage 2022 | Just delivered and put away in the cellar. Paired with a simple chicken roulade, baked potatoes and salad. One hour in decanter. My goodness, excellent performance. Sultry cherries and laurel in the cheerful scent. Beautiful integrated tannins, nothing to complain about the 14,5 abv. Velvety taste. Made my wife very happy; I buy Merlot wines for her. Happy wife, happy life 🥰 — 6 hours ago
Выпито 18.05.25 вторым вином в той же компании. Молодой Figeac 2020 года. Все просто супер. — 11 days ago
"Odedi"
#AgedWineTuesday
Beautiful color of dark ruby with a wide reddish rim.
Strong nose of black currants, black plums, cooked cherries, dried fruits, cedar, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco and herbs.
Full bodied and soft, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate and fruit forward with blackberries, black currants, black plums, cherries, cedar, spices, dark chocolates, licorice, coffee, peppercorn, light eucalyptus, herbs, light vegetables, earth and black tea.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This 20 year old Merlot from Saint Emilion is absolutely fantastic now. Elegant, chocolatey and rich.
Drinking beautifully right out of the bottle, extracted and complex. Nicely balanced and powerful, with a great mouthfeel.
Wine Advocate 98 points.
Drinking it with the wine maker, from his personal cellar, makes it even more special for me.
Drinking at its peak, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 10 years.
Fruit forward and good by itself as a sipping wine.
A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Aged in New French oak barrels for 18 months.
94 points.
$350. — 2 days ago