Mike Mayer

9.1

Another wonderful Merlot. Mountain wines are known for beautiful dark color, intense aromatics and full bodied flavors. This Howell Mountain wine does not disappoint. Beautiful ruby red color and great aromas of blue fruit, cedar and a little earthiness. The tannins on this young wine are very apparent but seem to integrate nicely with the intense flavors of blueberries and baking spices while in your mouth. I am sure this wine will improve with age but it drinks very well today. — 2 days ago

with Lisa

Mark Flesher

9.1

Would have been a nice Merlot in the cab vs Merlot tasting. The good? This is a merlot. The bad? If you're trying to stump someone? Good luck because....this is a classic merlot. From Monte Bello Vineyard. Nose is brambly, yet a bit sweet. Terroir is on the nose in full force. The entry is dark yet a slight bit youthful. Forest floor, plum, black fruit and quite a bit of it. Finishes with some drier tannin. This one is at the top of its game right now, but isn't going to win many awards for WOTN as it just isn't complex on its own. Drank MUCH better with food. Drink or hold another 5 to 10 years. — 14 days ago

Manny Abascal

9.5

Pronounced nose, floral, some pencil, red fruit - cherry - on palate, mineral, elegant, balanced, clean and endless finish. Best Merlot I’ve ever had. Will age the rest of my bottles, feel I had this one way too young. — 8 days ago

Chris England

9.3

When’s a Merlot not a Merlot; when it’s American 🤣 A solid “Merlot” from Duckhorn as always at a right priced £40 👍

📍 Duckhorn Merlot 2010

🏵 93 points

🍇 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc - that’s a Merlot then 😂

🍷 Opaque ruby

👃 Soft smoked oak through rich plump beaten damson plum w/ blueberry, cocoa cream, blackcurrant & mineralised herbs

👄 Med+ body of creamy plum & punchy blackcurrant w/ tones of blueberry bathed in buttery cocoa

🎯 Long dark black fruit plummy blueberry cocoa goo fest that’s a silky fruit bomb
— 7 days ago

Dean Bernal Sr.

9.3

Hello my friend! 🍷😊
Duckhorn Three Palms Vineyards.
A merlot for Cab drinkers. An intense, age-worthy wine with complex red fruit and mineral layers. This fine wine draws you in with every succulent sip, each one becoming more intense than the last, creating a choreographed, symphonic, moving experience, involving & evolving through the full range of human emotions. 😮 We need more like you in this world my friend.
— 12 days ago

with April, Jeff and 2 others

Shay A

9.3

After having the ‘15 about two weeks ago, this is more Bordeaux style. The power has mellowed out and shown more leather, cherry, blackberry and anise. Some oak here with toasted cherries and blackberry, but the finish showed some underripe blueberry. Surprisingly young but ready to drink. Drink now. — 11 days ago

Matt Perlman

9.1

Pure pleasure. Rich black plums and vanilla, smokey mesquite. More than happy for everyone to keep leaving beautiful mature merlot on the shelf for me to find. Oh yeah and shout-out to @Ellen Clifford for inspiring me to pop this — a day ago

JJ Lumia

9.5

Always happy to drink @Steve Haro’s wine. Prior tasting notes from a month ago apply. @Sullivan Vineyards Merlot is so elegant, mouth-filling, and just awesome. Might have slightly underrated it before. — 2 days ago

Shay A

9.2

Monthly wine group meet-up, this time Napa Cab vs Napa Merlot. Served as a pair, blind. More difficult than I thought!

Color me impressed. What a fantastic merlot coming out of Livermore Valley. Fruit forward...fresh squeezed blackberries, black currant, & raspberries on the nose. Touch of fig too. Nice structure from start to finish highlighting the red and black fruit alongside some licorice and plum. Very plush style merlot that would easily fool most in to thinking it was Napa.

Thanks for the intro, @Jason Oliver ! — 14 days ago

with Andrew, Steve and 4 others

Kim Stanbro

9.2

FHB 2014. Too hot and humid upstairs so hour decant in the fridge. Gone too soon- deck time chilling. Can’t wait to try it again in a few months. — 5 days ago

with Amy and Dave