"Odedi"

8.9

It's time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Here is a nice one from Bordeaux.

Showing red and blue fruits with earth, wood, spices, peppercorn, tobacco and coffee.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Long finish with firm tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a very nice Merlot based red wine from Bordeaux. Still young and needs another 5 years to mature properly.

Still unbalanced and better with food. A Good quality wine, nice and engaging.

Needs a few hours to open up properly.

Will pair nicely with BBQ Meats.

A blend of 80% Merlot and the rest are Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

14% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$50. — 13 hours ago

Shay A

9.0

Yesterday’s Wednesday Wine Committee lunch. Normal format of 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine. All tasted blind.

Thankfully there was another bottle open because the bottle my glass was from was quite corked. There was more dense and sweet fruit here than I expected...herbal and leather notes are starting to emerge but the black cherry and plum is still center stage. There is also some vanilla pipe tobacco, potpourri and black pepper on the palate and finish. I called this left bank Bordeaux. — 15 days ago

with Dan, Will and 2 others

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

A blend of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon & 1% Cabernet Franc, aged 26 Months in 75% New French Oak, grapes from their home St. Helena Estate. Deep Ruby, medium+ aroma intensity of red berry fruit, sweet spice and just starting to develop some secondary aromas of herb and leather. On the palate flavors of raspberry, cranberry and cherry fruit, herb pepper, cacao, cedar and vanilla spice with slight creamy texture. Fine structured soft tannins, nicely integrated with acidity, great mouthfeel, a big wine with a long finish ending with fruit and oaky notes. Tasting Sample. — a day ago

Andrew Lohse

9.3

Black raspberry, wild red raspberry / beautiful, dead-clear baking spice and vanilla / baked plum and something woody and fresh and some honey balsamic glaze / lush, round fruit exploding on the palate, sour against ripe, with serious but not harsh tannins and palate giving way to incense, sandalwood. . . A wine of self-aware hyperbole with sweet inflections apparent in a stupid-long finish. — a day ago

Shawn R

9.4

Super pure, needs about an hour to hit its stride. Balanced from start to finish. If you like a hint of fruit with fine tannins, this is your wine. Delish. — 5 days ago

Conrad Green

9.2

Very deep, dark and intense. Thick deep fruit. Tannins pretty present. Densely packed and powerful. Not a charmer but packs a punch. — a day ago

with Matt

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon & 2% Cabernet Franc, aged 22 Months in 75% New French Oak, grapes dominated by concentrated mountain fruit (Atlas Peak) but sourced from all over Napa. Deep Ruby, medium+ aroma intensity of berry fruits, sweet and pungent spice. On the palate flavors of strawberry, currants and black plum fruit, black pepper, cacao and vanilla spice with slight citrus notes. Chewy structured firm tannins, good integration with lively acidity, great mouthfeel, a big wine with a long finish ending with fruit and fragrant spice. Tasting Sample! — a day ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.6

The 2016 ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, with 6% Petit Verdot. Needing a one hour decant to fully awaken, the 2016 ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon slowly unveils deep Turkish coffee, creme de cassis, cocoa powder and sweet pipe tobacco aromas with lighter suggestions of blueberry pie and graphite that all meld in the glass. The palate is dense and powerful yet shows a wonderful restraint and vibrant sense of tension that runs through the core of the wine. Moderate tannins frame the dense dark currant jelly, mocha, black tea, anise, exotic spice and herbal undertones round out this expressive palate. Fantastic and literally thrilling in its youth, the 2016 ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon will provide drinking enjoyment for the next two plus decades. Drink 2020-2040- 96 — 4 days ago

Shay A

9.3

Yesterday’s Wednesday Wine Committee lunch. Normal format of 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine. All tasted blind.

I had this about 2yrs ago and my impression is consistent. Dusty and herbal. More tobacco leaf than leather notes. Dark black cherries, dark cocoa dipped cherries, cedar and truffle dusted licorice. This may be in a sleepy phase and could come out the other side full steam and youthful. Would like to try again and focus on only it. I called this early ‘00s left bank Bordeaux. — 15 days ago

with Dan, Will and 2 others

Arden Barnett

9.5

The definition of elegance. What a beautiful wine. Cassis, pencil shavings, green pepper. Grippy finish that lasts for a solid minute. — 5 days ago