Franciscan Estate
Napa Valley Merlot
Napa Valley, California, USA
It is time for #MerlotThursday.
Here is a nice one from Napa Valley.
Dark ruby in color with a purplish rim.
Strong nose of black currants, plums, cherries, chocolates, smoke, licorice, vanilla, cedar, leather, earth, spices, tobacco and black pepper.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with plums, cherries, cooked blueberries, cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, light cloves, tobacco, coffee, chocolates, peppercorn, spices and earth.
Medium finish with round tannins and bitter herbs.
This is a very nice Merlot from Napa Valley. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Showing nice complexity and a nice and soft mouthfeel.
Needs 90 minutes to open up properly and show some tannins.
Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
90 points.
$21.
It is time for #MerlotThursday.
Here is a nice one from Napa Valley.
Dark ruby in color with a purplish rim.
Strong nose of black currants, plums, cherries, chocolates, smoke, licorice, vanilla, cedar, leather, earth, spices, tobacco and black pepper.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with plums, cherries, cooked blueberries, cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, light cloves, tobacco, coffee, chocolates, peppercorn, spices and earth.
Medium finish with round tannins and bitter herbs.
This is a very nice Merlot from Napa Valley. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Showing nice complexity and a nice and soft mouthfeel.
Needs 90 minutes to open up properly and show some tannins.
Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
90 points.
$21.
Founded in 1972 by a group of lawyers & doctors from San Francisco who decided to try turning their passion for wine into a business. In 1985, Agustin Huneeus, a Chilean exile who had built Concha y Toro in his native country, took over the helm at Franciscan. A blend of 84% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot & 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark red with black berry aromas & toasty scents. Cherry & blackberry flavors with hints of vanilla & sweet oak. Medium finish, firm broad tannins ending with cacao notes.
Founded in 1972 by a group of lawyers & doctors from San Francisco who decided to try turning their passion for wine into a business. In 1985, Agustin Huneeus, a Chilean exile who had built Concha y Toro in his native country, took over the helm at Franciscan. A blend of 84% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot & 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark red with black berry aromas & toasty scents. Cherry & blackberry flavors with hints of vanilla & sweet oak. Medium finish, firm broad tannins ending with cacao notes.
Feb 3rd, 2018Nice ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Fruity nose of sour cherries, black currants, cedar, earth, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, smoke, eucalyptus and black pepper.
Full bodied with medium plus acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with cherries, plums, sweet strawberries, herbs, spices, dark chocolates, vinaigrette, earth, wet leaves, light alcohol, cloves, light vegetables, pencil lead and peppercorn.
Spicy finish with firm tannins and tangy cranberries.
This Napa Merlot is drinking very nicely now. Showing nice complexity, balance and a great mouthfeel. Enjoyable by itself or with food like BBQ steak. Much spicier than I expected it to be.
Could use a few more years in the bottle to mature and get even better.
Needs an hour to open up properly and show some tannins.
Aged for 18 months in small oak barrels.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
Nice ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Fruity nose of sour cherries, black currants, cedar, earth, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, smoke, eucalyptus and black pepper.
Full bodied with medium plus acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with cherries, plums, sweet strawberries, herbs, spices, dark chocolates, vinaigrette, earth, wet leaves, light alcohol, cloves, light vegetables, pencil lead and peppercorn.
Spicy finish with firm tannins and tangy cranberries.
This Napa Merlot is drinking very nicely now. Showing nice complexity, balance and a great mouthfeel. Enjoyable by itself or with food like BBQ steak. Much spicier than I expected it to be.
Could use a few more years in the bottle to mature and get even better.
Needs an hour to open up properly and show some tannins.
Aged for 18 months in small oak barrels.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
Franciscan Merlot 2006 - 4 or so years in the cellar and still tightly wound. Needed an hour of decanting. Blueberry, stewed plum, a Bit jammy and perhaps over extracted, tons of baking spice and a Redic amount of cedar/oak on the finish. Nice with a grilled steak. 13.5% ABV, though it feels a bit hotter on finish. Still, pound for pound a good $25 or under (retail) wine -
Franciscan Merlot 2006 - 4 or so years in the cellar and still tightly wound. Needed an hour of decanting. Blueberry, stewed plum, a Bit jammy and perhaps over extracted, tons of baking spice and a Redic amount of cedar/oak on the finish. Nice with a grilled steak. 13.5% ABV, though it feels a bit hotter on finish. Still, pound for pound a good $25 or under (retail) wine -
5 people found it helpfulMar 30th, 2014
A first class Napa Merlot at a great price, this medium bodied wine is all dark cherries and black currants.
A first class Napa Merlot at a great price, this medium bodied wine is all dark cherries and black currants.
2 people found it helpfulJan 3rd, 2016
Strong linear tannins. Kind of one note and sharp.
Strong linear tannins. Kind of one note and sharp.
1 person found it helpfulOct 24th, 2017Glad I waited. Just at its peak. Been in my cooler for 3 years. Great concentration of fruit. Almost raisiny quality with a lot of smoke and pepper
Glad I waited. Just at its peak. Been in my cooler for 3 years. Great concentration of fruit. Almost raisiny quality with a lot of smoke and pepper
1 person found it helpfulFeb 15th, 2015
Bold fruit with oak showing thru
Bold fruit with oak showing thru
1 person found it helpfulFeb 10th, 2015
Great for an inexpensive merLOT
Great for an inexpensive merLOT
1 person found it helpfulJun 19th, 2014Franciscan was founded in 1972 by a group of lawyers and doctors from San Francisco who decided to try turning their passion for wine into a business. In 1985, Agustin Huneeus, a Chilean exile who had built Concha y Toro in his native country, took over the helm at Franciscan. Dark inky red with black fruit aromas and toasty oak scents. Plum and blackberry flavors with hints of vanilla and cedar. Medium finish, firm broad tannins ending with cacao notes.
Franciscan was founded in 1972 by a group of lawyers and doctors from San Francisco who decided to try turning their passion for wine into a business. In 1985, Agustin Huneeus, a Chilean exile who had built Concha y Toro in his native country, took over the helm at Franciscan. Dark inky red with black fruit aromas and toasty oak scents. Plum and blackberry flavors with hints of vanilla and cedar. Medium finish, firm broad tannins ending with cacao notes.
Jun 16th, 2017