Sterling Vineyards
Reserve Napa Valley Merlot
Napa Valley, California, USA
Nose has plum skin, crushed blackberry, spring violets, cedar shavings, chocolate powder and dry leaves.
Palate has roasted sweet red pepper, dehydrated blueberries, chocolate covered prune, over-ripe plum with faded tannins. Patience always wins.
Cork pulled for slow oxidation at 6H, then 2H decant. Noted improvement as the bottle airs, still lots of life ahead.
A perfect finale to our older Sterling Merlot's, just one remains, an older obscenely large format bottle. We sold off almost all our Sterling collection (Cabernet) earlier this year, I'm meh about the transaction, but we were can't drink it all. Someone will be quite happy, aside from us.
Paired to medium-rare strip steaks (Kinderhook Farm, Valatie NY) and roasted vegetables with bacon. Satisfying.
Nose has plum skin, crushed blackberry, spring violets, cedar shavings, chocolate powder and dry leaves.
Palate has roasted sweet red pepper, dehydrated blueberries, chocolate covered prune, over-ripe plum with faded tannins. Patience always wins.
Cork pulled for slow oxidation at 6H, then 2H decant. Noted improvement as the bottle airs, still lots of life ahead.
A perfect finale to our older Sterling Merlot's, just one remains, an older obscenely large format bottle. We sold off almost all our Sterling collection (Cabernet) earlier this year, I'm meh about the transaction, but we were can't drink it all. Someone will be quite happy, aside from us.
Paired to medium-rare strip steaks (Kinderhook Farm, Valatie NY) and roasted vegetables with bacon. Satisfying.
👃Dried blackberry, milk chocolate, dried strawberry, old cedar box, old leather (wet), dried roses; 👅 Blackberry/strawberry fruit leather, cranberry, dark chocolate, dried cherry; Resolved tannins, long finish.
Last bottle of a 6-pack purchased in October 2003. Stunning finish to this ride.
Paired with a slow roasted beef roast from our favorite local farm (Kinderhook Farm; Valatie, NY).
👃Dried blackberry, milk chocolate, dried strawberry, old cedar box, old leather (wet), dried roses; 👅 Blackberry/strawberry fruit leather, cranberry, dark chocolate, dried cherry; Resolved tannins, long finish.
Last bottle of a 6-pack purchased in October 2003. Stunning finish to this ride.
Paired with a slow roasted beef roast from our favorite local farm (Kinderhook Farm; Valatie, NY).
Happy International Merlot day! Not sure why we need special days to trot out a Merlot, I enjoy it all year long, yet sporadically. We bought these in 2005, finally getting to tasting them. 🤔 Life gets busy.
Nose of voilets inside a cedar chest, freshly diced red pepper and crushed Autumn leaves.
Palate is sweet red pepper, ripe Bing cherry, ripe plum, shaved dark chocolate and well integrated oak. Tannins are still present but not obtrusive, likely remaining bottles are easily safe until 2023-26. Not peaked, but drinking excellent this evening. Patience always wins.
Happy International Merlot day! Not sure why we need special days to trot out a Merlot, I enjoy it all year long, yet sporadically. We bought these in 2005, finally getting to tasting them. 🤔 Life gets busy.
Nose of voilets inside a cedar chest, freshly diced red pepper and crushed Autumn leaves.
Palate is sweet red pepper, ripe Bing cherry, ripe plum, shaved dark chocolate and well integrated oak. Tannins are still present but not obtrusive, likely remaining bottles are easily safe until 2023-26. Not peaked, but drinking excellent this evening. Patience always wins.
Didn't show as well as prior bottles. Probably a victim of circumstance.
Didn't show as well as prior bottles. Probably a victim of circumstance.
1 person found it helpfulOct 22nd, 2013Nose has red fruit compote, yum, but I still get some heat from alcohol. No tannins, silky smooth. Prominent palette is dehydrated bing cherry, very interesting.
Night two picks up an awesome cocoa note, really, really loving this bottle after 24hrs.
Nose has red fruit compote, yum, but I still get some heat from alcohol. No tannins, silky smooth. Prominent palette is dehydrated bing cherry, very interesting.
Night two picks up an awesome cocoa note, really, really loving this bottle after 24hrs.
Dark ruby color, clear, medium pepper hint with plum and black cherry flavor and hint of tobacco, smooth long spicy finish.
Dark ruby color, clear, medium pepper hint with plum and black cherry flavor and hint of tobacco, smooth long spicy finish.
Nov 29th, 2016Very merloty but that is not a bad thing
Very merloty but that is not a bad thing
Oct 1st, 2016The finest merlot I've ever had from California.
The finest merlot I've ever had from California.
Jun 16th, 2013