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Meritage Wine Tasting Notes
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2003 Ironstone Vineyards Calaveras County Meritage [78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc] Reserve $35 Score: 86.0 Here Ironstone reaches for the moon and falls a bit short, but we applaud the effort. Their Reserve Meritage is a soft, enveloping fruit bomb redolent of blackberries, with nutmeg undertones. The soft tannins stay in the background and will recede further over the next 3 to 5 years. Enjoyable as it is, I doubt it will develop much complexity, though it's a wine that should work well at the dinner table as a foil for such dishes as beef or lasagna. Only 500 6-bottle cases produced. |
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2003 Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Meritage (52% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot) $28 Score: 90.0 Dry Creek is spot-on with this stylish Meritage blend. Blackberry and cassis provide the core fruit flavors, interwoven with subtle cigar box and vanilla notes. The entry is silky and somewhat delicate, while on the mid-palate the sweet mouthfilling tannins are mostly unobtrusive and will subside with another 5 to 7 years in the bottle. My only complaint is a warm finish that detracts from the elegance. |
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1997 Beringer Vineyards Alluvium Blanc Knights Valley [meritage white] $16.00 Score: 88.0 "Rich, oaky, with Chardonnay weight and velvety mouthfeel. Tremendously fruity, yet with the crisp acidity of Sauvignon Blanc, .it rides the edge between dry and off-dry. Ripe tropical fruit character, warm finish, powerful. Pair with equally flavorful foods." |
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1996 St. Supery Napa Valley Meritage Red $40.00 Score: 93.0 "A classic Bordeaux-style blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignnon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 4% Merlot, the '96 St. Supery Meritage offers up rich, concentrated blackberry and cassis fruit, with some light spice, hints of vanilla, smoke and dark chocolate, with firm well-integrated tannin, outstanding balance and a long, very fruity and complex finish." |
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1996 Boeger El Dorado Meritage Red Wine Score: 88.0 "A powerful wine, well-balanced wine, the Boeger Meritage is a blend of Bordeaux grape varieties that combine to offer deep blackberry fruit, bittersweet dark chocolate and smoke character. A high level of fruit and persistent intensity carries the finish. " |
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1997 Dry Creek Vineyard Sonoma County Meritage $25.00 Score: 92.0 "Another marvelous meritage from Dry Creek. Lush wild berry, cherry, cedar and nutmeg, moderate tannin, spicy, with a fruity drying finish. Complex and well-balanced. Pair with game and lamb now, beef and veal parmigana when it has a few years under its belt." |
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Boeger El Dorado Meritage Score: 87.0 "Dense, plummy with some sweet spices, moderate tannin and a chewy fruity finish. Slightly closed in the nose, it really opens up in the finish. Pair with steak, beef stew, beef stroganoff." |
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Boeger El Dorado Meritage Score: 87.0 "Dense, plummy with some sweet spices, moderate tannin and a chewy fruity finish. Slightly closed in the nose, it really opens up in the finish. Pair with steak, beef stew, beef stroganoff." |