CellarTracker comments are pretty consistent on this one and the ratings, despite being a spray, seem to match that – Old World, Bordeaux-styled wine that ain’t gonna be a Cali-Fruit-Bomb.
For newbie wine drinkers who aren’t sure what they like, this is a pretty good deal. The per-bottle price is in the ball park of what you’re probably used to paying and you’re getting a wine that originally sold for about twice that.
So you drink a bottle and don’t like it. You’re expanding your palate at this point. Write some notes down on a piece of paper, put it with the remaining 3 bottles back in their shipping container and stick 'em in the bottom of the coolest closet in your house on their side.
Open a bottle a year for the 3 years after that and take notes. Not only will you get see how a wine ages (albeit for a short duration), your tastes will likely change and you may find a greater appreciation for the wine in the future.
{/sales_hat}
(edit: and that smell is Gatzby… he’s been in the bean dip again.)
Rated: 87-89 by Stephen Tanzer, May/Jun 07
Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
Good ruby-red. Reticent aromas of black cherry, redcurrant, licorice and tobacco leaf. Juicy, leanish and moderately concentrated, with a redcurrant flavor complicated by a floral element. A bit dry and dusty on the back end, in need of more thrust.
We’re supposed to just “get” one on the month of our anniversary(ies?). I never found email, nor PM, so I’m not sure what the procedure is. Maybe the carrier pigeons overflew the cellar here and landed in the bay, along with my code.
I believe the ‘Birthday Code’ is received in reference to the aniversary of your first wine.woot purchase, not your true b’day or woot sign up date. At least that’s how I remember it through the wine fog.
Congrats to you! I think I passed on that (as “Sideways”, and my experience, put me off merlots), but with all the hooplah I’m wondering if I mightn’t give this a try. It may be the only merlot I’ll ever like. We’ll see. Probably in for some.
Tonight’s pleasure is a 2006 Sterling Vintner’s Collection cabernet sauvignon. Nice, but even better after a pass through the vinturi. I remember most cabs being extremely tannic and unpleasant, but this wasn’t. Not as nice as an aged 1982 Frog’s Leap drunk circa 1998, but very pleasant. I may have to revisit cabs too.
I only have one bottle of this Merlot left in my wine cellar. Very nice juice and at this price you can’t go wrong. I have friends that aren’t big fans of Merlot that have gone out and purchased several bottles of this after I had them try it.