Grgich Hills Estate
2007 Estate Merlot
Merlot
California: Napa Valley
Mission Briefing
Best in Show
This wine is, by far, the greatest 2007 Merlot that we have ever tasted! With a bevy of complex dark fruit flavors that combine, in equal proportion, with earth and spice, this is one fantastic wine.
The winemaking team at Grgich Hills Estate, led by Mike Grgich’s nephew and longstanding winemaker, Ivo Jeramaz, shows its remarkable skill with this wine. Winemaker since 1986, Ivo has continuously impressed us with his wines. Today’s 2007 Estate Merlot is a deep, rich, complex and chewy wine that our entire tasting panel just went crazy for.
This is a big wine, but it’s not over-the-top. It is certainly long on flavor and deep aromatics, but everything is held in such perfect balance here. Please note, though, that you may wish to pair this big Merlot as you would a Cabernet Sauvignon. A nice, juicy, pepper rub steak would do very nicely.
Robert Parker gave the entire 2007 vintage a stellar 96 point score. Today’s very highly recommended 2007 is among the best that we have tried.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Deep, dark ruby, with a darker, iridescent core. At the edge of the glass, a light ruby ring cuts a fine swath around the wine. After a good swirl, chubby, wine-stained legs are slow to emerge before they streak down the glass. |
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| Smell: | Bold, sweet and filled with life, this wine leads with beautiful being cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry. As the wine opens up begins to reveal gorgeous aromatic spiced cherry, jammy blackberry, sweet brown spice, subtle pipe tobacco, dried fall leaves and a hint of black pepper. |
| Taste: | Dark, concentrated and very rich, this complex wine leads with darkest blackberry, dried black cherry, dried cranberry and fall leaves. After the wine has had a chance to breathe, it reveals additional complex flavors including dried black flowers, cigarbox, flinty minerals, sweet Plum, cocoa beans and black pepper. |
| Finish: | Ultra along with lingering black fruit flavors that, as the wine drives the palate, gradually yield to more earthy flavors. At the very end, the mouth is left with a plush, dry reminder of the delicious flavors that were just enjoyed. |
| Pairing: |