Tried another relic last week; egads...a friggin' Merlot:
1. DryCreekVnyd Merlot DryCreekVlly (12.7%; 20% CS, 2% CabFranc; American oak) 1988: Dark color w/ slight bricking; rather vanilla/Am.oak/pencilly some herbal/blackcurranty/licorice bit cedary good fruit some complex nose; soft/smooth slightly tannic/dried out rather vanilla/cedary/pencilly/oak/toasted coconut/ZagNut bar light herbal/blackcurranty some complex/cigar box/aged Cab flavors; med. rather pencilly/cedary/cigar box slightly astringent/dried out bit blackcurranty/fruity some complex finish; a really lovely/complex/mature Cab nose but just slightly dried out on the palate; still a very pleasurable wine but starting its downhill slide. $15.50
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And a wee BloodyPulpit:
1. DryCreekVnyds Merlot: I very rarely try or drink Merlot. I just find them a bit on the one-dimensional and boring side; a pleasant fruitiness, usually, but not much structure and just nothing that appeals to me. That being said, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Merlots from DryCreekVnyds. They usually are nothing profound, but just seem to have a certain tastiness to them I find appealing. This wine was a bit dried out on the palate, but had a really lovely old Cab nose and was quite a pleasurable drink.
Not sure who the winemaker on this wine was but probably JeffMcBride or Marilyn(?) Zagunis. Under Bill Knuttle's regime at DCV, I think they're making the best wine they ever have in DCV's history. And reasonably priced as well.
Percy Dweeblefuss (can't let it be known on the InterNet that TomHill drinks Merlot)