Merryvale Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Merryvale
This wine is made from lots selected for their complexity of flavors and supple tannins. The blend includes Merlot to help tame tannins, Petit Verdot for fruity depth and Cabernet Franc for additional aromatic complexity. The wine was lightly fined then carefully racked and bottled unfiltered. Round and harmonious in its youth, this wine will reward a few years of cellaring with nuances of aroma that only time in the bottle provides.
Wine Enthusiast
The Starmont designation is sort of a junior version of Merryvale’s more expensive wines and is often a solid value. So it is with this Cab, whose grapes come from some prestigious vineyards. It’s dry, rich and complex, with a classic Napa balance of firm, sweet tannins, acidity and cassis and cherry fruit. Beautiful now, and should hold well for six years.
Score: 91.
—Steve Heimoff,
November
01,
2007.
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