Merlot Tasting - LU Wine Appreciation Society
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 9:05 pm
Tonight was my second instalment in the regular wine tastings held by the alcoholi..erm, wine lovers from Lincoln University. Whilst I'm not a huge fan of merlot and haven't had a great deal of it (compared to my embarrassing shiraz fetish that I'm slowly overcoming), I found myself in the vicinity of the tasting location at 6pm tonight and in the bid to broaden and build upon my wine knowledge, took the leap of faith and attended a merlot tasting.
Tonight there were eight merlots on offer, and we were told at the onset that there would be representation from six different countries. As is the custom, the wines are all served blind and on this occassion, in four flights of two wines. At the end of each flight, a general discussion ensues and the wines of that flight are revealed.
First Flight
M1
Dark red opaque centre. Nose has plum fruit, green cedar oak with a stewed fruit character. Sediment. Plum and mulberry fruit on the palate with a kind of buttery flavour and texture. Wine seems well made, with a clean and moderate finish. Tannins aren't aggressive, but finely persistent. Nose isn't impressive, but the wine tastes okay - nothing special here. 2001 Glenguin Orange Vineyard Merlot from NSW (14%, $29).
M2
Dirty red colour. Nose is attractive; perfumed with violets and indistinct floral notes along with rich blackcurrant fruit and a very slight medicinal note adding complexity. The pretty young lady gets tough on the palate, ripping off the garter and taking a firm grip in the mouth. Plenty of acid and tannins that need some time, at this stage overshadowing the delicate berry fruit on the palate. Enjoyable merlot. 1998 Artero La Mancha Merlot from Spain (14.5%, $18).
Second Flight
M3
Heavily extracted, red black colour. Nose wreaks of brett. I don't mind brett, but this one is overloaded. Gotta be French. Underneath the barnyard nose it's really hard to find much else, besides some assertive (it'd have to be) oak and blackberry fruit. I left this for a while hoping the farm would blow off (out of respect that this might be a Pomerol), and it did to a small extent with floral aromatics emerging. There's lots of plum on the palate and the structure is delicate - a tad thin and perhaps green - relying on finesse yet backed by a home run finish. Needs time. 2001 Chateau La Croix Casse Pomerol from France (13.5%, $60).
M4
Moderate scarlet red. Heavy liquorice on the nose, with mango of all things! Unbelievable - there's a first time for everything. The nose is certainly captivating, with an underlying zone composed of forest fruits that makes this wine truly fascinating to smell. Lots of plum and spice on the palate, with perhaps some heat too. Finish is warm, with tannins that disappear abruptly. The mouth performance certainly wasn't blowing kisses to anyone, but I certainly found the nose of the wine 'entertaining'. Very interesting indeed. 2002 Ravenswood California Merlot from the States (13.5%, $24).
Third Flight
M5
Dark crimson with light edges. There's a lot of class to this nose, with gorgeous berry fruit concentration and a cool earthy funkiness. A warm and friendly merlot. The mouthfeel lacks some oomph and the primary fruit promise of the nose is in jeopardy on the palate, but boy that nose is something else. The finish isn't terribly long, but certainly supple with fine tannins. This wine is probably past its peak drinking by a couple of years, but I'll happily walk around sniffing this all day long. 1996 Trapiche "Medalla" Merlot from Mendoza, Argentina (13.5%, $60).
M6
Opaque red with violet hue. A very caramel nose, full of prune, blackcurrant and tobacco. There's liquorice on the palate, but also an unpleasant plastic taste. The tannins are rough and tough, although the finish does have decent length. Not enjoyable. 2002 Mills Reef Elspeth Block 3 Merlot from Hawkes Bay, NZ (14%, $40).
Fourth Flight
M7
Dense red, lighter at edges. Nose is full of menthol - I'll take a pack of Holiday Green 20's thanks. It's overpowering. I'm really struggling to find anything else. Confectionery sweetness and plum eventually break through as an underpaid supporting cast. Still, the menthol persists on the palate. I'm done trying to find anything else. Short finish and gentle in the mouth. No thanks. 2002 Yalumba Y Series Merlot from South Australia (14%, $14).
M8
Tawny red with a mauve splash. Pull out the peanut butter people, we have some toast. There's a floral character that competes with some vegetal aromas. A bit green. There's some heat in the mouth, with ripe plum, green olive and stalk. Finish is short and still dominated by the alcohol and tannin imbalance. Thumbs down. 2004 Coopers Creek Merlot from Hawkes Bay, NZ (13.5%, $20).
Well that sums it up. We had a smaller group present for this tasting which meant much healthier portions in the glass and a more relaxed atmosphere I felt, with quieter people becoming involved in the discussion. I certainly loved the nose of the Trapiche Medalla and this alone was my highlight. I'm still amazed that this sort of quality was being produced in Argentina some ten years ago. The Trapiche el cheapo range at $11 is also exceptional value - wrap your hands around the malbec pronto.
Cheers,
Tonight there were eight merlots on offer, and we were told at the onset that there would be representation from six different countries. As is the custom, the wines are all served blind and on this occassion, in four flights of two wines. At the end of each flight, a general discussion ensues and the wines of that flight are revealed.
First Flight
M1
Dark red opaque centre. Nose has plum fruit, green cedar oak with a stewed fruit character. Sediment. Plum and mulberry fruit on the palate with a kind of buttery flavour and texture. Wine seems well made, with a clean and moderate finish. Tannins aren't aggressive, but finely persistent. Nose isn't impressive, but the wine tastes okay - nothing special here. 2001 Glenguin Orange Vineyard Merlot from NSW (14%, $29).
M2
Dirty red colour. Nose is attractive; perfumed with violets and indistinct floral notes along with rich blackcurrant fruit and a very slight medicinal note adding complexity. The pretty young lady gets tough on the palate, ripping off the garter and taking a firm grip in the mouth. Plenty of acid and tannins that need some time, at this stage overshadowing the delicate berry fruit on the palate. Enjoyable merlot. 1998 Artero La Mancha Merlot from Spain (14.5%, $18).
Second Flight
M3
Heavily extracted, red black colour. Nose wreaks of brett. I don't mind brett, but this one is overloaded. Gotta be French. Underneath the barnyard nose it's really hard to find much else, besides some assertive (it'd have to be) oak and blackberry fruit. I left this for a while hoping the farm would blow off (out of respect that this might be a Pomerol), and it did to a small extent with floral aromatics emerging. There's lots of plum on the palate and the structure is delicate - a tad thin and perhaps green - relying on finesse yet backed by a home run finish. Needs time. 2001 Chateau La Croix Casse Pomerol from France (13.5%, $60).
M4
Moderate scarlet red. Heavy liquorice on the nose, with mango of all things! Unbelievable - there's a first time for everything. The nose is certainly captivating, with an underlying zone composed of forest fruits that makes this wine truly fascinating to smell. Lots of plum and spice on the palate, with perhaps some heat too. Finish is warm, with tannins that disappear abruptly. The mouth performance certainly wasn't blowing kisses to anyone, but I certainly found the nose of the wine 'entertaining'. Very interesting indeed. 2002 Ravenswood California Merlot from the States (13.5%, $24).
Third Flight
M5
Dark crimson with light edges. There's a lot of class to this nose, with gorgeous berry fruit concentration and a cool earthy funkiness. A warm and friendly merlot. The mouthfeel lacks some oomph and the primary fruit promise of the nose is in jeopardy on the palate, but boy that nose is something else. The finish isn't terribly long, but certainly supple with fine tannins. This wine is probably past its peak drinking by a couple of years, but I'll happily walk around sniffing this all day long. 1996 Trapiche "Medalla" Merlot from Mendoza, Argentina (13.5%, $60).
M6
Opaque red with violet hue. A very caramel nose, full of prune, blackcurrant and tobacco. There's liquorice on the palate, but also an unpleasant plastic taste. The tannins are rough and tough, although the finish does have decent length. Not enjoyable. 2002 Mills Reef Elspeth Block 3 Merlot from Hawkes Bay, NZ (14%, $40).
Fourth Flight
M7
Dense red, lighter at edges. Nose is full of menthol - I'll take a pack of Holiday Green 20's thanks. It's overpowering. I'm really struggling to find anything else. Confectionery sweetness and plum eventually break through as an underpaid supporting cast. Still, the menthol persists on the palate. I'm done trying to find anything else. Short finish and gentle in the mouth. No thanks. 2002 Yalumba Y Series Merlot from South Australia (14%, $14).
M8
Tawny red with a mauve splash. Pull out the peanut butter people, we have some toast. There's a floral character that competes with some vegetal aromas. A bit green. There's some heat in the mouth, with ripe plum, green olive and stalk. Finish is short and still dominated by the alcohol and tannin imbalance. Thumbs down. 2004 Coopers Creek Merlot from Hawkes Bay, NZ (13.5%, $20).
Well that sums it up. We had a smaller group present for this tasting which meant much healthier portions in the glass and a more relaxed atmosphere I felt, with quieter people becoming involved in the discussion. I certainly loved the nose of the Trapiche Medalla and this alone was my highlight. I'm still amazed that this sort of quality was being produced in Argentina some ten years ago. The Trapiche el cheapo range at $11 is also exceptional value - wrap your hands around the malbec pronto.
Cheers,