2005
Estate Merlot
Crane Family Vineyards
|
Merlot (Red)
Napa Valley
$48.00/bottle
Ruby in color, it has aromas of oak, spice and dark cherries. The mouth fills with the taste of cherries, sassafras and bell pepper. A light spiciness is derived from bay leaf, growing on trees that line the western edge of the vineyard. The tannins are gentle and the finish is long and silky.
Vintage Notes
The Merlot varietal dominated our early years of winemaking, and as such, is the variety we are most experienced with. We discovered early on that our vineyard has considerable parallels to vineyards in the esteemed Pomerol region of Bordeaux, France and sought to emulate their style. Our winemaker, Alison Doran, has made wine in the very region that we consider our model. The result is that our Estate Merlot is a very serious wine, often tasting like a fruity, moderately tannic Cabernet.
Reviews
HQ-Ohhhh
This is some high quality Merlot. I love the way bouquet strikes me as a vegetable garden with sweet plum tomatoes, sweet onions, and green peppers. Perhaps at this price you'd want to save it for special occasions, but I think this wine drinks so nicely, it's a great every day wine. On the …(view more)
Rich - Smooth - Delicious
Crane Family Vineyards is producing some of the most food-friendly wines in the country, and this Merlot is a fantastic showing. The nose boasts cooking spices and soil with a touch of light berry. There are intense cherry tomorrow flavors that carry through the palette to the finish, with is …(view more)