August 7, 2007 Wines Tasted

The following was a tasting of Pine Ridge Winery's Merlots:

1994 Carneros Merlot – Aromas of mint, herbal tea, light caramel, dusty currant and spice; a medium bodied wine with moderate to moderate low tannin and moderate acidity; flavors of cocoa, cherry, creamy tea, currant and red apple; a dusty, chalky grain to the finish left me with ripe red apple nuance. (I recommend consumption of this wine now to 2009)

1995 Carneros Merlot – Aromas of Earth, tea, black cherry, fleshy and spicy; a medium to medium full wine in body with moderate acid but moderately high finishing tannin; flavors of coffee, red cherry, and black currant. (I recommend consumption of this wine now thru 2009)

1997 Carneros Merlot – Aromas of herb, eucalyptus, cherry pie spice and caramel; a medium full bodied wine that exhibits moderate high acidity and moderate high tannin; displayed flavors of mineral, black cherry, currant, bitter chocolate, mint and plum; the finish was firm but well grained and integrated with almost seamless transitions from mineral & earth to plum and currant. (I recommend consumption now thru early 2010)

1998 Carneros Merlot – Aromas of black cherry, current, clove, anise and bay leaf; a medium full bodied wine with moderate-high alcohol, moderate-high tannin and moderate acidity; loaded with black cherry fruit and more spice; this wine finishes with dense almost granular tannin. (I recommend consumption now thru 2010)

2005 Carneros Merlot - $45 – A big nose filled with spice, bay leaves, a gamut of berries and plums, cedar, and peppers; a medium to medium full bodied wine with moderate acidity and moderate high tannin; flavors of black plum, currant, mint, vanilla, and turned clay/earth; finish is dry and chocolaty with earth, leather, and plum. (I recommend consumption now to 2015)

2005 Crimson Creek Merlot - $37 – A fruit driven nose of black berry, raspberry, milk chocolate, bay leaves, tea, and warm butter; a medium bodied wine with moderate tannin and moderate low acid; the palette opens with black cherry, black raspberry, black tea, sweet molasses and black and green peppercorns; the finish was grand with black raspberry and raspberry tea with hints of mint and cocoa. (I recommend consumption now thru 2013)