Merlot Wine

Expert Review

The 67 Wine Petit Somm Series® is a project created by our buyer, Oscar Garcia Moncada. The entire lineup offers a meticulously curated collection of high-quality, value-driven wines. The artwork on the labels represents some of the most iconic neighborhoods and landmarks in NYC.

Aromas and flavors of black plum, toasted oak, tobacco, sage, and curry with a slightly chewy, crisp, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body. A spicy, woody Merlot with a nice food-friendly juiciness.

New York Times Reviewed 

"A rare bargain from the prestigious St.-Émilion region, this is merlot from a Bordeaux point of view. As with all good Bordeaux, this is a refreshing drink of wine. At first it’s a bit tight, but with time in the glass it becomes quite floral, with firm tannins, focused and linear. It’s not an aperitif wine; drink it with food." ~Eric Asimov, New York Times Top 20 Under $20

Winemaker Description 

The Caprice has a ruby color with garnet. The nose is fruity (cherry and raspberry) and tasty with a nice expression of ripe Merlot. On the palate, the attack is fresh with fine and elegant tannins.

Winemaker Description 

Primarily Merlot, with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot, this Bordeaux blend shows intricate layers of black cherry, plum, currant, and wild berry, mingled with a hint of spice. Soft, delicate, elegant tannins carry these aromas and flavors to a silky, lasting finish. Perfect for pairing with flatbread pizza for a cozy night at home. 

Expert Review

Wine Spectator 88 Points | Juicy and direct, with plum and blackberry fruit leading the way, while light anise and applewood notes add energy through the finish. Accessible now. Drink now through 2025. 4,200 cases made, 400 cases imported. 

Winemaker Description

Dark red in color with aromas of cherry, cocoa, black olive and toasted hazelnut on the nose. On the palate, mellow tannins with a spicy vanilla and chocolate finish.

Winemaker Description 

Beautifully lush and expressive, this alluring Merlot draws you in with aromas of black currant, black cherry, boysenberry, and sweet baking spices. On the palate, it is plush and polished, with silky tannins carrying the luxurious dark berry, creamy mocha and bittersweet chocolate flavors to a long, supple finish. 

The rich and fruity profile of this Merlot makes it a great match for:

• Grilled ahi tuna steak

• Roasted meats, Prime Rib, Lamb Chops

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

The Wine Enthusiast by Roger Voss 92 Points | This ripe blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc is balanced. A perfumed, tobacco and spice aroma and dusty black fruits give promise in this ageworthy wine, reinforced by the tannins and structure. Drink from 2027. 

Winemaker Description

Intense purple robe. Rich fruity nose of ripe Merlot: chocolate and toasty oak flavors. Fresh red fruits with fresh strawberry notes, light spices, harmonious tannins, with exceptional freshness. It has all the characteristics of ageing potential and concentration.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

Jeb Dunnuck writes:  One of the wines of the vintage is Jean-Luc Thunevin's 2020 Château Valandraud, which comes from the cooler, eastern side of Saint-Emilion. Exhibiting a dense purple hue as well as an incredible perfume of crème de cassis, ripe black cherries, violets, new leather, and an almost Hermitage-like burning embers character, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, seamless tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and a finish that won't quit. A blend of 85% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it's clearly in the same league as the 2019, if not slightly more concentrated. Give bottles 5-7 years in the cellar, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 20-25 years or so.  Drinking 2028 to 2053.  - Jeb Dunnuck 99

William Kelley writes:  If the 2019 vintage at this address was something of a guilty pleasure, the 2020 Valandraud is simply guilty as charged. Exhibiting aromas of jammy black fruits mingled with toasted coconut, spices and caricatural slatherings of new oak, it's full-bodied, rich and chewy, with generously extracted tannins that clamp down on the finish. All that oak and extract impedes access to the wine's generous fruit, rendering it less demonstrative and gourmand than its 2019 counterpart, and that's a pity, as recent vintages of Valandraud have been among the more successful of the few remaining hold-out "garagiste" wines of the Right Bank.  Drinking 2025 to 2043.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 92

Jane Anson writes:  Juicy, perfectly judged, delicious brambled fruits, this is exuberant without being overdone, just oozing with pleasure, inviting you to come on board. Expect waves of liqourice, powerful damson brambled jam, lime blossom, orange peel marmalade and saffron. This needs a good five more years in bottle before approaching, but you want this in your cellar. Founders Arnaud-Thunevin now in a 50% ownership with the Lefevre family from Sansonnet, 100% new oak, 49hl/ha yield.  Drinking 2027 to 2048.  - Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

James Suckling writes:  Very opulent and expressive aromas of black fruit and pine needles. So floral. Full-bodied with plush, velvety tannins and lots of fruit and texture. It goes on for minutes. Rich at the finish, but remains fresh and vivid. Superb. One of the great Valandrauds. Drink after 2027.  - James Suckling 99

Antonio Galloni writes:  The 2020 Valandraud is a stunner. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2020 possesses dazzling intensity from start to finish. Silky tannins wrap around a core of plush dark red/black fruit, licorice, spice, mocha and new leather. Even with all of its intensity, the 2020 is bright and wonderfully focused. Sweet floral and blood orange accents liven up the explosive finish. Magnificent.  Drinking 2028 to 2060.  - Vinous 98

Georgina Hindle writes:  Juicy and alive, a brightness to this even though the fruits are dark in profile - blackcurrant, black cherry, herbal-tinged blueberries - heady and seductive. Layers of acidity, mint, freshness and toast combine to give quite a full and complex palate with everything at the fore yet staying the right side of being too much. Strong and characterful but totally charming. I love the St-Emilion glamour and muscle, softly flexing with a salty minerality and unmistakable signature.  Drinking 2027 to 2046.  - Decanter 93

Jane Anson writes:  This is excellent, broad-shouldered with ample depth to the brambled fruits, liquorice, cigar box spice, with a gorgeously saline finish. Chalky, grippy tannins keep tugging you back into the body of the wine. The tannic grip is helped by a linen rather than silk texture that stops things being overly smooth and instead adds depth and interest to the powerfully knitted body, as do white flowers on the aromatics as it opens. Good stuff. 100% new oak for 24 months. A yield of 49hl/ha. Thunevin has sold a 50% stake in Valandraud to the Lefevre family at Sansonnet (also the new owners of Villemaurine, so a busy year for them).  Drinking 2029 to 2046.  - Decanter 96

Julia Harding MW writes:  Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Dark and oaky – lots of 70% dark chocolate. Pretty oaky, covering all else. The tannins are big and dense but there’s enough fresh fruit to fill it out for the long term.  Drinking 2030 to 2045.  - Jancis Robinson 17++

James Molesworth writes:  Tilts to the showy side, with a flourish of black currant and fig preserves, warmed black tea, melted black licorice and a hint of alder smoke as well, all framed by a warm loam- and espresso crema-accented finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2027 through 2040.  - Wine Spectator 93

Winemaker Notes

Producer Description 

Our Napa Valley Merlot opens with lively bright red fruits and a soft, lush texture. Delicate floral aromas combine with ripe blackberry, milk chocolate, wet stone and barrel spice. The finish is bright and spreads out on the palate to reveal mineral notes that support the silky tannin structure.

Deep ruby in color, the 2019 Napa Valley Merlot features a tempting nose with hints of violet, ripe cherry and warm baking spices. The palate is supple in texture with luxurious layers of brambly red fruits, cocoa, and dusty tannins. This classic Napa Valley Merlot finishes long and vibrant with lingering notes of graphite.

Winemaker Description

This vibrant and lifted Merlot exudes rich plum flavours with undertones of both red and dark fruit and a soft touch of oak. As the wine develops in the glass, layers of chocolate, nutmeg and cinnamon spice come to the fore. The soft mouth-feel and tannin integration allow for all the beautiful flavours of this wine to shine through.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019 

Joe Czerwinski writes:  Whitehall Lane's 2019 Merlot Napa Valley actually contains 87% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. Slightly candied cherry notes mark the nose, framed by vanilla and touches of dried tobacco, while the medium to full-bodied palate is succulent and juicy, textured without being overly rich or tannic.  Drinking 2022 to 2030.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 90

James Suckling writes:  Vibrant, fruity nose of ripe plums, raspberries, mulberries, licorice and nutmeg. Some chocolate orange, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with creamy tannins. Plush, round and succulent. Drink or hold.  - Wine Spectator 91

Tim Fish writes:  Refined and structured, with expressive red currant, toasty mocha and tomato leaf tones that gather tension and polish toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2029.  - Wine Spectator 91

Winemaker Description 

This Merlot offers notes of raspberry croissant, red currants, cocoa powder, and layers of graphite. The palate showcases fine, firm tannins alongside chocolate cherry lollipop, red plums, dried goji berries, and toasted brioche. It is supple in texture and shows attractive depth on the finish. Winemaker Description. 

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We’ve crafted this Merlot to be a crowd-pleaser – the perfect accompaniment to any dish at the table. Dark cherry and rich milk chocolate aromas meld with lush raspberry and satsuma plum flavors on a smooth, velvety finish.

James Suckling 90 Points | The nose expresses notes of red berries, roasted meat and raw chocolate. It’s medium-bodied with chalky tannins. Rather light center palate with a dense berry- and chocolate-packed finish.

Winemaker Description 

A soft, elegant and approachable medium-bodied wine with complete, rounded characters.

Winemaker Description

Chateau Ste. Michelle crafts this wine to be their complex yet approachable Merlot. The wine offers aromas of black cherry, leather and spice with layers of rich dark red fruit flavors and a long, smooth, sweet finish. A touch of Syrah adds a jammy fruit character. 

Winemaker Description

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Merlot is a full-bodied red wine that possesses well-balanced acidity, complexity, and structure.

This red wine's soft, versatile style complements grilled meats, especially steak, lamb, pork chops, and hamburgers. Enjoy this savory wine with hearty pasta with Bolognese sauce. 

Winemaker Description

The Grapes of Roth is Winemaker Roman Roth's private label, and a true testament to his classic, yet adventerous, wine-making style. Wonderful dark cherry fruit with well integrated oak, classic graphite and great minerality is complimented by a very savory and elegant finish.

Dark red brick in color. Elegant aromas of cassis and fine toasted sandalwood fill the glass. The mouth-feel is rich and concentrated, yet balanced with wonderful fruit of plumbs, prunes and amazing minerality. The finish has layers of ripe tannins and nicely toasted oak with fine classic earthiness, leather and iodine notes. The fruit and alcohol provide great length and make this a very special Merlot that possesses great aging potential and is the perfect partner with food.

This is a wine to be aged. It has a huge maturation curve ahead and will gain many more nuances and facets. Serve just at room temperature. Pair this Merlot with dishes you might think of for big, bold wines: steak, cassoulet, duck and decadent dark chocolate desserts. 

Winemaker Description

Bordeaux's most intensely concentrated, richly flavored and unique red wine. An incredible power, depth and richness yet a remarkable balance with penetrating aromas of ripe mulberry, black currant and fruit and spicy vanilla oak, setting it apart from all Bordeaux's finest wines. 

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 96 points | Reserved right now, but there is a well of blackberry, boysenberry and plum coulis flavors in reserve here, infused with black tea, anise and singed spice elements. Remarkably silky, elegant and extremely long, this unfurls ever so slowly in the glass, beguiling with texture and fruit purity. Best from 2022 through 2042.

Wine Enthusiast 100 points  | This is like drinking liquid black currants and blackberries. The wine has great intensity and richness from the superbly generous Merlot. The wood aging is still there as a hint in the background although the fruit and acidity dominate. Drink from 2026. 

Wine Advocate 100 points | Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Petrus (bottled in mid-July 2017) opens in its own time to reveal crushed black cherries, warm plums, mulberries and cedar chest suggestions with touches of anise, lavender, beef drippings and wild thyme plus a waft of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with generous, exuberant, wonderfully layered red, black and perfumed blue fruits contrasted beautifully by very ripe, very fine-grained and very firm tannins plus an ethereal line of seamless acid, finishing long and minerally. Olivier Berrouet and his team have knocked it out of the park in 2015. Look for this Pétrus to build and unfold over the next 20 years and confidently cellar this legend for 40+ years.

Decanter 100 points | There is so much going on with Petrus in 2015 that you should just pull up a chair and relax, don't expect to be going anywhere soon. Aromatic persistency keeps reaching in, pulling you further alongside. There is a soft quality to the tannins that allows the black fruit to be both juicy and sweet. High alcohol is balanced by freshness - a pH of 3.5 is relatively rare on these sticky clay soils - unleashing waves of flavour, including bergamot, smoky tea, black olives and rich cherry. The persistency is crazy - I had to get my notes back out two or three times to take down additional flavours because it just kept giving something more. And it makes you smile! What more do you want? Bottled in June, but will not be sent out to customers until April 2018. 50% new oak.

Jeb Dunnuck 99 points | The 2015 Petrus is undoubtedly one of the gems in the vintage and will probably merit a perfect score in another decade. Even so, it has the sexy, exotic nature of the vintage front and center and offers a huge perfume of black currants, kirsch liqueur, Asian spices, and incense. As always, this beauty is 100% Merlot that was brought up in 50% new wood in 2015. A wine that opens up beautifully with time in the glass, it has beautiful mid-palate depth, sweet, sweet tannins, and voluptuous yet weightless texture that needs to be tasted to be believed. Hide bottles for 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 3-4 decades.James Suckling 100 points The aromas to this are a reference for Pomerol with truffles, black olives, black licorice and dark fruit. Even brown sugar. Full-bodied, layered and multi-dimensional. Chocolate underlines the character above. The perfect tannin texture, length and balance make you think you're dreaming. All about harmony and beauty. Love to taste it now but needs at least five or six years.

Winemaker Description

Made for sharing. Crafted using unique growing techniques and state-of-the-art technology for winemaking, this California wine is made with high-quality grapes from the Lodi region. With a well-balanced acidity, this red merlot wine features beautifully integrated tannins that create complexity and structure. 

Rich aromas of blackberry, cherry, chocolate and red berries complement an enticing ripe plum, toasty mocha oak and cherry cola flavor. This full-bodied Woodbridge merlot wine has a soft and versatile style that pairs well with hearty pasta with Bolognese sauce, grilled steak, lamb, pork chops and hamburgers.

For best taste and quality, store this bottle of wine at room temperature and chill before serving. Please enjoy our wines responsibly. © 2021 Woodbridge Winery, Acampo, CA

Winemaker Description

Dark red with delicately organ-colored edge the color, the nose reminiscent of ripe, dark stone fruit. In the mouth, notes of spices join in. The fellow drinker dreamed a club from the deer with cranberries.

Promesse is the second wine from Chteau Franc Maillet and represents wonderful value. This estate is located very close to the Pomerol plateau and bears all the hallmarks for which the region is celebrated for.

On the nose, it has notes of violets and a touch of truffle and black berries, whilst on the palate it is silky and velvety with a rich long voluptuous finish.

Pair with roast beef, lamb, mushrooms or truffles, for an elegant drinking experience

Grape variety: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet franc

Winemaker Description 

Kimberly Vineyard is the epitome of Goldilocks-climate Merlot. It marries the lavish, ripe fruit of a warm site with the elegance and structure of a cool locale.

Dominant character traits include blackberry, anise, cassis and dried currants. Below that is a bed of juicy black fruit and supple, silky tannins. While it drinks well now, this Merlot will continue to evolve and improve over the next decade.

Winemaker Description 

This is no wimpy Merlot. We make this wine to please even the finickiest of Cab drinkers. Look for aromas and flavors of black cherry, blueberry, and blackberry all tied together with just a kiss of toasty vanilla.

Back in 1985, good friends, Tim Murphy, Dale Goode, and Dave Ready, were deep in their weekly game of liar’s dice when an idea was formulated. On that particularly lively night, the trio decided to make their love of wine official. They pooled their collective talents together and established Murphy-Goode, a serious winery built around a common concept: don’t take life so seriously.

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Smooth and refined, with enticing scents of red cherry, blackberry, and cedar. On the palate, the wine offers a velvety texture and structured mouthfeel that unfolds to reveal luscious layers of ripe plum, dark chocolate, and a hint of mint. Balanced acidity intertwines seamlessly with refined tannins. The finish is long and flavorful.
- Mike Januik, Winemaker

Warehouse stored item - please allow three to five business days to fulfill.

James Suckling 90 Points | Ripe black cherries, dark plums, mocha and a hint of toasted almonds on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied and quite tight, yet smooth in texture. Polished finish with hints of cocoa and subtle spice.

Winemaker's Notes: Masseto 2017 manages to encapsulate all the ripeness and concentration of a particularly sunny and dry vintage. The color is almost black, the nose reveals a rich and ripe expression of concentrated black fruit, with hints of spices and liquorice. On the palate the wine manages to combine great intensity and ripeness of fruit with a remarkable sense of balance and freshness. The tannins are densely knit, the texture velvety, the finish shows lingering fruitiness and a vibrant acidity giving a final touch of freshness. Although it comes from one of the warmest vintages, 2017 can be considered a very typical Masseto in its unmistakeable combination of richness and elegance.

James Suckling - 98 Points: The clarity of the ripe blackcurrants, black cherries and flowers in the nose is entrancing. Lavender, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, silky tannins that run long and straight through the wine, providing brightness and focus. Goes on for minutes. Strength with finesse Drink after 2024, but already wonderful to taste.

Decanter Magazine - 97 Points: This is luscious, think Le Pin rather than Petrus if you are comparing to a Pomerol. The layers of spice are clear and distinct, from pepper to saffron to cloves, extremely rich but with an upward swing of acidity that keeps it gripped on to its base, and delivers the power and seduction of Masseto. An excellent vintage taking the extreme drought of the summer in its stride, proof of the exceptional location of this property. There are plenty of finely tuned tannins, but you have to wait until you are halfway through the palate before they start to build in intensity, so well brushed and supple they are at first. One to savour, for sure. 100% new oak. 24 months in barrel then another 12 months in bottle before being released from the estate.

The Wine Advocate - 97 Points: The Masseto 2017 Masseto puts on another exhilarating, knock-out performance for the third year in a row. The Masseto vineyard is a triangular-shaped plot tucked in at the back of the same property that houses the Ornellaia vineyards and winery. This special site is located at the base of the mountains that rise gently from the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the picturesque silhouette of the Castiglioncello castle at the top. The vines are planted at an altitude of 80 to 100 meters above sea level in blue clay soils that are unique to Bolgheri. That ideal position opens the vineyards to soft breezes, proximity to the sea, long daylight hours and cool diurnal shifts from the protective wall of low mountains at the back. It's a little garden of Merlot Eden. The center of the vineyard now is home to the new Masseto winery and an adjacent tasting room built into a pre-existing farmhouse. This wine was made in the old winery (the existing Ornellaia winery). Fermentation kicks off in a combination of steel and oak tanks before the wine is racked over to barrique, where it rests for two years. The wine then goes into bottle for 12 months before its release. Like most vintages of Masseto tasted this early in the game, the oak is omnipresent, and it grounds the wine in terms of texture and structure. It is powerful, but that's always the case with Masseto (this vintage records a 15.5% alcohol content). I tasted this wine next to the decidedly more playful Massetino, and the Masseto moves over the palate with substantial fruit weight and concentration gained over the course of this hot and dry growing season (which produced smaller, richer and more compact berries). Perhaps, what this vintage lacks is that profound varietal character that we saw in recent vintages like 2016 and 2015. If concerned that the hot vintage would draw out too many ripe fruit tones, the oak serves to soften some of the more volatile components of the fruit. Those distinctive notes of macchia mediterranea (wild bush) that I always associate with Masseto are less present in this vintage. You feel the oak tannins on the finish with toast and vanilla that will certainly shed as the wine ages. In fact, I went back to taste the wine 12 hours later, and they had already softened considerably. 

Jeb Dunnuck - 96 Points: The 2017 Masseto is another stunning wine from this benchmark estate, and along with Petrus, they fashion one of the greatest expressions of Merlot out there. The 2017 reveals a deep ruby/purple hue as well as a captivating bouquet of ripe black cherries, currants, dried herbs, leather, spicy oak, and tobacco, with even a touch of forest floor coming through with time in the glass. Concentrated, medium to full-bodied, and structured on the palate, it has loads of minerality, a seamless texture, ripe (yet certainly present) tannins, and a great finish. While it shows the sunny style of the vintage aromatically, it's tight and backward on the palate and in need of 4-5 years of bottle age. It's going to keep for 30-40 years.

Wine Spectator - 95 Points: There's a meaty character to this intense, polished red, adding a seriousness to the dark plum, blackberry, iron, vanilla and chocolate flavors. A beam of bright acidity keeps this focused and drives the fruit- and spice-filled finish. Merlot. Best from 2022 through 2042. 

Producer Description 

Our Merlot is medium-bodied with deep blackberry aromas and a soft, satisfying finish. Enjoy its smooth flavors with Grilled Pork Chops with Apples or Rosemary-Braised Lamb Shanks.

Expert Reviews

Wine Enthusiast 91 Points | This wine is now mature, showing richness while also preserving elegance. Earthy, herbal tones are laced through the wine’s juicy fruit texture. Enjoy now for best enjoyment.

Wine Spectator 90-93 Points | Still very primal, but enticing, with sappy raspberry, sweet spice, melted licorice and linzer torte notes that have yet to stretch out fully. There's racy acidity as well, so this should knit nicely.

Winemaker Description

Aromas of plum, raspberry and cherry are layered with earthy tones of mushroom, sage and pine. Soft on the palate, flavors of black cherry and red plum with notes of dark chocolate lead to a bright finish.

Try this wine with fatty dishes. Red meats and flavor-forward ingredients like cooked tomatoes will deliciously complement this wine’s brightness and fine-grained tannins. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description 

This Napa Valley Merlot is sourced from a combination of high elevation mountain sites as well as wonderful benchland vineyards around the valley. Freemark Abbey blends in a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon for structure and balance. The wine opens with aromas of ripe plum, blueberry, milk chocolate and cedar. The palate is met with flavors of wild raspberry, bramble fruits, allspice, cinnamon, dry herbs, and oak spice.

The textures are supple yet vibrant with well-integrated tannins that drink beautifully now on its own or paired with a wide range of dishes.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

100 Points  Decanter | Intense and full on the nose, fragrant with ripe black fruit, floral aspects and soft spicing. Round and full on the palate, it's rich and muscular yet tight and neatly coiled with a liquorice, graphite, pepper, cinnamon and clove tang that gives this immediate but enjoyable spice. Feels well worked, juicy with high acidity that lifts the palate and gives freshness and brightness alongside really quite mouthwatering strawberry and raspberry fruit with such captivating dried floral and bitter orange rind aspects. Tannins are super fine and so well integrated yet this maintains a grip and hold from the very beginning through to a long and sustained finish. Nuanced and complex, still packing a punch in terms of power, but this feels sophisticated, suave, purposeful and controlled. Not elegant, this is more of a caged animal with it's full potential yet to be unveiled, but it is classy. A truly delicious wine with so much purity and sense of place. Malolactic fermentation in 100% new barroques, with each batch kept separate for the first 12 months of ageing before being blended and returned to barriques for another year, totalling 24 months. The wine was then aged for a further 12 months in bottle before being released. Winemaker Gaia Cinnirella.

99 Points Wine Enthusiast | A hedge maze of aromas greets the nose, from blackberries and black cherries to crushed stones and crumpled petals, before a gentle addition of vanilla and toasted coconut. Mixed berries with vanilla and cardamom soak the palate, followed by freshly tilled dirt and flinty stone notes, and finally an astringent, brooding spiciness on the back. Tannins are tightly stitched together across the palate like a tapestry, with acrobatic acid emphasizing a salt and pepper finish. A wine that speaks volumes without shouting.

99 Points James Suckling | Intense aromas of ripe herbs, plums, green coffee beans, and hazelnuts. Turns to crushed berries and orange peel. Full-bodied with superb concentration and fine, velvety tannins that run the length of the wine. It's big but agile and gorgeous. Merlot. What a wine! Best after 2030.

99 Points Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 Tasted from barrel, the 2020 Masseto is incredibly expressive out of the gate, with a sweet perfume of candied plum, boysenberry, crushed flowers, mocha, sweet earth, and fresh sage. The palate is full-bodied and decadent, with a velvety texture and notes of black plum, fresh leather, and scorched mineral earth. It delivers great finesse and polish that features opulence without having weight. I look forward to tasting this next year from bottle.

98 Points Vinous Media | The 2020 Masseto is superb. Bright and vibrant in the glass, the 2020 offers up an exciting mix of dark-toned fruit, mocha, spice, leather, tobacco, cedar and a kiss of French oak. Lively acids and Franc aromatics lend vibrancy throughout. The Franc is so evident today. This is exceptionally polished and sophisticated, albeit a touch slender relative to most years. In 2020, Masseto is more finesse than power.

97 Points  Wine Spectator | Complex, with a luscious texture and saturated plum, blackberry, black olive, iron, tobacco and toasty spice aromas and flavors, this red features a full, rich timbre. Offers a lively, well-integrated structure, with a long aftertaste of fruit and spices and a pleasant chalky feel. Merlot. Best from 2025 through 2043.

96 Points Wine Advocate | The 2020 Masseto now sees new DNA with a touch of Cabernet Franc added to this celebrated Merlot-based icon wine. This is a vintage of enormous richness and density, and everything about the wine is taken up a notch or two (including the bottle glass weight and the 15% alcohol content). But Axel Heinz and his team are well prepared for the hot vintages like 2020, and changes to farming and canopy management ensure even ripening. This wine is always hard to analyze in its youth. It needs many more years to soften and flesh out. Give it time.

Winemaker Description 

The Beringer Founders' Estate Merlot is approachable and delicious. Hints of plum and brown spice on the nose compliment the boysenberry, blackberry and blueberry finish on the palate. It's well-balanced, soft tannins make this wine a perfect accompaniment to a variety of foods, such as grilled meats or hearty vegetable dishes. 

Winemaker Description

Israel. The Yarden Merlot Allone Habashan 2016 is the first release from this vineyard. The wine presents a fragrant blend of aromas featuring ripe red and black fruits, flowers, spice, tobacco, orange zest and chocolate.

This attractive single-vineyard wine is full-bodied, flavorful and complex. The wine aged for 18 months in small French oak barrels, of which 70% were new. While ready to enjoy upon release the wine will improve in the bottle over the coming years, and should stay in excellent drinking condition for a decade or more from harvest.

Winemaker Description

Redigaffi has an intense color that arouses enthusiasm and satisfy the sight, it highlights great complexity characterized by the fruity attack in the mouth leaving then “room” to tobacco and licorice notes. Good concentration given by the pre-harvesting activity, three passages and perfect maturation reached by our grapes. Outstanding complexity. Floral notes typical of our “Macchia Mediterranea” are intense and persistent. The elegance of tannins is enhanced by the great structure and balance. Considerable extraction and good acidity.

Expert Reviews

Susan Hulme MW of Decanter writes 100 Points | (March 4, 2019)  2016 was an exceptional vintage in Tuscany and, according to Stefano, the best in 20 years. The cool night temperatures allowed for beautifully precise aromatics and perfectly ripe, harmonious tannins. This wine expresses the vintage beautifully and is the best Redigaffi I have tasted - simply stunning! Complex and tightly wound, it carries its 15% alcohol really well. There are hints of roasted coffee beans and green herbs on the nose, while the palate is super-concentrated yet beautifully balanced, with very fine-textured tannins. Blackcurrant, smoky plum and liquorice flavours are joined by a lovely freshness. A beauty. 

Antonio Galloni of Vinous writes 97 Points | The 2016 Redigaffi is another absolutely compelling wine in this range. Explosive and opulent, the 2016 manages to be both spectacularly rich and yet also retain tremendous freshness. Blueberry jam, lavender, crushed rocks and sweet oak all build as this sumptuous yet structured Merlot shows off its considerable personality. In 2016, Redigaffi is energetic, persistent and also very classy. Drink it over the next decade or so. 

Monica Larner of the Wine Advocate writes 97 Points | This vintage hits it out of the ballpark. The Tua Rita 2016 Redigaffi is everything you should expect in terms of complexity, depth and the quality of its bouquet. The wine is especially balanced and focused with pinpoint aromas of dark cherry, plum, spice, tar and dried garden herb. The mouthfeel is generous and rich, but it also offers very silky and long tannins that give the wine its long, persistent mouthfeel. The 2016 vintage is an icon, and the wine has many long years of aging ahead.  Drinking 2023 - 2040 

James Suckling writes 99 Points | Aromas of lavender, ripe cherries, iodine, licorice and walnuts. Some mahogany and amber, too Full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Intense and focused, with a very deep core of perfumed fruit. Still needs time. 100% merlot. Better after 2023.