Winery - Ballentine
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A lovely wine. Brimming with Mandarin orange, grapefruit, wildflower and spicy vanilla flavors, it’s thoroughly dry, although there’s a honeyed richness. Crispness and zest give it a clean mouthfeel. This unoaked, low alcohol wine is a delight.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Give credit to Ballentine for sticking by this variety even when it’s such a hard sell. It’s a good wine, crisp and minerally, with sweet Pinot Grigio-like citrus, vanilla and spice flavors.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Toast, mocha and black-cherry aromas take the lead. Could be more refined on the palate--there are some rough spots, especially on the finish--but it’s packed with solid Merlot flavors.
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Ballentine Merlot - 1997
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Light raspberry fruit leads into a simple and clean wine without much character.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Unanimously admired by our panel, Ballentine’s Syrah boasts a big mouthful of cocoa, plum and black cherry flavors, backed by firm acids and tannins. Has some faint rubbery notes, but they should fade with time or a brisk decanting.
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Ballentine Syrah - 2003
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
An interesting Merlot that shows a huge improvement over the ’02 and ’03, possibly because the vintage was warmer and the fruit got ripe. The winery still has work to do on this bottling, but the ’04 is tannic and rich, and shows the blackberry, currant and cedar flavors you want in an ultrapremium Merlot.
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Ballentine Merlot - 2004
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
There’s something heart-warmingly soft about this Merlot. You may want to stash it away until the cold winter months and let it warm you on a chilly night. It’s pure and appealing in cherries, currants, sandalwood and spices, with fine, dusty tannins.
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Ballentine Merlot - 2005
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This has been one of the best, most consistent bottlings of Chenin Blanc in California, and Ballentine deserves credit for sticking with it. The wine is a fine alternative to Sauvignon Blanc, dry, crisply acidic, and rich in citrus, spearmint, pepper and Asian pear flavors.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Too superripe with a raisiny, Porty taste. Although the wine is dry, it just can’t overcome that baked-fruit quality.
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Ballentine Merlot - 2002
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A beautifully drinkable Merlot. It’s softly tannic and quite dry, with a polish of smoky oak that frames deep, ripe flavors of blackberries, cherries, currants and exotic spices. Very nice now and for the next 3–4 years.
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Ballentine Merlot - 2006
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