Winery - Barlow
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A strong, bold young wine, with good varietal flavors of blackberries and black currants. It’s hard in tannins now, and the oak hasn’t been integrated even though the wine is nearing the five year mark. Somehow, it doesn’t seem like a longterm ager, but it will benefit from a couple years in the bottle.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Deep in aroma, in flavor, in depth and finish, this Cabernet fulfills your Napa Cab expectations. The mouthfeel is all velvet and silk, the tannins are perfectly sculpted, and the blackberry and coffee flavors are ripe and satisfying without being overwrought. Best now and for a decade.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Nice structure in this wine, wonderful tannins, so sweetly ripe and soft, and such a good overlay of oak, but the problem is fruit. It’s just not there, which leaves the alcohol standing naked and hot. Why this is, is a mystery from a good winery.
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Barlow Merlot - 2003
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Released a year later than the ’02 Merlot, this Cab is drinkable, although the tannins remain fairly astringent. The fruit is ripe, suggesting black currants and cassis. A distraction is a bitter note on the finish that is unlikely to age out.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This big, fat, sexy wine is just what Merlot is supposed to be. It’s softly accessible, yet complex with rich, sweet tannins and a delicious array of cassis, plum, cherry and herb flavors. As good as it is, it possesses a feminine complexity that suggests pairing it with food.
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Barlow Merlot - 2001
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A big, chewy wine, ultrarich in black currants and plums, but quite tannic. Seems like one you want to cellar. One compromise is a funky aroma that could indicate longterm instability.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Made in a drier, leaner and earthier style, with herb and tobacco-infused blackberry, currant and cherry flavors. A touch of stylish oak adds a fine note. Not a blockbuster, but balanced and elegant. Drink now.
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Barlow Merlot - 2006
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A decent Merlot that shows berry and cola fruit flavors, with a touch of oak and beautiful tannins. It’s a little hot and funky. Not going anywhere, so drink up.
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Barlow Merlot - 2007
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Made in a classic Napa style, with pronounced aromas of cassis and blackcurrant and a considerably layering of well-charred, toasty oak. Doesn’t disappoint on the entry, and then it spreads currant and herb flavors all over the palate, wrapped in rich, fine, ripe tannins. Very good, but lacks that extra bit of intensity.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
One for the cellar. It opens with a swift kick of dusty tannins that numb the palate to the sweet blackcurrant and cherry fruit buried far below. On the finish, tannins and oak dominate. But such is the overall balance, and the core of fruit, that putting it away for 10 years is no gamble at all. Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) and Merlot.
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