Winery - Hartwell
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Spicy and rich—redolent of bright-edged cherries, blackberries, raspberries, chocolate and licorice. Smooth tannins give good structure. This top-notch California Merlot finishes long and lush. Really lovely.
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Hartwell Merlot - 2000
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This expressive Merlot showcases Napa’s ability not only to ripen the variety but to give it pleasurable complexity, no easy task. The cherry, blackberry and cocoa flavors are replicable elsewhere, as is the oak plastering, but this wine has depth and nuance comparable to a fine Cabernet.
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Hartwell Merlot - 2002
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Gorgeous, beautiful wine, so strongly delicious on its own that it will be a challenge to pair it with food. A myriad of flavors cascades over the palate: cassis, blackcurrants, black cherries, white chocolate, spiced plums and dried herbs. So rich and decadently ripe, it’s almost a dessert wine. The tannins are completely soft and melted.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
There’s some pretty blackberry fruit and spice here, while plenty of fancy oak provides woody spices and sweet vanillins as well as a smoky quality. The texture is smooth and polished. The fruit isn’t very dense or concentrated, but this elegant, soft wine drinks well now and will improve in the next year or two.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
If you enjoy cellaring Cabs, this is probably a good candidate. It’s fine to drink now, with forward cassis and cherry flavors that are liberally oaked, and dry. But the tannins are straightforward. They require something big and greasy, like lamb. Drink now through 2012.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The word "black" applies to a number of things here: cherry, coffee, currant. Cola is another part of the fabulous mix. Tons of polish, and creamy and rich. A palate-pleaser supreme; there’s a lot of class and breed here. Fine and fancy, with excellent weight. What more could you ask for?
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A delicious Cabernet that managed to finesse the heat of the vintage better than many other wineries. It’s much riper than past bottlings, with blackberry, cassis, cherry and chocolate fudge flavors accented by rich, smoky oak. But it’s to soft to cellar. Too soft. Drink now with the best steak you can find.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
From Carneros, this wine has tangy acidity that balances the sugariness of the tropical fruit and fig flavors. Lots of oak, too, but the wine should be drier.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Rich, creamy and lush on the palate, with loads of cassis that just roll on and on through the velvety finish. But is no simple fruit bomb—it also delivers plenty of dried herb and tobacco complexity wrapped in toast and vanilla. Drink now—2015.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This gorgeous Merlot brims with pronounced flavors of cherries, blackberries, cassis, coffee and chocolate, with a pleasant edge of dried herbs. The flavors deeply penetrate the palate and last for a long time on the finish. Ripe, sweet tannins and fresh, grapey acidity provide a firm mouthfeel. Best now through 2005.
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Hartwell Merlot - 2001
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