Lacks Fruit and Complexity, A Passable Merlot
by SimianFox - Written: Aug 25 '08 (Updated Aug 25 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Firm Tannins, Old World Style
Cons: Lacks Complexity, Fruit Notes Very Subtle, Meager Finish
The Bottom Line: A light bodied, dry merlot, with subtle fruit and lacking finish. A less than stellar offering compared to the 2004 vintage.
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| SimianFox's Full Review: Stonestreet Alexander Merlot 2003 |
After tasting the Stonestreet 2004 Merlot last week, and being blown away, I decided to try the 2003 vintage expecting a superior, if not comparable performance. Besides, the 2003 Merlot has the advantage over its sister of enjoying an extra year of aging in the bottle. Sadly, I was disappointed with this effort, which illustrates the sometimes drastic differences and inconsistencies between vintages from the same producer.
The 2003 Stonestreet Alexander Valley Merlot displays notes of blackberry and plum. It exhibits a light to medium body with firm tannins. Unfortunately, the wine tends to hollow out at the mid-palate. You immediately taste the fruit upfront, but the wine tends to fade quickly in the same manner of a cheap Pinot Noir. The finish contains elements of cocoa, but lacks intensity and focus. Instead of maintaining the initial acquaintance of the dark fruit, the wine simply drifts off toward the end of the sip. I suspect part of the problem with this particular Merlot is that the wine maker may have been attempting to make this wine in an old-world style, which it does remind me of. Those that prefer wine made in old-world (many French and Italian winds are made this way) -very dry with darker, more subtle fruit, and firm tannins will probably enjoy this wine more than do I. The presence of tannins indicate that this wine is likely to age and improve with time, however truth be told, it does not have close to the potential of the 2004 vintage. Finally, this Merlot just does not have the structure and complexity that I have come to expect from Stonestreet Vineyards. My recommendation is to steer clear of the 2003 Merlot and grab a bottle of the 2004 instead, which is the clear winner in my opinion.
I paid $15.00 for this bottle on sale (original retail price was $30.00). At the $15.00 price point you can find better value and a more structured wine with riper fruit and stronger finish. Or simply pick up the 2004 vintage, which will immensely enjoyable!
84 points
You can find my review of the 2004 Stonestreet Merlot here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Stonestreet_Merlot_2004_750ml/content_441997889156
Recommended:
No
Year: Earlier
Winery Name: Stonestreet
Varietal: Merlot
Country: USA
State or Region: California
County or Appellation: Alexander Valley
Price: 15.00
Wine Rating Scale: Drinkable
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