WTN: 1999 Shafer Merlot Napa Valley

[tjaehnigen]

2/18/03

I had this tonight with those pan roasted pork chops I have been talking about the past few days. The pork chops turned out pretty good (juicy as hell) and I've been meaning to pull the cork on this for months to see what all the fuss was about.

This wine was really quite good.

I popped the cork and left it in the bottle for about a half an hour. Then, I splash decanted it and it sat there for about another 45 minutes to an hour before I took the first sip/wiff. I tasted over the next two and a half hours out of Spiegelau Bordeaux stems.

The nose on this wine was wonderful -- raspberry blossoms were shoved away quickly by violets and kirsch. This was a medium dark violet purple color. It had terriffic legs and it burst onto my tatsebuds as soon as I tasted it. This wine is pretty huge and well structured with a nice long finish. I got cherries, vanilla, traces of raspberry and currant followed by some nice herbaceous notes and peeled bark along with a tiny bit of toast. Some good mocha notes as well.

This is one delicious wine. I think I paid $35 for this in a mixed case last year. I'd certainly pick up more at that price.

I'd rate this a 91 on the TJ scale.

[Craig Camp]

I've always thought that this was one of the best merlot wines in California year after year.

[Mark Sommelier]

I've always thought that this was one of the best merlot wines in California year after year.

The 2000 I found to be a disappointing wine when tasted next to the '99. Thin and weedy.

[Carema]

The 2000 I found to be a disappointing wine when tasted next to the '99. Thin and weedy.

Welcome to the 2000 vintage- confusing and tricky as hell!

Edited July 27, 2003 by Carema (log)