WTN: 1997 Estancia Meritage

[tjaehnigen]

1/7/03

Mrs TJ was on a roll buying blends when we got this a year or two ago. 97 seemed like a good vintage, and I think we must have had something from Estancia around then that prompted us to remember the name and buy some when we got around to it.

Well, I was disappointed.

Granted, my storage conditions have not been the best (cool closet, but summer in there, even with the AC cranking, it got to 75-78 at times), but I expected more.

So, no formal TNs.

It smelled really good, with losts of jammy fruit up front, but it got thin and passionless as it spent more time open. Had only two small glasses the first night. Decided to vino-vac it and try it the next night, this time with some steak.

It did not improve, it got worse.

I was unimpressed, but am willing to concede it was due to not the best storage.

TJ rating as it stood would be 84. If I had been better at storing it, who knows>?