WTN: 2001 Beringer Howell Mountain Merlot Bancroft

[geo t.]

Beringer winemaker Laurie Hook was in Michigan during the second week of February to promote six selections from the venerable Napa Valley producer, including first showings of the '03 Napa Chardonnay, '01 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and '01 Bancroft Merlot, and one of her stops was for a luncheon at Forté Restaurant, in Birmingham, MI. Ms. Hook, now in her 19th year at Beringer, attends to the day - to - day operations, consulting closely with the legendary Ed Sbragia, who now holds the position of Winemaster. I stopped by to take in the proceedings, and the Bancroft Merlot was the best wine in the lineup.

2001 Beringer Howell Mountain Merlot Bancroft Ranch, $70 - 75.99, 14.55% alc.: A deep, dark garnet shading to pink at the rim, this Merlot is certainly no wallflower, but then Beringer's Bancroft Ranch never is. It spent 24 months in custom - toasted new French Nevers barrels and features a note of eucalyptus over the sweet oak, cedar, black currant, dark plum and blackberry flavors and aromas, gaining some coffee, chocolate, earth and red currant as it opens. It has a silky smooth texture in the mouth, despite its ample size, and with air, turns a little sweeter and decidedly more aromatic. Give it some time in a decanter and it's drinking well already, or give it five or six years in the cellar and it'll drink even better. A recent encounter with the '96 model is proof enough of that.

Click here for the full report on the six wines tasted.

Reporting from day-twah,

geo t.

Edited February 24, 2005 by geo t. (log)