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Paloma Napa Valley Merlot 2012
Extremely limited Paloma 2012 Merlot. Get the new vintage before the ratings come out! This tiny winery on Spring Mountain rocketed from obscurity to collector status overnight when the 2001 vintage was chosent as Wine Spectator's 'No. 1 Wine in the World' and ever since has been hard to get.94 Points Brix26: "The Merlot is once again a blend of Estate Merlot and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. The resulting wine is a big, world-class red wine capable of improving with bottle aging for 10 to 15 years. Complex aromas of black berry fruits, black stone fruits, chocolate, tobacco, spice and floral notes with a mineral overtone. On the palate the wine has a big silky mouth feel, well balanced, with flavors of berries, fruit, cocoa, cassis, and spice, and a long spicy finish."Wine Spectator #1 Wine in the World in 2001.
Ratings on Delectable
"Odedi" 
Time for my #MerlotThursday . Here is a beautiful one from Napa Valley. Dark ruby in color with a short purple rim. Fruity nose with black currants, blackberries, cherries, vanilla, earth, wood, spices, chocolates, tobacco, graphite, dark coffee and black pepper. Full bodied and smooth with medium plus acidity and long legs. Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet plums, light vegetables, pencil lead, dark coffee, tobacco leaf, earth, herbs, spices and peppercorn. Long finish with firm tannins and tangy cranberries. This is a great Napa Merlot. Showing nice complexity with a great mouthfeel. Interesting, powerful and bold. I had this vintage 2 years ago, and loved it just as much. The 2012 was a great vintage, and it is showing. Would easily be 94+ points in 5 years from now, so this would be a good cellaring candidate. Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up. Had it blind, and it felt like a Napa Syrah, actually. Thanks DJ for sharing this wonderful wine with me. Delicious and yummy. I had it all by itself. 14.8% alcohol by volume. 92 points. $60.
Time for my #MerlotThursday . Here is a beautiful one from Napa Valley. Dark ruby in color with a short purple rim. Fruity nose with black currants, blackberries, cherries, vanilla, earth, wood, spices, chocolates, tobacco, graphite, dark coffee and black pepper. Full bodied and smooth with medium plus acidity and long legs. Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet plums, light vegetables, pencil lead, dark coffee, tobacco leaf, earth, herbs, spices and peppercorn. Long finish with firm tannins and tangy cranberries. This is a great Napa Merlot. Showing nice complexity with a great mouthfeel. Interesting, powerful and bold. I had this vintage 2 years ago, and loved it just as much. The 2012 was a great vintage, and it is showing. Would easily be 94+ points in 5 years from now, so this would be a good cellaring candidate. Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up. Had it blind, and it felt like a Napa Syrah, actually. Thanks DJ for sharing this wonderful wine with me. Delicious and yummy. I had it all by itself. 14.8% alcohol by volume. 92 points. $60.
9.2Tim Carl
Normally love Paloma. The 2012 is good but not excellent. The flavors are there but the normal richness is missing.
Normally love Paloma. The 2012 is good but not excellent. The flavors are there but the normal richness is missing.
8.8Olya S. Troxel
Black currant, mocha, plum, savoury spices, tea leaf. Good balance, well-integrated oak, expressive. Smooth on palate, med+ body. Definitely age worthy!
Black currant, mocha, plum, savoury spices, tea leaf. Good balance, well-integrated oak, expressive. Smooth on palate, med+ body. Definitely age worthy!
9.2
Shay A
Always a special treat to attend the Wednesday Wine Committee. The hosts always bring out excellent wines! This is a MERLOT?! And as a '12, I had a ton of sediment in my glass. The whole table guessed Old Napa Cab. This was probably the red of the day. Blueberries, vanilla, and plum. Cab lovers Merlot example.
Always a special treat to attend the Wednesday Wine Committee. The hosts always bring out excellent wines! This is a MERLOT?! And as a '12, I had a ton of sediment in my glass. The whole table guessed Old Napa Cab. This was probably the red of the day. Blueberries, vanilla, and plum. Cab lovers Merlot example.
9.4Joe Roth
Consistently outstanding Merlot.
Consistently outstanding Merlot.
9.3
Robert Henalt
Cherry, dark berries . Medium finish. Excellent!
Cherry, dark berries . Medium finish. Excellent!
9.3Steve Biondi
Between my wife's fresh tomato sauce and veal meatballs with Incredible spinach the wine just brought in in abundance of complexity intones unequaled in the sphere of my influence
Between my wife's fresh tomato sauce and veal meatballs with Incredible spinach the wine just brought in in abundance of complexity intones unequaled in the sphere of my influence
9.3
Joseph Barsky
2012 Vintage. 14.8% Alcohol. Wish we had more. Yum. Memories of hummingbirds at their home. Great nectar!
2012 Vintage. 14.8% Alcohol. Wish we had more. Yum. Memories of hummingbirds at their home. Great nectar!
9.4
Dawn E.
Fabulous wine..Cherry Liqueur...Tootsie Roll...Cedar...tea leaves! Rated previously...Happy to acquire another! Merry Christmas to All!! Be Safe!
Fabulous wine..Cherry Liqueur...Tootsie Roll...Cedar...tea leaves! Rated previously...Happy to acquire another! Merry Christmas to All!! Be Safe!
9.2Mark Flesher
This wine has seemed to do a little bit of growing in the last 6 months. Was a bit muted on the last bottle, but this bottle was definitely not like that. Nose of dark fruit, fig, reductive black cherry. Entry was black cherry cordial, turning darker in the middle. The finish is acidic and grippy, good fruit notes. Some tannin still definitely here. I'm amazed at these wines and based on my limited experience I have a huge feeling that these can go 20 years. I know I won't have the willpower to keep any of them that long...but why wait if they're drinking that well?!?
This wine has seemed to do a little bit of growing in the last 6 months. Was a bit muted on the last bottle, but this bottle was definitely not like that. Nose of dark fruit, fig, reductive black cherry. Entry was black cherry cordial, turning darker in the middle. The finish is acidic and grippy, good fruit notes. Some tannin still definitely here. I'm amazed at these wines and based on my limited experience I have a huge feeling that these can go 20 years. I know I won't have the willpower to keep any of them that long...but why wait if they're drinking that well?!?
9.4
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