winemaker's notes:
The 2005 growing season yielded a bevy of rich, fresh, beautifully balanced red wines, of which Gainey 2005 Merlot is a prime example.
The nose is redolent of sweet cherries and berries, with notes of ripe plum, black olive, brown spices, cocoa and vanilla adding interest. In the mouth, toasty oak tones frame smooth, juicy, cherry, plum and berry flavors, lending a suave, savory impression to the wine's long, luscious finish.
Enjoy this succulent, fruit-forward Merlot over the next several years with poultry, veal, pork and beef dishes, as well as mildly sauced pastas and flavorful hard cheeses.
90 Points
"Gainey's track record for Merlot in Santa Ynez Valley is unexcelled. If the wines seldom are
world-class great, they're seldom less than succulent and delicious. The '05 exemplifies the house style, a dry, rich wine, brimming with blackberry, cherry and new oak flavors that are wrapped into a fine, complex tannin-acid structure."
Wine Enthusiast
