Merryvale Profile (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2008

Professional Ratings

• 97 Wine Enthusiast
  A tremendous wine that shows how Merryvale is absolutely at the top of its game. Impeccable in structure, with refined tannins that are soft and firm at the same time, and a fine cut of acidity. entirely dry, the Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend is awesome in blackberry, cherry, cassis and oak flavors, with complexities of anise, soy sauce, grilled meats and minerals. Beyond the particulars, it just feels dramatic and rich in the mouth. A great wine that should develop in the bottle over the next decade.
• 96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The flagship red wine, the 2008 Profile, is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. Dusty, loamy soil aromas intermixed with graphite, blueberry, blackberry, charcoal and camphor jump from the glass of this complex, inky/purple-colored offering. Full-bodied and backward with undeniable potential, this young red classic Napa blend of Bordeaux grapes should hit its stride in 4-5 years and last for three decades. A compelling wine, it is further evidence of the remarkable progress Merryvale has made over the last decade. Moreover, it is the finest wine they have ever produced.
• 96 Connoisseurs' Guide
  This very expressive and highly extracted young wine is no shrinking violet, but it is big without being too big, and it takes its cues from lavish fruit more than from runaway ripeness. While it stints not at all in terms of very sweet oak, its themes of blackcurrants, olives and loamy soils are always in the fore. Its considerable tannins are so finely fit that it is likely to trick some impatient Cabernet fans into serving it soon, but this is one for the cellar and pulling its cork in fewer than five or six years would be a genuine shame.
• 94 Wine Spectator
  This elegant, graceful style offers complex aromas of spice, sage, cedar and dark berry. Rich and supple in texture, ending with firm tannins, lingering fruit and melted black licorice notes. Very impressive. Much better than previously reviewed. Drink now through 2022. 2,500 cases made.