Nickel & Nickel Harris Vineyard Merlot 2010
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The Harris Merlot is very consistent from vintage to vintage, and this wine is no exception. Beautiful berry and plum fruit integrate with flavors of sage, cigar, earth and dried herb. This vintage has an appealing dusty element and the oak adds a hint of char. The silky texture and round tannins carry these flavors through to a long, balanced finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a great Merlot that's intensely concenrated and dazzlingly rich-everything you want a Merlot to be. It's power packed with black cherries, cherry liqueur, cocoa and sweet oak, with firm, hard tannins. That is, of course, the Nickel & Nickel style. It shows classic Oakville structure and hard-to-define elegance, making it one of the best merlots of the vintage.
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Wine & Spirits
A crush of blackberries fill this luscious merlot, all about richness amd sweet oak. Give it time and the substantial structure begins to absorb some of the sweetness. It's a serious merlot for the cellar.
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Wine Spectator
Tightly focused and well-balanced, with appealing red currant and tomato leaf aromas that lead to trim flavors of cherry, cedar and herb. Tannins kick in on the finish.
Other Vintages
2017-
Wilfred
Wong
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As Napa Valley’s third most planted grape, Napa Valley Merlot shows time and time again its potential to produce exceptional results. Napa’s vaunted combination of climate, soil and the human factor of winemaking expertise lead to big, ripe, cellar-worthy and world-class versions.
Whether made by itself in single varietal bottlings or as an important role in Bordeaux Blends, Merlot continues a prominent role in this famous region. While Cabernet typically takes the lead role, Merlot’s contribution—even at 10% to 20% or so—is significant indeed. Often described as “the flesh on Cabernet’s bones,” Merlot lends a soft, round and plush character that beautifully complements Cabernet’s linear, full-throttle structure. Its flavors of plums plus subtle herbs and mint also dovetail nicely with Cabernet’s blackberry and cassis.