TWENTY ROWS MERLOT - 2005

95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa with 14.8% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Ruby red color with cherry-raspberry and green pepper on the nose. Red fruit, black currant, chocolate, blackberry, creme de cassis with some vanilla and oak. Dry tannins with some alcohol heat on both the mid-palate and the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

86 PTS

This is definitely the weakest effort of any Twenty Rows wine I've encountered. I suspect that this wine will settle down and improve with some bottle age, but a $15 Merlot should be drinkable now. A lot of flavor is packed into this wine but it is out of balance and just not up to par with the stellar Twenty Rows Cabs and Grappler. I highly recommend those wines. This one isn't worth your time.