2001 Howell Mountain Merlot Bancroft Ranch
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Tasting notes
Good medium red-ruby. Nose dominated by cassis and black cherry. Dense but not fat; in fact, this rich, full merlot seems to be going into a shell today. Complicating notes of tar, licorice and minerals. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and a strong chocolatey flavor.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The biggest, most backward effort among the Merlot-based cuvees is the impressively endowed 2001 Merlot Bancroft Ranch. It boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to a fragrant bouquet of earth, chocolate, black cherries, blackberries, and coffee. Give it another 1-3 years of bottle age and consume it over the following 10-15 years. Tel. (707) 963-7115; Fax (707) 963-1735
Good full ruby. Plum, mint and bitter chocolate on the nose, along with a dusty nuance. At once broad and juicy; lively and deep. Flavors of currant, chocolate, cedar and tobacco. Finishes with serious, building tannins and excellent length. A distinct improvement over the 2000.
Deep red-ruby. Riper aromas of dark fruits, violet and bitter chocolate. A step up in ripeness and depth from the 2000 version, with notes of black licorice and spice. In this bottling's more characteristically powerful mountain style.