2012 Melka Mekerra Proprietary Red Vertical (2011-2016)
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Tasting notes
This wine would be at home in any tasting of Bordeaux Right Bank wines. Produced from a blend of 51% Cabernet Franc and 49% Merlot , the wine is ripe, full bodied and rich, but it also retains freshness and the spicy, floral and licorice notes make all the sweet, ripe fruits even better. 96 Points
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Robert Parker
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
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Iron, smoke, graphite, red plums and savory herbs emerge from the 2012 Mekerra. A classic Knights Valley wine, the Mekerra boasts a stunning interplay of vibrant fruit and the more complex savory/mineral notes that are typical of the appellation. Mocha, gravel, espresso, game and tobacco are some of the notes that punctuate the tightly-wound finish. Far from an easygoing 2012, the Mekerra is going to need a few years in bottle to unwind. This is a fabulous showing. The blend is 52% Cabernet Franc and 48% Merlot.
The other two wines from Knights Valley that I tasted include a virtually perfect 2012 Proprietary Red La Mekera made from 52% Cabernet Franc and 49% Merlot. This is Philippe Melka’s Northern California version of Cheval Blanc and he has pulled it off brilliantly. A real look-alike for that great estate in St.-Emilion, this wine has beautiful mulberry, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit mixed with licorice, forest floor and incense. Terrific in texture, opulent, full-bodied mouthfeel, stunning purity, yet a freshness and liveliness that is just remarkable. Sadly, there are only 349 cases of this wine that spent 20 months in French oak, of which 60% was new. This should continue to drink well for at least another decade or more.