1986 St. Francis Merlot Reserve
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Tasting notes
Thick, rich and spicy, this wine is robust in tannin structure and powerfully dense black fruit. For fans of a fuller style, it delivers plenty of concentration around accents of leather, clove and cigar.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Wine Enthusiast
More reviews and scores
Aromas of sweet violet flowers and hints of spice lead to a palate that has a smooth band of ripe purple berries, vanilla and chocolate. There’s a nice, juicy wrap of tannin at the finish. 77% merlot and 23% malbec. Drink or hold.
A disappointing performance from one of California's finest Merlot producers, the 1986 Merlot Reserve Estate reveals a murky, garnet color, and a maderized, disjointed nose of ginger, spice, and vegetables. Rustic and coarse, with huge tannin dominating the moderate fruit and glycerin levels, age has not been at all kind to this effort. The tasting notes for this section are from two single blind tastings, one conducted in May, 1996, in California, and the other in June, 1996, in Baltimore.