Gold Medal - Tasters Guild, 2011
We have featured the excellent wines from Hagafen Cellars in Napa Valley at WineHeist before, but this is the first time that we had the chance to try their exclusive line of “Prix” reserve wines. These wines are typically available only to their wine club, and once we tried them, we could see why: the quality is another step above even Hagafen’s usual standard of excellence. We jumped at the chance to offer their 2006 Merlot, and even better, we are able to offer it at an incredible 25% off.
The 2006 Prix Vichy Vineyard Reserve Merlot is deep ruby in color, with the nose showing classic Merlot aromas of plum and black cherries, along with a hint of candied berries and spearmint. The palate shows blackberry and cherry flavors intermingled with tobacco and damp earth, with good acidity carrying through on the finish. Like all of Hagafen’s wines, this one is built to age (but luckily they have already aged this one in the cellar for you!), and also to go with food. This would be perfect with lamb shank or beef Bourgogne. For Napa Merlot, $55 is a great price, but at $42, this is one that should not be missed.
Varietal: 100% Merlot
Appellation: Napa Valley
Harvest: September 30th, 2006
pH: 3.77
Alcohol: 13.5%
Brix at harvest: 24.6
Acidity: 6.8 g/L
Cases Produced: 200
Gold Medal
Light pink in color with aromas of watermelon, cranberry, orange rind, and fresh spring flowers that leap from the glass. The palate offers more peach, strawberry, and melon, with an intriguing note of rose and hibiscus. It's crisp with just the perfect hint of red fruit, and delicate whisper of strawberry that gives goosebumps.
91 Points
Shimmering ruby-purple hue. The nose is a walk through a damp Sonoma forest—mossy bark and wild earth—brightened by high-toned notes of cranberry sauce and blood orange. On the palate, it's generously long in the mouth, with good concentration. It's a masterclass in tension: intense, cherry and red current fruit meets dark spice and fine, sandy tannins.
96 Point Vintage
Entices with aromas of Bing cherry, raspberry, and cedar spice. Indicative of the cool vintage, the wine carries a freshness throughout. The palate offers a harmonious balance between bright red fruit, spice, and nicely woven tannins.
Gold Medal
Generously packed with black cherry, cola, cassis, and plum that all intermingle together in a creamy, velvety texture with great layering, finishing with delightful notes of oak and spice. Persistent, well-defined structure, wonderfully balanced.
97 Points
Rich dark fruit flavors of blackberry and cherry with notes of baking spices, licorice, coffee, and chocolate that interlace seamlessly with complexity, creating a wine that is both structured and delightfully supple, achieving an ideal balance of tension and grace. Artfully composed of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon with 17% Cabernet Franc, resulting in harmonious depth and freshness.
92 Points
A powerful expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. On the nose, it's enticing and fragrant, bursting with fresh blueberries, blackberry tart, cedar, black olives, and hints of spicebox. Its palate provides big, round chewy tannins, sweet ripe black cherries, blackberry cordial, Bourbon-soaked maraschino cherries, maple roasted walnuts, and a touch of vanilla.
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