Pepperwood Grove Merlot 2004
Price: $8
Maker: Don Sebastiani & Sons, Napa, California
Variety: Merlot
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10
The first surprise one encounters with Pepperwood Grove Merlot 2004 is the cork - it’s a snow-white artificial plug. The bottle itself features a cool, clean, contemporary look. No cute animals, no vineyard sketches… just an unpretentious, but elegantly modern, label. In the glass, the aroma is a robust mix of leather, pepper, and berry. The flavor of this merlot has strong oak notes, mixed with mild fruit and soft tannins. The finish has a slightly peppery kick. Overall, the flavors are balanced and blended for a taste that is straightforward but has complexity if you look for it.
There’s not a lot of information about the brand on the Don Sebastiani website, but we learned that the 2003 vintage of Pepperwood Grove Merlot has earned some nice recognition…
- Gold - 2005 Orange County Fair
- Silver - 2005 Riverside International Wine Competition
- Best Buy - Wine Enthusiast June 2005
- Top 100 Values of 2005 - Wine & Spirits Buying Guide 2006
Overall, we like this wine, and you will too if you want a wine that’s easy to appreciate but not excessively fruity.
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July 23rd, 2006 at 8:32 pm
[...] We had high hopes for Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir 2005 after finding their 2004 Merlot to be an enjoyable, inexpensive wine. Once again we were slightly startled by the snow-white artificial cork, and as we poured the wine we detected a promising nose that was mostly raspberry with slight floral notes. The wine proved to be very light-bodied, though, and a bit bland. Cherry, berry, and oak notes were present, but didn’t do much to excite this taster’s tongue. Admittedly, our taste leans toward robust zins and cabs, so perhaps this pinot is just a bit too subtle for our jaded tastebuds. [...]
November 15th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
i bought three bottles of merlot,there was a
rebate form i misplaced..please help….