Michael Shaps Meritage

Classic aged bordeaux style wine. In a day when wines are made to be drunk in a few years it is great to run into a wine like this. Beautiful balance between fruit and acidity. Nice nose. Very smooth; most/all of the tannins have gone. Monticello (maybe other VA AVAs as well) meritage has become a match for Bordeaux in every way and that means don’t commit infanticide. Wines from a good vineyard in a good vintage like 2007, 10, …

Last bottle, still holding beautifully. Bright & light cab franc dominates with raspberry fruit on the palette & nose. Still showing nicely in a 12 year old wine. Delicious.

Drinking well. Great wine.

In some ways, it’s drinking well...texture is smooth and flavors are bright. Very Old World in style. Acidity is too bright though. If you’re still sitting on a bottle, drink it with a sharp sheep’s milk cheese. The flavors mix nicely on the long finish of the cheese.

Best wine of the evening- subtle, well balanced, smooth & delicious. French restraint & sensibility. Did not decant. Recommend drinking in next 1-2 years.

I held onto this one too long. Hardly any fruit left with lots of Old World mushroomy, earthy tones.

When I opened this bottle I thought I was in for something special. Rich, deep nose. The palate though was all off, thin and austere. I have one more bottle which I guess I will hold on to but I don't see it getting better.

Virginia Wines from 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference; 7/22/2011-7/24/2011 (Omni Hotel, Charlottesville; Monticello; and Pollak and Veritas Tasting Rooms, Virginia) : Very dark ruby color; ripe cassis, ripe berry nose; tight, tart cassis, tart red berry palate with high acidity, out of balance; short-medium finish (50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 20% Petit Verdot)