Very light, fruity, sweet but not too sweet — 11 years ago
I had to consume six or eight bottles of this fantastic Merlot before I could feel sufficiently inspired to express how I feel about this wine. I have followed Scotts career for almost two decades and here he expresses his love of The Craft of Bacchus with his NW Swan Song.. This wine is everything that led me to become an oenophile (I.e. Wine Nerd) in the first place. It is full bodied without being cloying or smoky, with rich dark cherries and chocolate up front and a lingering, lingering, lingering coffee flavor on the tongue. Scott is keen on experimenting with grapes from lesser known AVAs and this El Dorado wine gives credence to his theory - the delightful dusty tannic structure could compete in a blind taste test with a Rutherford Cabernet. The new Pilot Hill Gang is great, and I hold Mr. Parish in high regard as well (my reviews of his wines bear this out), and I gave that wine five hearts, deservedly . However, as in Spinal Tap, this wine goes up to eleven. I just ordered another case and I urge you all to order two cases: one to drink now, and one to cellar. Note to Miles Raymond: we *are* drinking freaking Merlot 😹 — 10 years ago
I love this song one! Blackberry's on the front end - cherries on the back. Amazing balance! — 10 years ago
Middle of the road red that isn't oaky — 13 years ago
Excellent red. Very drinkable@ — 10 years ago
Liked this a lot the first night opened, got a little sweet a couple days later. — 10 years ago
Dang, this 13 is a succulent wine. Young but singing like a song bird. Dense, extracted, and rich as all get out. Milk chocolate, dried flowers and black plum on the nose, fabulously rich sweet fruit on the palate.. A touch of lavender and tannins rounding out the mouth make this a dynamite wine for $30 - the best vintage of this I've had.. Get as much as you can. — 10 years ago
Diane Withrow
Pale pale not quite ripe plum- with whitish fruit. Oak? So very subtle it's hardly if at all registering. Tart apple. A hint of sun on it but only just. Now that it's warming up a bit- some butter is melting. Nothing shouting movie popcorn. Everything about this gem is quiet. Haiku not a sonnet. Bird song not an orchestra. Not for something bold. Creamy cheese. Crusty bread. Shellfish — 8 years ago