"Odedi"

8.9

Here is my Thursday's Merlot fix. This time it's a nice one from Napa Valley.

Dark ruby in color with a purplish rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, sweet cherries, blueberry pie, cedar, strong vanilla bean, leather, earth, graphite, chocolates, mocha, cigar box, caramel and peppercorn.

Full-bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, sweet plums, sweet cherries, wood, earth, vanilla, licorice, leather, spices, dark coffee, peppercorn and dark chocolates.

Medium plus on the finish with round tannins and tangy cranberries.

This Napa Merlot is drinking nicely now. Showing nice balance, good complexity and a great mouthfeel .

Needs an hour to open up properly and show some tannins, but good right out of the bottle.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with Beef sliders on a brioche bun and a fireplace.

A blend of 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Syrah. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.

14.6% alcohol by volume.



$22. — 8 years ago

Mark Wilson

9.1

Armas weekend. Very good Syrah. Liked Swanson petit syrah a little more. — 9 years ago

S.R.Alexander

9.2

Love Alexis. Cassis and layered tannin. — 9 years ago

Ira Saligman

9.1

Viognier,
Excellent — 10 years ago

Gladys Xiques

9.4

This is one of my all time classic go to wines that I discovered on one of my first visits to Napa. Just a solid medium bodied wine with red fruit balanced with a touch of age. Highly recommended. — 10 years ago

Milla Champion

9.1

One of my favorites.... Love Swanson's Alexis!!!! — 10 years ago

Cameron Parry

9.4

Great fruit, beautiful balance, solid tannin. Aging well. — 11 years ago

Michael Collins

9.2

The way zin should be. — 11 years ago

Josh Furman

9.0

2005 Syrah, all sorts of old tobacco and leather and smoke. It's like a wonderful old leather armchair that you're not sure if you should like, but you definitely do. Ron Swanson would reluctantly drink. — 11 years ago

Jonathan Cristaldi

Writer First We Feast, LA Magazine, SOMM Journal

9.3

This was the steak wine. Round, silky, with robust dark berry notes -- a wine to gulp. — 11 years ago

with Josh

Tina Sciulli

9.7

Awesome wine. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

On the the nose, grilled meats, soy, mint, menthol, black currants, dry blackberries, blue fruits, black plum, dark spice and decayed dark florals. The mouthfeel is full, rich, ripe that starts juicy and slowly dries across the palate. Fruits are the much like the nose. There's a good presence of tarriness, deep-dark Asian-Indian spices, dry stems, leather, pepper, wood shavings, menthol, mint & herbaceousness. Then, the fruits start to differentiate themselves on the longer plate set; blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, blueberries, mocha powder, caramel, crushed dry rocks, graphite, soy, grilled meats, dry decayed floral bouquet, violets & black cherry cola. The earth still outshines the fruits. The structure is still big. The elegant stingy finish swirls of everything above quite simultaneously on a long rich high acid finish. Still needs 5+ years. Photos of the the heart stone, vines of the "Heart Stone Vinyard" and those beautiful Paso Syrah grapes at harvest. The Heart Stone Vineyard is in the Paso Robles Adelaide AVA with a 30 acre oak forest on a hill and 8 acres planted to Rhone varietals. It was planted by John and Mary Swanson in 2000. They hired Justin Smith (Winemaker/Owner Saxum Winery) to select the property and plant the vineyard. He agreed on the condition he could take all the grapes. 2003 was the first vintage of Saxum Heart Stone. The high density blocks are planted on gentle South slopes of limestone and shale. It has 8 different clones of Syrah, 5 of Grenache and 2 Mourvedre. — 9 years ago

Sarah Bove

9.5

Makes me instantly happy. Medium bodied, high acidity and earthy notes. — 10 years ago

Chanda Williams

9.3

Lovely wine for Near and Far cookbook launch @Heidi Swanson xxoo — 10 years ago

with Bonni and Heidi

Gladys Xiques

9.3

Swanson Merlot is always reliable. Black fruit and elegant. A great food pairing wine. — 10 years ago

David Palmatier

9.5

Jammy. Bing cherries. — 11 years ago

with Tyler

Jordan Kirsch

9.2

Excellent! — 11 years ago

with Heather

Milla Champion

9.3

Swanson Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon another one of our Oakville favorites! — 11 years ago

Carey Bailey

9.6

Fantastic cab! Drink great five years after bottling. Had this wine with my wife and our good friends, Bob & Sheree Swanson in Danville, CA — 11 years ago

Ann Battrell

9.8

With Keg from Premier, Kelli Swanson Jaecks, Denise Bowers, Maddie Hilpert! — 12 years ago

Patrick Fishman

10

Peppery & yummy — 9 years ago

with Dana

Ralph Watson

9.7

I never should've doubted Ron Swanson. One of my favorites to date. Smooth as silk — 9 years ago

with Hanna

Mark Wilson

9.1

Smooth almost as smooth as Swanson. . Fruity. Armas weekend. Should be able to find locally — 9 years ago

Taft Morgan

9.0

OH HELL YA! This one is amazing. Swedish Berries on the nose that translates to a platter of candy on the palate. A sweet vine but nowhere near an ice wine. Would be great on its own or balanced with some salty cashews or plain chips. A bath in this would be heaven. — 10 years ago

with Ginette

Ken Pahlow

9.0

375 Hudelot Village Chambolle. Tertiary with porcini, gravel and dried fruit. Still taught with beautiful red fruits and delicate spice. Thanks RN74 Seattle and @Paul D Swanson — 10 years ago

Amanda Swanson

9.2

Amazzzzing dinner at #solage with the loves of my life @Pete Swanson @Jamie @Brandi Bowley this pinot tho!!!!!!!!!!!! — 10 years ago

with Brandi, Pete and 1 other

Christanna Honer

9.3

Earthy, big and burly. If this had a face, it would have a Ron Swanson mustache. — 11 years ago

Marilynn Davis

9.3

My absolute fav Pinot Grigio! Low in alcohol 13.3 but high on flavor. It's perfect as an aperitif, with fish or fowl. Grapefruit overtones, with mineral bass notes. It lingers in the palate in just the right way. I like keeping this Pinot on hand. — 11 years ago

Steven Meisel

9.2

Great wine for clints bachelor party — 11 years ago

Ben Trumbull

9.1

Great summer wine for a relaxing evening with the wife! — 12 years ago