"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark purple in color with a wide reddish rim.

Beautiful oaky nose with black fruits and chocolate notes.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, cherries, spices, cedar, licorice, vanilla, espresso, cola, light herbs, earth, chocolates, tobacco and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Merlot from Pomerol. Soft and elegant. Rich and fruit forward. Nicely balanced and complex with a nice mouthfeel.

This 5 years old Merlot is fresh and young tasting. Drinks like a soft New World Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of old world.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 25 years. Has good potential to become a 95 point wine.

I've had a few vintages of this wine and it is always enjoyable. A great sipping wine.

A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 16 months in (80% new) French Oak barrels.

15% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$125. — 2 months ago

David White

9.1

This is becoming my great everyday quaffer with the 2022 rated 95pts by Decanter World Wide Awards DWWA plus Huon Hook (real review) also gave it 95 pts. It’s same stable as Tasmanian Bay of Fires PN
It’s about $US 30 so excellent value rated up there with $150 Burgundies — 7 months ago

"Odedi"

8.9

It's time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim and medium intensity.

Nice nose with red fruits, light oak, spices, chocolates, licorice and peppercorn.

Medium bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with red currants, cherries, raspberries, earth, black coffee, bitter vegetables, light oak, spices, dark chocolates and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and cranberries.

This Australian Merlot is drinking nicely now. Earthier than I expected it to be. Feels like a blend of new and old world.

Showing a soft and plush mouthfeel, and a bit bitter once it opens up.

Easy drinking and better after a couple of hours of airtime. Changes every 30 minutes in the decanter. Interesting.

I had a few different vintages years ago, and it is a completely different wine today.

Aged in American oak barrels. Vegan.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$30. — 2 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Château Mercian – Mariko Vineyard Syrah 2013
Ueda City, Nagano – Japan 🇯🇵

Overview
From Château Mercian’s pioneering Mariko Vineyard, this Syrah is unlike any other. The 2013 vintage, now over a decade old, shows how Nagano’s cool climate shapes the grape with freshness and elegance rather than sheer power. (Educational note: Nagano’s elevation and wide day–night temperature swings preserve acidity, giving Japanese reds their distinctive lift.)

Aromas & Flavors
Blackberry, plum, and dried cherry with accents of pepper, violet, and subtle herbs. Secondary notes of leather, soy, and earthy spice emerge with age, weaving seamlessly into the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with pronounced acidity — rare for Syrah — making it bright and affable even after a decade. Tannins are softened with age, leaving a silky texture and a long, savory finish.

Food Pairings
Perfect with Japanese-inspired pairings such as yakitori, teriyaki beef, or soy-glazed mushrooms. Also pairs beautifully with duck breast, roasted pork, or aged semi-hard cheeses.

Verdict
One of the most distinctive Syrahs out there: fresh, bright, and terroir-driven. Still harmonious after more than ten years — a wine that surprises and delights in equal measure. 🍷cheers

Did You Know?
Legend says “Mariko” takes its name from the Maruko region, once Prince Mariko’s territory in the 6th century. Today, the same land provides the ideal conditions for world-class viticulture. — a month ago

"Odedi"

9.1

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Very pretty color of ruby with a wide reddish rim.

Nice nose with unique aluminum notes.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with red and black fruits, earth, herbs, oak, chocolates, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Bolgheri in Tuscany. Elegant and fruity with nice complexity.

Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Easy drinking and needs time to open up properly.

Already tasty and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

Elegant and robust. Spicy and fruit forward.

Feels like an old world Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of new world.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, and 6 months in large Austrian barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$30. — a year ago

"Odedi"

9.0

Pretty color of ruby with a wide reddish rim.

Light nose of red fruits with light wood and chocolate notes.

Medium bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with red currants, cherries, light oak, spices, licorice, earth, herbs, chocolates, tobacco leaf and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and raspberries.

This is a young Mourvedre from Washington State. Showing mild complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Feels like a Cotes du Rhône red, right out of the bottle. After 90 minutes of airtime it feels more like an old world Pinot Noir. Interesting stuff.

Would be nice to revisit it in a couple of years and see how it evolves.

Soft, spicy and elegant. Easy drinking and good by itself or with food.

100% Mourvedre grapes were handpicked, 50% whole Cluster. A small production of only 14 barrels. Unfined.

14% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$65. — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Beautiful nose of cherries, raspberries, cedar, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, spices, light earth and wild flowers.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, spices, toast, light vanilla, dark chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, earth and black tea.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Grenache blend from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with a hint of New World style. Elegant and rich. Fruit forward, powerful and engaging.

Nicely balanced and spicy, with a great mouthfeel.

This 6 year old is drinking beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime. The high alcohol is well integrated by now. A great sipping wine.

A blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre from 100 year old vines. Aged in new French oak barrels. A small production of only 3,500 bottles.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$100. — 6 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

See previous Delectable notes for this 2020 Estate. Amazing quality for the price. This is the basic Kumeu Estate Chardonnay before you consider the individual Cuvées like Mates, Coddington etc. peachy stone fruit intensity on the palate with enough acidity to keep it fresh. Should be an annual purchase. Have the last one later this year or early 2026. The Village is even less expensive at only $21.50 AUD. We had our 6th and final bottle on 9th May 2025 with consistent notes. One of the great value bargains in World wide Chardonnay. — 10 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Quite deep ruby with wide terracotta , garnet rim . Quite deep slightly funky , red focused sous bois . Tobacco , slightly herbal notes . Quite concentrated but slightly flat red fruited sous bois , tobacco tinged , mineral , grafite finish. Not the best bottle of this , a bit funky and lacks a little exuberance and clarity on the nose and palate. Drink now and over the next few years on this showing. A pity but that is sometimes the way the wine world works ! — 2 years ago

Byron C Mayes

9.0

Deep and clear butterscotch gold. Big bosomy nose of baked quince and true butterscotch. Medium full palate confirms the nose adding lemon rind, birch, and a hint of white pepper. Bracing acidity from entry to moderate finish supports it all. Ripe, New World fruit pairs with a cool Burgundian structure to make a great pair for a wide range of fare, from seafood to cream sauces to roasted fowl or pork. Take to Thanksgiving dinner or hold through 2026. — 2 years ago