January 2007 Wine Tasting Notes.
2004 Scheid Vineyards Merlot, Monterey County.
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This wine is inky ruby colored. The nose offers dense aromas of currant and cherry along with hints of plum and mocha. The palate shows currant, cherry and light mocha notes. Dense extraction and bigger alcohol along with firm but smooth tannins make for a rich mouthfeel and a full body. The modest finish gives distinct cherry and currant flavors. |
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RWB Score: 88 breakdown 14.6% Alcohol $18.00 Retail (from winery); 617 cases produced |
This 2004 Monterey County Merlot brings together fruitiness and a good backbone to make a wine that is very good for quaffing now. This is a very good value and should continue to well with grilled read meats for three to four more years. |
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More Scheid reviews. More on Monterey AVA |
This is a relatively small-lot production form several Scheid properties growing Merlot.
Merlot has a flavor profile similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but displays less distinctive and slightly more herbaceous aromas and flavors. Because of its lower tannins and more forward fruit, it is more approachable than Cabernet Sauvignon. Although it is beloved by many for its approachability and is a dominant part of California and Bordeaux red wines, Merlot is fickle about its weather: it requires a moderate and dry growing region and climate to be at its best. Merlot shows more of the green and herbaceous characteristics when either under- or over- ripe.
The hot 2004 growing season was one of the shortest in the history of the state. Harvest came two to three weeks earlier than usual, at the start of August. Statewide reports of light to normal yields of excellent quality fruit with superb extraction raised anticipation of the wines to come. However, red wines from this vintage are proving variable by our experience. While this "crop of crops" was lauded as producing highly extracted fruit, some wines have been rather unbalanced while others were stunning an memorable. This seems to depend more on the combination of AVA and vineyard management, rather than winemaking techniques. Each offering from this vintage should be judged individually and not by virtue of vintage alone since the shortened growing season affected different varietals in different AVAs and even vineyards.
With over 2120 acres of vineyards in Monterey, Scheid Vineyards and Winery, located south of the town of Greenfield and west of Highway 101, is a publicly traded company which grows wine grapes for its own label as well as numerous Central Coast Producers. Its recently renovated and expanded winery allows Scheid to serve the vinification needs of wineries in Monterey County and San Benito County. The Scheid estate grows: Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Valdiguié and Zinfandel.
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5 points |
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Nose |
4 points |
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Palate |
3 points |
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Finish |
2 points |
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Tannins |
5 points |
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Acidity |
5 points |
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Alcohol |
4 points |
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Aging potential |
2 points |
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Overall quality |
8 points |
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