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: 2008 Keenan "Mernet Reserve" Spring Mountain District Bordeaux Blend

2008 Keenan "Mernet Reserve" Spring Mountain District Bordeaux Blend

SKU #1088279 95 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark The 2008 Mernet Reserve Proprietary Red (350 cases produced) is composed of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. I’ve never liked the name that much, but I sure love the wine. Another prodigious effort from Keenan, it boasts an inky/purple color as well as a sweet nose filled with blackberry, black currant and cherry fruit intermixed with mocha and chocolate. Full-bodied and rich with an enticing suppleness as well as admirable length and texture, it should drink well for 15 or more years. For those who haven’t noticed, Michael Keenan appears to be ratcheting up the quality with every new vintage. Bravo! (RP) Inner quote mark (12/2010)

95 points Wine & Spirits

Outer quote mark An estate-grown blend from the reserve Merlot block of the Mailbox Vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon from Big K, this vintage of Mernet is all minerality, all the time. That, plus red currant richness and cool mountain forest scents of pine and spearmint. It’s the gripping mineral tannins that set this wine clearly on Spring Mountain, the intensity and firmness of the structure they offer the wine. Remarkably, the fruit is there to balance and last in parallel with the tannins, holding the wine fresh. If you enjoy youthful Cabernet, decant this for a delicious accompaniment to a well-aged, well-marbled steak. Or forget this in the cellar for at least ten years. Inner quote mark (4/2012)

90 points Wine Enthusiast

Outer quote mark Made from equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this wine is flamboyantly rich and opulent in fruit. The cherry pie and blackberry tart flavors finish sweet, with a bracing scour of tannins and acidity. Should hold in the bottle for some years in a good cellar. Inner quote mark (6/2012)

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2008 Keenan "Mernet Reserve" Spring Mountain District Bordeaux Blend

Price: $69.99

Quantity:

RP: 95

W&S: 95

WE: 90

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Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends

- Cabernet Sauvignon has come a long way from its role as a blending varietal, however dominant, in the wines of Bordeaux. Today it is the most planted red varietal in the world. Identified as a descendent of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon needs to be planted in warmer climates to fully ripen. Its small berries can easily be identified for their distinctive blue color, thick skins and high tannins. And while the varietal has its own definitive characteristics: green pepper-like aromas and black currant flavors among them, it is perhaps most prized for its ability to convey terroir, vintage and winemaking. A relatively new varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon started making inroads into the wines of the Médoc and Graves in the late-18th century. Today it is also dominant in the up-and-coming Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux and can also be found in Southwest France. It is the companion varietal to Sangiovese in Italy's Super Tuscans and is planted all over Europe, stretching to lesser-known winegrowing regions like Russia and Lebanon. In the Americas Cabernet Sauvignon has found champions in every nook and cranny of California and among winemakers in Washington, where it complements plantings of Merlot. In South America, Cab thrives in Chile, but can also be found in smaller amounts in Argentina and even in Mexico.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Napa Valley

- America's most famous wine region, which encompasses a varied geographical territory running about 20 miles long from the San Francisco Bay northward to the foot of Mount St. Helena. Napa's great diversity, both in terms of climate and terroir, has led to the creation of a number of smaller AVAs like Stags Leap District, Rutherford, Howell Mountain, Oakville and Mount Veeder, among others. Cabernet and chardonnay still reign supreme, but just about everything under the sun is grown in Napa Valley, in quality levels ranging from $2 jug wine to $500 a bottle California cab.