2013 Pride Mountain Merlot Vintner's Select
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Tasting notes
The 2013 Merlot Vintner’s Select was sourced from clone 3 of Merlot and aged 20 months in 40% new French oak. The wine offers plenty of mocha, mulberry, black cherry and blacker fruits, some licorice and truffle, full-bodied opulence, and a heady (14.8% alcohol), nicely textured, long finish. It is delicious now and should continue to drink well for another 12-15+ years.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2013 Vintner Select Merlot offers plenty of the trademark Pride intensity, but it also comes across as raw and not fully put together, certainly not to the degree seen in the best of these wines. Sweet dark cherry, plum, rose petal, lavender, dark spice and licorice give the wine much of its ripe, racy personality. Even so, something is missing in the wine's overall balance. It will be interesting to see if the 2013 comes together.