3 | Wine | Merlot, 91 to 95

This wine was named #11 of Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2012.

"This red is round, generous and expressive, offering plum, loganberry, cherry and clove flavors that pick up hints of loam and floral character as the finish tightens its focus. Impressive for its length and deft balance."

"The 2008 Columbia Valley Merlot offers up aromas of balsam wood, spice box, tobacco, violets, cassis, and blackberry. Savory on the palate, if slightly austere, another 1-2 years of bottle should fill the wine out."

"A delicious entry-level wine, the 2010 Merlot is rich, boisterous and loaded with fruit. Freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries, mint and spices all make an appearance in this flashy, exuberant red. The vibrancy of the vintage works to balance some of the wine’s natural overtness. Clean, saline notes add an attractive briskness to the finish. This is a gorgeous wine that makes a compelling case for Merlot-based wines in Napa Valley."

"Sweet aromas of chocolatey black cherry and black currant fruit intertwined with a notion of wood smoke. Fashioned from a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, it is a round, opulent, pure, elegant effort created by Michel Rolland’s top assistant, Jean-Philippe Fort, and proprietor Jean-Philippe Janoueix. Drink it over the next decade or more." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Dark berries, freshly cut flowers and sweet spices are some of the notes that flow from the 2010 Merlot. Layers of bright, well-articulated fruit caress the palate on the finish of this extroverted, juicy Merlot."

"Blackberry and licorice aromas perked up by violet and spices. Juicy and moderately deep, with dark fruit flavors complicated by tobacco and cedar. Not a fat style for this bottling but boasts a solid acid/tannin spine and very good balance--not to mention fruit intensity." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"The 2009 Galatrona is a beautifully centered wine. It shows terrific energy, freshness and vibrancy from start to finish. Cassis, blackberries, mint, spices and new leather are all woven together nicely in the 2009. Firm yet well-integrated tannins support the finish. Although quite overt today, the 2009 appears to have the structure to age well for a number of years. The 2009 is a serious wine with a bright future. Both bottles I tasted were immensely pleasing"

"Somewhat tightly knit, but it reveals a perfumed nose of rose petals, blackberries, menthol, and cedar. This broad, sweet 2003's supple attack is followed by a tannic mid-section."

This wine was named #96 of Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2012.

"Plush and richly structured, but with a dense, structured core, offering aromas of red currant and toasty mocha that lead to complex flavors of black cherry and Asian spice. Loamy, ripe tannins sneak in on the finish."

"It reveals a nose of cedar, Asian spices, incense, cassis, and black currant. Structured and savory on the palate with spicy black fruit flavors, it has the balance to evolve gracefully for 2-3 years and will offer prime drinking from 2013 to 2023."