Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve Merlot 2018
- jd88-90
- v88-90
- we90
- ws87
Category | Red Wine |
Varietals | |
Brand | Kendall Jackson |
Origin | California, Sonoma County |
Alcohol/vol | 14.5% |
Jeb Dunnuck
- jd88-90
Not yet bottled, the 2016 Merlot Vintner's Reserve checks in as 89.6% Merlot, 8.2% Malbec, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, all aged 21 months in 74% French and 26% American oak, with roughly 20% being new. Plums, black cherries, and smoky earth notes as well as plenty of background herbal nuance all flow to a juicy, fruit-forward Merlot that has plenty of texture and length. It's certainly a very good wine.
Vinous
- v88-90
The 2016 Merlot Vintner's Reserve is a plump, yet delicate wine with lovely fruit intensity to match its gentle, mid-weight personality. I would prefer to drink it over the next few years, while the plum and blueberry flavors retain their youthful freshness.
Wine Enthusiast
- we90
Herbal, meaty and generously fruity in plum and dark cherry, this wine is approachable and deeply concentrated, with ample complexity around its soft, supple tannin profile and integrated oak. The finish is textured and dusty in crushed rock.
Wine Spectator
- ws87
Medium-bodied, with a snap of black licorice to the dark berry and red fruit flavors. Chocolate and Asian spice notes show on the finish. Drink now. 50,486 cases made.