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Mid-Price
Domestic
Red Wines
About This Wine
A great deal of care goes into the crafting of Silver Pony Ranch Merlot.
As with all exceptional wines, the story begins in the vineyard — or, in this case, vineyards. Silver Pony Ranch makes a Merlot cuvee, sourcing grapes from several growing areas of California, and then blending in a few other red varieties to enhance complexity.
The “secret” extends to the cellar, where the Silver Pony Ranch winemaker has adopted what amounts to a “hands-off” approach. Rather than fermenting and/or aging the wine for an extended period in oak barrels, the vintner opts for “neutral” stainless steel tanks. This allows the natural aromas and flavors of the grapes to shine through.
Then, much in the spirit of Beaujolais Nouveau, Silver Pony Ranch bottles and releases the finished wine while it’s still in its youth and brimming with personality. It’s an engaging, gregarious, delicious taste of California Merlot — the way California Merlot was intended to taste.
About Merlot
Similar to Cabernet Sauvignon but with less tannin and fruit. Delivers earlier maturing wines. Often blended with Cabernet; on its own may soften with age, though fruit flavors may fade.
More About MerlotTasting Notes
Download/Print- Grape Composition:Merlot and Other Red Varieties
- Grape Source:Select Vineyards in Various California Growing Regions
- Aromas & Flavors:Plum, Cherry, Blackberry, Cocoa and a Hint of Pepper
- Aging Vessels:Assorted Oak Barrels and Stainless Steel Tanks
- When to Drink:Now Through 2014
- Food Pairing Suggestionred meat dishes, or grilled chicken.
Member Ratings
Have you tried it?Rate This Wine12 Reviews
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Kind of OK. Attractive coloring but very weak in taste. Not nearly as good as Silver Pony Ranch's 2009 cabernet sauvignon. Watery flavor but it went well with our pate and smoked salmon. Perhaps it was the vintner's use of stainless steel tanks in place of wooden barrels. ??!?
Smooth, velvety and finishes with black cherry.
I really enjoyed this wine. It was oaky, smooth and full bodied.
The wine tasted more like a pinot noir...there was no depth or character. While the flavour was fine, it just didn't have the robustness that is in a merlot.
I had this wine with a porterhouse after opening the it, aerating twice, and leaving in the glass for a bit. It tasted tannic, bitter, and far from ready to drink. Next day, with grilled chicken, the wine had smoothed out some and notes of cherry were detectable. Bottom line---I don't enjoy tasting/trying to evaluate wines years before their time.
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It and OK table wine.
exceptional, great finish
Way to DRY! Didn't like it at all!
Good aromas of cherry and cocoa. The natural aromas of the grapes shine through.
