Moody's Weekly Wine Review

Jarvis Merlot Napa Valley 2001

If you're searching for an elegant Saint Emilion or Pomerol-style wine, this absolutely is not it! Instead a taste of this wine is akin to sitting astride a huge, wild black stallion, yet relishing the experience.

Bottled unfined and unfiltered, this behemoth has 15.5% alcohol and a deep, red black color with black bing cherries, chocolate-scented plums and amazingly rich fruit, which will startle some and deeply satisfy others.

Some will deride and dismiss it as an over the top fruit bomb.

You may not know what camp you're in until you try it. I read a report from a pro football scout where he said that he usually compared a great college player to some other player, but he couldn't think of anyone with whom to compare Vince Young. I feel this way to some extent about this wine. Made by Dimitri Tchelistcheff, son of the late Andre Tchelistcheff who was the dean of California Winemakers for decades.

Denman Moody

Mr. Moody recommends 10 great values every week in all price ranges

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