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Rob's "Wine of the Week" Archives

So here is my wine review for the week of December 3rd...

PALOMA MERLOT 2005

Description: One of the reasons I try to find new or unique wines occasionally (as with last week’s review of Concannon) is because I know that every year in this space there are certain wines destined to be covered in perpetuity. Paloma is still one of my favorite wines, not just for its consistent quality, but for its’ story. High atop Spring Mountain in Napa, two adorable married people over the age of 70 who moved from Texas decades ago still run the winery and tend the crops almost entirely themselves. They have a small crew and an adult child or two who are beginning to adopt the company but for now, it’s still mainly Jim and Barbara. Every year, they make only Merlot and Syrah and it’s hard to get, but becoming easier to find. Their red wines are big, full, lush Napa reds that have received Wine of the Year honors.

How and when I drank it: Tuesday afternoon, November 20, 2007 as I began prepping for Thanksgiving. It was opened at about 4pm.

How to get it:Paloma, after being named Wine of the Year earlier this decade began appropriately showing up on more restaurant wine lists but is still difficult to consistently find. Many local wine merchants and shops carry the wine, but it often sells out quickly, The best way to guarantee some wine is to get on their mailing list via the website.

How Much: At the winery, about $50 per bottle

My Thoughts: When the 2003 vintage came out, I actually called Barbara and insisted she send me a second case before I had even drunk my first bottle all the way through. It was a stunning, smooth, ready to be drunk now enormous red wine, much more indicative of a Napa red than a traditional merlot. Paloma’s merlot never turns out thin, light or soft and the 2005 will be no different. This year’s wine does, however, need some time to rest, age and balance itself. AT first taste, all of the promise is there for another great year but this wine is a little too tannic and bitey on the finish right now to be properly enjoyed. It will soften and balance into a great bottle in a year.

Overall Score: If you see this bottle on a restaurant wine list anytime in 2008 or beyond, order it and, unlike a traditional merlot, insist it be decanted. The history of this wine and the flavors it is already producing show another excellent year for Paloma, though not their best. Still good enough for 4 vines.

PALOMA MERLOT 2005 =