Beringer Bancroft Ranch Howell Mountain Merlot 2000 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Rich nose of plum and berries, with subtle spice tones

Slightly leaner fruit on the palate

Finishes with blackberry, anise, and chocolate

This is a good Merlot and has a strong track record. I was surprised to see it featured at a steakhouse for only $88 a bottle as it retails for up to $75 in stores. For this relative bargain price, we ordered a couple bottles to go with the steaks at a recent business dinner.

I was particularly interested to taste it because it had a little age on it. Not that it's old, but compared to all the 2004 Merlots on the wine list it was noticeably more mature. The additional age seemed to contribute to the wine's smooth texture and integrated flavors.

As it was a 2000 Merlot, I kept comparing it to a wine I consider a benchmark from that vintage- the Pride Mountain Merlot 2000. While it has a similar dark fruit profile to the Pride, the Beringer isn't opulent and wowing. But it's good. And that was exactly what we needed to wash down our steaks. Raise a glass!