Drinking the 2004 Clearwater Creek Napa Valley Meritage
The latest Clearwater Creek release is here, and it’s a 2004 Meritage. The previous Clearwater Creek release was the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Alexander Valley edition of said release was insanely good. I still have two bottles just waiting to blow someone’s mind in the near future.
This new release caught my eye a few weeks ago. I saw the release at the North Berkeley Imports (NBI) Web site, and then I got an e-mail from the Palm Desert location of the L.A. Wine Company talking about this new Clearwater Creek Meritage release. I needed to get something else from the L.A. Wine Co. anyway, so I thought I’d give this Meritage release a try.
The 2004 Clearwater Creek Napa Valley Meritage consists of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Malbec, all of which is aged in “tank and barrel,” according to the official NBI talking points. At about 13.8% alcohol, it’s a fairly light red wine that is priced to move at $12.95. Apparently this time around NBI is extremely tight-lipped about where the fruit came from. They didn’t want to repeat the problems they had before when the public learned the true heritage of their 2004 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. I can’t blame them, either. For $12.95, this wine makes you think twice about buying any other California Meritage release.
A very deep, dark purple/black color in the glass, this wine looks fairly serious. I opened a room-temperature bottle soon after I received my shipment from the L.A. Wine Co. That’s US room tepmerature, just so you know. The wine opened up quickly and yielded more of its Malbec character over the first hour. Here are my notes:
- Aroma: Ripe black fruit (blackberry, plum) with raspberry and wonderful violets on the backend of the bouquet. Initially a strong suggestion of an acidic backbone on the palate, but this gives way to the violets and fruit.
- Flavor: Smooth and rich initial mouthfeel, mouth-coating flavors of blackberry cobbler, baking spice, blueberries, a touch of bramble, and a splash of rosewater (seriously). Lengthy finish, very light tannins at first that sneak up on you; same with the acidity.
- General impression: Very, very smooth Meritage blend, with a nice balance of jammy fruit, fresh fruit, and underbrush that gives this wine a slightly wilder texture. Recommended.
Yep, it’s good. After about 2 hours it unwinds in the glass a bit too much, so drink up. While not quite as jaw-dropping as the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, this Meritage is worth picking up, particularly at $12.95/bottle.