Pride Mountain Vineyards Reserve Claret (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2001

Professional Ratings

• 96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The 2001 Reserve Claret (an intriguing blend of 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot) is a massive mountain wine possessing both power and elegance. Its dense saturated ruby/purple color is followed by youthful aromas of creme de cassis, new saddle leather, toasty oak, crushed rocks and spring flowers. Extremely young, vigorous, full-bodied and multidimensional, this is a layered, supple textured wine with enormous fruit and richness as well as a tremendously long finish. One of the most impressive high elevation wines made in northern California, it is capable of lasting another 15-20 years. Rating: 96+
• 94 Wine Spectator
  Deep ruby-red. Knockout nose combines roasted black raspberry, cassis, espresso and bitter chocolate. Sweet, fat and deep, with extravagantly rich, seamless flavors of dark berries and chocolate. Not as sweet as the Mountaintop merlot but even larger-scaled. The finish shows more obvious cabernet tannins and considerable sweet oak, but has more than enough powerful, palate-staining fruit. As a potential purchase, this is a no-brainer for collectors who can find and afford it.