Tortoise Creek Merlot 2005
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Parker
Robert
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
"Sweet black cherries, creamy blackberries, and notes of licorice can be detected in the lovely nose…This very good value displays a concentrated character packed with licorice, spices, and black fruits. A lip-smackingly good Merlot for $9? You bet!" - Robert Parker's, The Wine Advocate
"For consumers seeking inexpensive yet varietally true wines, Tortoise Creek has scored with the 2005 vintage. The Merlot may be the richest and longest of their red wine offerings, with impressive black cherry aromas backed by flavors of blackberry and espresso. Drink now." - Wine Enthusiast, BEST BUY
Professional Ratings
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Other Vintages
2017-
Spirits
Wine &
Tortoise Creek was created by Mel and Janie master, a British couple who have lived most of their lives in the wine business in both France and California. “Tortoise Creek” comes from the translation of the name of the couple's home in Provence named "Le Riseau de Tortue" after the Tortoises who flourished in the creek alongside their vineyard.
The concept with Tortoise Creek is to work with small farmers in California who focus on sustainable farming. Tortoise Creek is handcrafted, small-batch wines selected and blended from growers who understand this philosophy. In 2008, Mel and Janie Master joined forces with the Sager family who own the national importing company, Winesellers, Ltd., and together they have extended the range to consists of top quality Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc. They are all blended to create the best possible representation of the varietal and offer remarkable value.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
An extensive appellation producing a diverse selection of good quality and great values, Languedoc spans the Mediterranean coast from the Pyrenees mountains of Roussillon all the way to the Rhône Valley. Languedoc’s terrain is generally flat coastal plains, with a warm Mediterranean climate and frequent risk of drought.
Virtually every style of wine is made in this expansive region. Most dry wines are blends with varietal choice strongly influenced by the neighboring Rhône Valley. For reds and rosés, the primary grapes include Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault and Mourvèdre. White varieties include Grenache Blanc, Muscat, Ugni Blanc, Vermentino, Macabéo, Clairette, Piquepoul and Bourbelenc.
International varieties are also planted in large numbers here, in particular Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The key region for sparkling wines here is Limoux, where Blanquette de Limoux is believed to have been the first sparkling wine made in France, even before Champagne. Crémant de Limoux is produced in a more modern style.