Review: Wines of Meadows Estate, 2025 Releases
Meadows Estate Vineyard and Winery is located in the Umpqua Valley, in southern Oregon. The land was originally purchased in 1996 and grape vines were first planted there in 1999. The land currently belongs to Dexter and Marilyn Meadows, who expanded the vineyard and continue to make wine there. The region’s conditions are similar to the Rhone Valley in France and support a range of different grapes, but today we are trying a red blend and a merlot, both of which are produced in limited quantity and are well aged. Chris adds his review of a xxxxxxxxxxxxxx as well.
2009 Meadows Estate Merlot – Merlots, even very good merlots, don’t tend to handle lengthy aging as well as heartier, more tannic grapes like sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon, but this merlot has held up well. Some air is essential at the start and you may simply want to decant it to enjoy the wine at its best. I hadn’t decanted it, but after letting it sit in the glass for half an hour, it began to show its quality, offering lovely aromas of plum, black cherry, currant, black olive, and a touch of eucalyptus. The palate follows suit nicely, revealing nice complexity as the flavors come together well. The tannins are gentle but they help to provide structure, a silky mouthfeel and a drying touch to the medium length finish. This wine will be a treat for fans of good merlot, but it is also a crowd-pleaser that shows broad appeal. A- / $75
2013 Meadows Estate Red Planet –78% Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc, 14% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot. This is a fruity wine, with a nose showing juicy plum, raspberry, and gentle black pepper. The palate shifts gears, at first offering jammy raspberry compote. With some time in the glass, the wine shows better balance and additional complexity, and I recommend decanting it or letting it breathe a bit before drinking. After some air, the raspberry is joined by plum as well as a touch of black pepper and is balanced by medium acidity. The wine could benefit from a bit more structure, but it is entirely enjoyable and fairly easy drinking either on its own or with food. B / $27
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