"The 2015 Ameritage is a blend of 30% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, 17% Petit Verdot and the rest filled out by Cabernet Franc and Malbec combined. It was aged for 14 months in 60% new American oak and comes in at 13.5% alcohol. Showing a bit more structure—thank the Cabernet Sauvignon?—than most of the reds from the Pearmund group this issue, this has just a bit of grip on the finish. Just a bit, though. It's not a major departure, and it's fully along the same "drink me now" lines. That means it doesn't have a lot of promise for the future. Though for today, for something you buy to drink tonight, it's pretty nice. The green (the Cab Franc? Some Cab Sauv?) kicks in, along with a little of the Malbec nuances, mingled with a little vanilla from the wood. There's not a lot of concentration, but it handles the wood well and allows the complexity of the blend to show through. This is a nice, understated food wine with a pleasingly silky texture for early consumption. Right at the moment, I liked this a lot. - Mark Squires
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #237, June 2018), 87 pts
SILVER MEDAL - San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
SILVER MEDAL - San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
"Dusty violet color. Herbal aromas and flavors of blackberry tea, sage, eucalyptus, and chocolate-mint with a satiny, vibrant, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a tingling, interesting, medium-length finish with moderate oak flavor. A fun, herbaceous Bordeaux blend from Virginia that has a bit of an Australian style."