1999 Francis Coppola Director's Reserve Merlot

Upon visiting a colleague's home the other night, he surprised the group with this bottle of wine, but without the means to open it. Fortunately for all of us, I always seem to carry a corkscrew or have access to one...weird I know. Upon opening, the softness of the entire cork was of some concern which quickly dissipated as my olfactory senses picked up the aromas of red berries, eventually leading my mind to believe almost as if there were dark chocolate-covered cherries right in the bottle. On the palate its fleshy, fruit-forward characteristics surprised me for a wine with 10 years of age and led me to believe it was quite the fruit bomb in its youth. However, the noticeable presence of tannins--although fairly well integrated--suggest the wine had the capability to age even longer. Grade: B+