Selected Best Wine - Spring 2018

by Andrew Chalk Andrew Chalk

2015 Llano Estacado Cellar Reserve

Merlot from Texas USA

Average Price: $20.00

Llano Estacado started modestly, funded by a passionate group of investors. Among them was a Texas Tech horticulturist, a man convinced West Texas could produce quality wine grapes. It wasn’t easy persuading local farmers to invest in vineyards, but after the original winemaking facility was built outside Lubbock in 1976, vineyards began to dot the Texas High Plains. By 1980, word spread that an upstart West Texas label was making quality wine and we hired former Seagram’s President Walter Haimann to steer the winery to, well, see for yourself. Llano Estacado broke out onto the American wine scene with a rare Double Gold Medal for our 1984 Chardonnay at the San Francisco Fair’s prestigious International Wine Competition. As the wine brand continued to grow and win awards and accolade domestically and internationally, Llano Estacado raised the profile of Texas wines as a whole. Within the next 20 years, the wines could be found in many states outside of Texas, as well as three European markets, Japan and Russia.


Real World Wine Description

Body Full
Acid juicy
Dryness Dry 
Fruit Flavors Raspberry and Blackberry
Oak Vanilla
Tannins Soft
(S or P)* S

The 'Cellar Reserve' denotes Llano's top of the line wine. This ruby-red Merlot is forwadly aromatic with raspberry, blackberry, and forest floor notes in the nose. Lusciously soft with ripe tannins in the mouth. All followed by a long, warm finish. Definitely one for your steak or prime rib meal. Drink now.  


Disclosure and procedures

*Some wines sent by vendor(s) at no cost to reviewer (indicated as Sample "S"). Others are purchased at retail. (Indicated as "P"). If a reseller is named after a price quote it is the one who, on wine-searcher.com, had the lowest price. Otherwise wine-searcher.com average pricing or winery pricing is used. Wines sent by vendors may not be reviewed and will not be returned.

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