The nose had an old world smell to it. Good amount of oak and lots of black olive. More black olive than I have ever smelled in a red. It was pretty cool because I like uniqueness. Hints of cinnamon and green peppers. The taste was strong with fruit right away but the transition was fast and a little short. However the finish was not very bitter and left you with a nice soft taste of fruit and cinnamon. Overall ok and I would give it a try for 60 bucks.
This is not a $60 bottle of wine. You must have it mixed up with another brand. This wine retails for around $20-22 and is supurb! Especially this particular year. The 2005 simply explodes with multiple layers of flavors and structure upon its first taste. The blend of 98.7% Merlot and 1.3% cabernet make it a fantastic wine with just about any food. The Mondavi family has another winner here. The 2005 is simply one of the best Merlot’s Napa has to offer for a reasonable price! Cheers!