90 pts - Wine Advocate
Cedar spices dominate the nose of the 2001 Merlot. A well-structured, medium-bodied wine, it offers loads of blackberry flavors in its broad, lengthy personality. It should be drunk over the next 4 years. - Pierre Rovani (24-04-2006)
92 pts - Wine Spectator
Bright and generous. A lively mouthful of blackberry, currant and floral aromas and flavors, picking up a fresh-earth quality as the finish lingers. Shows less oak than earlier vintages and gorgeous fruit. Drink now through 2006. 2,478 cases made. — HS (09/2003)
90 pts - Vinous
Bright ruby. Primary aromas of black raspberry, licorice and espresso complemented by sexy oak. Penetrating and intensely flavored, with a tight, sweet kernel of dark fruit flavor. Quite bright and shapely, but really needs another year or so in the bottle to show greater complexity.- Stephen Tanzer (11/23)