OK, I have a confession to make. I love Merlot. There, I said it. But, it has to be good. Sometimes, because Merlot is so accessible young or so delicious, it gets short shrift when compared to Cabernet. And don't get me started on the Sideways effect. And yes, there is a lot of crap out there from all over the globe. But, there is a lot of really great Merlot as well. And, this is one. Actually, it is 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. Purple in color. The nose shows black cherries, dark chocolate, cassis, leather, slight menthol and a bit of earth. On the palate, the texture is rich and lush and voluptuous with enough acidity to make it all work. It has a good finish. My second time trying this wine and both times, it was better on day 2. This should easily last another decade. It drinks great on its own but will work with a variety of meat or pork based dishes.
