I like Merlot from WA State, the climate and soils there are suited to maximizing the nuances this variety is capable of. In my experience the bottles I've tried have been a good value and from certain sites this grape can have more body and power than Cabernet Sauvignon, a good example of this is the Merlot from Chateau Ste Michelle's Cold Creek Vineyard. A warm site with an extended growing season that produces great wines almost every year....
We tried this wine in Montreal at the annual tasting event last year or the year before, good wines made by dedicated people.The winery offers bottlings across several price points, all were solid to very nice wines at fair prices. It was a nice surprise to see this on the shelf in West Leb today...
This opens with notes of dark berries, a hint of very ripe strawberries, a spicy note, and some other nuances in the nose I couldn't quite place but are intriguing. I taste cherry, a mix of black and blueberry flavors, it has a nice mouth feel with fine grained tannins and a lingering berry flavor. Even though it's 3 years old at this time, I think it has the structure to evolve further and would benefit from resting in the cellar for another 12 to 18 months.
I enjoyed this with slow cooked pork ribs from the grill, but it would also pair well with a boneless chuck roast slow cooked in a crockpot with a cup or so of this wine along with onions, carrots, and red potatoes.... an oven roasted chicken dinner also comes to mind.
Available on sale now at the NH Liquor outlets for $12.99 per bottle, a good wine and a nice change of pace from the California or European Merlots you usually find on the shelves...
Cheers!
Ed
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