Happy Sunday! It's been a gorgeous day here, sunny and 75 degrees. I did a bunch of yard work, including digging up a couple buckets of dandelions, trimming some branches from a spruce tree, and transplanting a maple tree, then I went for a bike ride and then relaxed on the porch before dinner. I am ready for a mild taste of summer with my dinner tonight, but first I'm opening a nice bottle of wine from the recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2021 Walla Walla Valley Merlot from the First Light Vineyard. I am a big fan of Merlot, so let's see what Mary and the crew have done with this release!
The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Merlot. A gentle swirl reveals aromas of sweet cherry, blackberry and vanilla bean, creating a lovely, rich aroma that beckons you to take a sip. The first tastes is a wonderful rush of ripe fruit, blackberry, cherry and cassis, that transition to some lovely dried herbs midpalate. The tannins are supple and somewhat subdued, providing for a velvety smooth finish with lingering fruit.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasant drinking Merlot that would pair nicely with a broad range of dishes, but would also be a fine wine to sip on the porch with friends on a summer evening. Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse, marinated with some Japanese barbecue sauce and topped with some sunflower sprouts, grilled leeks, grilled corn on the cob and some maple bacon Brussels sprouts. Cheers!