2008 Hahn Winery Meritage

Tonight I am enjoying the 2008 Hahn Winery Meritage, a bottle I picked up from a close out sale at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel (they were selling some of the remaining wine from the old 1913 Room).  I must admit I have a weakness for any wine with the word "Meritage" in its name as I have a great love for interesting red blends, and this one was very interesting.

The 2008 Hahn Meritage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (42%), Malbec (22%), Petit Verdot (22%), Cabernet Franc (10%) and Merlot (4%).  Now those of you who know me, know that I am not in any way a fan of Malbec, despite it's surge in popularity over the last few years.  I just find it too earthy for my taste, but in this blend it actually works pretty well (I've tried other blends where 6% Malbec ruins it!).

The wine itself is a dark ruby in the glass and has a nose of blueberry and grape jam with hints of cedar and oak.  The first taste is full of fruit, a mix of blackberry and cherry with some dried herbs.  Mid-palate gets a little shaky, with a somewhat medicine like taste, which I'll blame on the Malbec, but the finish is quite nice, dry and smooth which I'll credit to the Petit Verdot. 

This wine would pair well with a number of savory dishes, particularly spicy Italian foods, or a nice braised lamb.  Tonight I am having it with a crab stuffed flounder (thank you Trader Joe's) and some wild rice.  Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7, it would probably go higher but for my own biases, and it was a pretty good value, buying it for just $12.  Enjoy!