1995 Seven Hills Walla Walla Valley Merlot

All right, it's the second day of August and the first Saturday of the new month, so that must mean it's time for me to brave the cobwebs and head to the cellar to find something fun to drink!  And tonight it's one of my favorite varietals from one of my favorite wineries from what was a very good year, the 1995 Seven Hills Walla Walla Valley Merlot!  Now as a disclaimer, as with so many of my cellar selctions, I opened this for a while and then decanted it to let it breathe a bit.  It's already opened up nicely, but will likely get even better as the evening progresses.

The wine has actually held up quite nicely, with not even a hint of brown, but rather a nice bright ruby with a bit of opacity.  The nose is bright and floral, with some nice aromas of lilac, strawberry, green grass and cedar over some nice hints of minerality.  The taste is very nice, with a burst of fruit up front, blueberry, black currant and cherry that transitions nicely to some nice dark chocolate, coffee, mineral notes and a bit of "Bordeaux funk" midpalate.  The finish is very dry, the soft tannins support a lovely velvety finish that seems to last more than a minute and leaves you wanting more.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's really aged quite nicely and shows the great aging potential of a nice Merlot.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some classic kabobs, some shrimp, some steak and some veggie grilled fresh and such a yummy summer treat!  The wine just makes such a nice combination with the heartiness of the steak and the spiciness of the shrimp kabobs sprinkled with Old Bay.  Cheers!