2012 DaMa Walla Walla Valley Merlot

Happy Hump Day!  I know last month was a bit of a bust for my wine blog, as I was traveling a lot for work, but now I have some time at home for a little while so expect more blog posts in August!  Tonight I've decided to open a wine club selection that's been waiting around for a few months, the 2012 DaMa Walla Walla Valley Merlot,  You know I love me some Merlot and what could be better on Wine Wednesday?

The wine is a lovely, deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, currant, leather and smoke, a very inviting combination.  The taste is really quite interesting, with a blast of ripe red fruit up front, cherry, raspberry and currant intermingled with red licorice that transitions nicely to some mineral notes of dusty limestone and a bit of green cedar midpalate.  The description of this wine on the DaMa website notes, "This lovely new wine is like that treasured sweater: classic, comforting and warm from the inside out," and that is especially true for this wine, it has a particularly warm presence.  The finish is quite pleasant, with moderately chewy tannins supporting the smooth, warm dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's just such a pleasant wine to sip and a classic expression of Merlot, which is so seldom seen today.  This would be a great wine for grilled meats, barbecue or rustic Italian dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this with a lovely mid-week dinner of a rare grilled prime petit filet mignon along with a baked potato and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!