2011 Helix Columbia Valley Merlot

Happy Friday!  I tell you, owning an older home can be a daunting experience...one moment you're contemplating what wine to have with dinner and the next your in a pit trying to turn off the water to the sprinkler system as the front zone won't turn off!  It's probably just something stuck in a valve, but I'll leave that to the sprinkler guy!  In the meantime, I've decided to get a late start to Merlot month and have opened up a bottle of 2011 Helix Columbia Valley Merlot, so let's see if my evening begins to improve!

This wine is a blend of Merlot (97%) and Cabernet Franc (3%) from the Bacchus, Stillwater Creek and Weinbau Vineyards.  The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass, classic Merlot.  The nose presents aromas of black raspberry, cherry and black currant, with just a hint of leather and Asian spice.  The taste is a blast of ripe black fruit up front, black cherry, plum and black raspberry that transition subtly to notes of cherry cola and a hint of dusty limestone midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with dusty tannins supporting a long, smooth and very dry finish with an embedded reprise of ripe fruit at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's really a pleasant example of the varietal and at an attractive price (this one was just $28 before wine club discount.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with tacos of all things!  It just goes to show that a nice Merlot can be incredibly versatile with food, from prime steaks to the lowly taco.  Cheers!