2017 Robert Mondavi Rum Barrel Aged Merlot

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I had the pleasure of doing a virtual wine tasting with some of my colleagues from the office and it was such a great bit of fun, we all had a chance to see each other and sample some wine and no one needed to worry about driving home!  So the first wine we tasted was the Rose I reviewed yesterday (see here) and tonight I'm reviewing the red wine we tasted, the 2017 Robert Mondavi Rum Barrel Aged Merlot.  Now you know I'm a big fan of Merlot, but I've also become a fan of these specialty wines aged in a variety of hard liquor barrels, whether bourbon or in tonight's case rum. So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of leather, vanilla, blackberry and a bit of tart cherry.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit, with some plum, blackberry and cherry that give way to some notes of vanilla bean and toasted oak midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated to provide appropriate backbone to the long, smooth and very dry finish, that has a warm reprise at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a pleasant everyday drinking wine that can be found routinely for about $15.  This wine would pair well with some hearty pasta or just about any steak, and we're in luck!  Tonight, I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled ribeye, with grilled leeks, some steamed asparagus and a big honkin' baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!