Happy Sunday! It's been a crazy few weeks, starting a new semester while at the same time spending evenings rehearsing for a production at Elkhart Civic Theatre, but today I have the day off, so I am enjoying a nice bottle of wine with my Sunday dinner. Tonight, I've opened a bottle from a recent 8-vintage vertical of Stag's Leap Merlot that I bought from Wines Till Sold Out. Tonight, I've opened the 2021 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Winemakers Series Lot 1 Napa Valley Merlot, which is composed of Merlot (89%). Cabernet Franc (8%), Petit Verdot (1.5%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5%). Let's see how this vintage is faring a year or so after release.
The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Merlot. The nose presents aromas of leather, cedar and dusty limestone under inviting layers of ripe cherry and currant. The first sip is a warm embrace of ripe red fruit, coffee and baking spice that eases into some notes of earthy minerals and dark chocolate midpalate. The tannins are nicely structured and well integrated, to form the backbone for a velvety smooth dry finish that lingers into your next sip.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an ideal example of a high-quality Merlot that is likely to stand the test of time. This wine would be an ideal sipping wine on the patio with friends and family as the temperatures start to fall, but it would also pair well with hearty pasta dishes, thick steaks or cedar planked salmon. Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled ribeye, asparagus with hollandaise and a big baked potato. Cheers!
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