The wine is a bright ruby in the glass with great clarity, but somewhat lighter than a typical Merlot. The nose is somewhat fruity, with nice aromas of blueberries and cassis, dusty granite and a hint of toasted oak. The taste starts off strong, with a blast of fresh berries, blueberries and cherries, which transitions to some earthy notes of black truffle and oak midpalate. The finish is quite nice, with nicely integrated tannins supporting a velvety, smooth dry finish that seems to be short, but lingers for quite a while.
Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a very nice Merlot that would be perfect for everyday drinking as I'm doing tonight, particularly at the value price of $15 that I paid. The wine seems food friendly and would pair with a variety of dishes, from steaks to pizza. Tonight I am enjoying this with some heirloom tomato and basil ravioli in a four cheese creamy grape tomato alfredo, perhaps an odd choice for summer, but I had a craving! Salut!
