Region: Central Coast of California
The description on the back of this bottle declares it to be a remarkably balanced merlot. Twice. On first sip, I'd say that's hyperbole. Spices are the most prominent component, kind of like taking a bite of an old-fashioned stick of clove gum. It smells like raspberry and leather but tastes more like bark than leather going down, with a bit of moss on the strip. Yes, I know how moss tastes—I had an adventuresome childhood. The raspberry flavor is subtler and has that overly juicy taste like they've just started getting mealy. I would definitely not call it balanced but it did mellow out with each sip and grew on me.
Reviewed 8.28.09.
