2008 Fetzer Merlot, $14.95. LCBO#341131.
Last week, we hosted a lovely little dinner party, and tried this new bottle. I am a big fan of Fetzer Zinfandel, and was hopeful that the merlot would also be delicious. I don’t tend to buy merlot, as I’m always worried it will be a bit boring, but it seemed a safe choice with guests.
I was impressed with this bottle. It is very smooth, medium to full bodied, smoky with oak and ripe with berries. It has a bit of a sweet-tart quality, which I love in a fruity wine. It went well with roasted chicken and tomato-basil pasta, but also was great on its own, and with dessert. A keeper for dinner parties! It really hits all my favourite wine notes, and definitely matches the tastiness of their zinfandel. I’m going to have trouble choosing a bottle when standing in the California aisle at the LCBO. Which is really nothing to complain about.
Overall, I give this wine 9/10 for taste and 4/5 for value.
