Merlot got a bad reputation for being boring, but merlot can actually be a smooth, wonderfully balanced red packed with blackberry and plum flavors.  While merlot suffered a bit of decline compared to cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir, don’t be afraid of seeking out great values from California / Australia (for more dark fruit and vanilla) or France / Washington state (Red Plum & Oak).  The more mellow nature of merlot also makes it a great choice for holidays.  Coming from the notable region of Sonoma, Alexander & Fitch Merlot 2013 has great promise in terms of location, but can it find it’s way to your table?

Sight:  A pretty and bright ruby red uniform throughout.

Smell:  Baked cherries, black pepper, and spices all leap out from the nose.  Notes of sage and cedar add depth.

Sip:  There’s a good amount of structure to the moderately weighted body.  It feels round, but never quite reaches to soft.  There’s something really odd about the combination of spices that lend the flavor profile towards a pumpkin spice latte, complete with the coffee and chocolate notes that one might associate with it.  Fruit wise, cherries and plums are the key players here, adding a good note of baked fruitiness to the mix.

Savor:  The ending is a little more fiercely tannic than might be expected, laced with dried cherry and currants, and just a hint of dust.

Overall, Alexander & Fitch Merlot a fun wine with a lot of character.  The fruit is balanced, if baked beyond pure fresh flavors, with the spices.  The overall texture is very nice, and could improve with more age.  While the nose is a hint hot, it has many good elements in it.  Very hard to complain about how good it manages to be for merlot.  If you haven’t given a merlot a chance in a while, then Alexander & Fitch Merlot is a good place to start, and a great value for Merlot and Cab drinkers.

Verdict:  Spicy, Baked Cherries, Medium Bodied, Structured
Price: $9
Sonoma County, California