Chasing Rain, Merlot, Red Mountain

Test bottle from GO for USD 4.80 (after 20% off), then returned for 6b more; this is #1. Cork. Dark purple; rich redcurrant/Merlot nose, some oak (?) that follow on light body, good mouthfeel. VV 3.7 (26) and three positive CT notes are warranted. Expect this to go a few more years. Since purchase, passive ground floor subterranean storage built into a hillside. Quality/age/price: Notable+.

On PnP, this showed an abundance of those jammy, glossy merlot notes that I really don't like. Revisiting the bottle the next day, some of the jam had receded and this became a lot more interesting. Cassis, plum, black cherry, red cherry, earth, tobacco, and red licorice on the nose. Tart cherry, plum, red cherry, earth, and herbs on the palate. Good acidity, fine tannins, medium finish. What a nice transition. If you like a very fruit forward merlot, by …

Jammy Raspberry notes, smooth medium body, dry finish.

Retail $25. 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Another vintage of the Chasing Rain brand from the Aquilini family. And another good one. Now, I am no Merlot champion, but this is quite good and loaded with fruit, mostly dark (plum and blackberry) but also some lighter red fruit notes (cherry). Earthier than I had expected, with a touch of tannin on the backend. Well-balanced, solid wine. www.thedrunkencyclist.com