Tortoise Creek Wines Merlot

Older for a Sonoma/Alexander Merlot. Went to a Super Bowl party that had chili on the menu and this really worked well. The fruit on the front had softened and the smokiness of this merlot came through and paired very nicely. Moderate tannins still evident on the finish. Nice bottle.

Deep garnet in color with an aging rim in the glass; big black berry nose with a hint of the 14.5 ABV; a jammy mouthful of black fruit that finishes with decent tannins.

Nutmeg dusted stewed blackberries with a pinch of cinnamon; medium body, dark, leather, earthy good ripe tannins, plummy and just a slight touch of sweet fruit. Really good at $16.

Excellent with coq au vin. Had with group and compared with Mill Creek 2008 Merlot (Kreck). This was superior.

Nose: black currant, sweet cherry, plum. Nice but a little fabricated and a little sweeter than I prefer. Palate: black currant, plum, & some cherry cola. Lacks a lot of depth or complexity, but not a bad wine. More up front, less on the length, & tastes like this wine was made by the winemaker, rather than by the terroir and the weather. Probably an inexpensive crowd-pleaser for casual wine drinkers, but nothing too special for those of us that …

At this price point it will be hard to find a better California Merlot. It is an unapologetic Merlot with a good cherry and blackberry nose and a soft tannin finish. If you are looking for a good table wine that won't break the bank look no further.