Estate 1856 Dessert Wine

probably drank this too early, sweet red fruit and not much else peaking through. I think this should sit a year or so.

Retail $30. The dessert wine is essentially a combination of two vintages: some 2007 Merlot was sent to a distillery and then added to a field blend (mostly Merlot and Malbec with splashes of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon) of 2008 fruit. The resultant wine has a beautiful ruby color with fine red fruit nose. Exactly what you want in a dessert wine: sweet without being cloying. 17.4% alcohol. www.thedrunkencyclist.com

Spring 2012 SF Vintners Market (Fort Mason Festival Pavillon, San Francisco, California) : From 375 ml - dark red violet color; oak, a little VA, tart black fruit nose; sweet, ripe black fruit, ripe berry, hot palate; medium-plus finish (85% Merlot, 12% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon)