Gorgeous amber garnet, sweet dessert and buttery wet hay vie with marzipan for dominance as a little tasteful armpit blows off. Bright vanilla piercings taint a street-wise chocolate coating elevating relatively full fruit over the middle. A beautiful example of age on an unsophisticated wine. Realistically thinning in classic Merlot fashion, but far from hollow. Sweet, delectable goodness–oak far gone here–a lil green briar tannin dries things out just in time for your parents to walk in the door.
2010 RAYMOND Merlot Napa Valley 14.5
Stephen McConnell 
Thank you for the defense of Merlot! So much nonsense the past 10+years about Merlot being a bad wine. Check out today’s post about Duckhorn in Napa, which proudly calls iself a “Merlot house.” http://www.topochinesvino.com.
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