Doesn’t seem too smart, but the baby-fat is cute, and looks great in a bikini. She has an interesting family–and a degree in Art History–and you keep talking, and it turns out she’s been to Africa. And knows Los Angeles food. Drinks Pinot Noir and digs El Caminos. And you’re just like, this is the best beach day ever. Wanna go to Santa Barbara this weekend?
Dark ruby with amber-tinged edges. A near-perfect oaky cassis nose heavy on dessert and wet phone book. Slight oxidation rubs everything toward a flabby center. Nice fruit hitting on all the usual suspects, but nothing much more.
In the mouth, acid-tinged Merlot boringness. Bitter structure comes along quickly, washing out all the lovely fruit into something you can read considerable complication into if you try, but after all the platitudes, is quite an uninteresting wine. I’m going to drink this bottle–and enjoy it–but nothing exemplary rises above.
2013 SELENE Merlot Napa Valley 14.5
Stephen McConnell 