Taste The Aromas

Kimberly Grasso

Estancia Meritage Reserve 2006: Immediately on the nose you get anise, rosemary & sage, very balanced yet very distinct. Then just a moment later you get banana and pencil shavings, yet each aroma unfolds in a perfect balance. On the palate you get intense chocolate and full fruit. The rich deep crimson color really stands out and with the well structured tannins; it leads to a nice full finish. With all this flavor and lovely color the thing that stuck out with me was the composition of this wine, I could pick up the Cabernet Sauvignon ( at 58%), the Merlot ( 34%) but the last one, Petit Verdot I could not put a finger on and it was this grape that lead me to the true appreciation of the wine. At only 8% I was intrigued.

Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grape usually used in Bordeaux blends. It is added in small amounts to add tannin, color and flavor. This is one of the five “noble” black varietals allowed in Bordeaux wines and because it ripens late, it has created some issues with winemaking. Perhaps this is why it was the last thing to grab my attention, either way it’s a lovely wine worth a pour!