Cheviot Bridge Yea Valley 2001 Merlot – May 03

Light but lifted slightly musky perfumed nose with a hint of something black below the surface.

Unlike a lot of merlots, this wine has ample drying slightly dusty tannins and although the fruit weight is not big, it has enough power to balance.

Savoury musky with red cherry, a little bit of cold meat and a fair amount of chocolate and black berry fruit and you have an unusual Merlot. It can happy be drunk now but a couple of years will allow the tannins to fully resolve.

Rated as Agreeable with ** for value at $24 it’s a fault free mid weight food friendly fine that will please many, but with all that, it’s still a little unexciting.

Copyright © Ric Einstein 2003