La Playa Merlot 2020
Mmm… Merlot from Chile has always been a pleasure –even when it was actually Carmenere mistaken or dare I say masquerading as Merlot! But at that point a bell pepper note always struck me as odd coming from “Merlot.” Well those days are behind us in this modern age of ampelography. Chile has now put Carmenere on the map and now crafts some of the world’s finest varietal bottlings of the real Merlot. An ideal climate, propitious soils, state-of-the-art winemaking lend a hand in making varietal wines that ooze Merlot and remind us all why we were so smitten by the grape in the first place, before oceans of lackluster Merlot flooded our garden parties. Instead, Chile’s Merlot struts richly ripened plums among brown spices with heavenly herbal high notes above a density that unites moderate acidity and supple tannins to form a body that seems built for the task of endless food pairing opportunities.
Food Pairings
Most any meat; really, lamb, beef, pork, chicken, duck. Has an affinity for tomatoes and mushrooms.