Full Review

Kalaris

Kalaris
2016 Merlot, Napa Valley

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta Pork

Category: Merlot

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.5%
88 Points
Silver Medal
Highly Recommended
$59

Kalaris
2016 Merlot, Napa Valley

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta Pork

Category: Merlot

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.5%
Garnet black color. Aromas of dried plum, hints of tea, thyme, baked banana, and vanilla with a supple, vibrant, fruity medium-to-full body and a warming, captivating, medium-long milk chocolate, hints of balsamic reduction, and spiced pastry finish with well-integrated tannins and moderate oak flavor. A grown-up Merlot with juicy balance and toasty tannins.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Spicy & Complex
Aroma Aroma: dried plum, hints of tea, thyme, baked banana, and vanilla
Taste Flavor: milk chocolate, hints of balsamic reduction, and spiced pastry
Sweetness Sweetness: Fruity
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years with food and on its own
Recipes Pairing: Baked Ham, Meat Loaf, Lasagna
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A grown-up Merlot with juicy balance and toasty tannins.

The Producer

Axios Wine

The Producer
105 Zinfandel Ln
Saint Helena, CA 94574
USA
1 410-309-9463

Merlot

Wine Glass Cabernet.jpg
Serve in a Cabernet Wine Glass
Merlot is a red variety that is loved by consumers, yet often shunned by certain wine gurus and critics, as they perceive these wines as “little sisters” to the more powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. Yet on its own, the best examples of Merlot are multi-layered, complex wines that are among the finest in the world.

Merlot has many similar flavors to Cabernet Sauvignon, especially with its cherry and plum fruit, but is has fewer, less sharp tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon. Many producers whether in Bordeaux, America, Chile or elsewhere, often blend small percentages of Merlot into Cabernet Sauvignon to lessen the tannic bitterness of the latter.

A few districts in France’s Bordeaux region, namely Pomerol, are home to the greatest examples of Merlot. Chateau Petrus is the world’s most famous example of Merlot, a powerful wine that ages beautifully for 30 or 40 years in the best vintages. There are also celebrated examples from American, especially in Washington’s Walla Walla valley as well as in Napa Valley in California. Merlot is also very successful in Chile, New Zealand and even in certain part of Italy.

Merlot pairs best with foods such as lamb or veal, but it also sought out by consumers to accompany steaks and roast when they want a rounder, more elegant red wine.