Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $29.99
Alcohol: 14.2%
Production: 190 cases
Date Tasted: March 6th, 2013
Tasting Notes: This Renaissance Merlot, the winery's long-running flagship wine, opens with a lovely nose of wild blackberry, plum jelly, cardamon, sweet coffee beans and oak spice. The tightly wound palate follows with youthful and bright berry flavours that haven't yet fully integrated with the toasted oak notes suggesting more bottle age is needed. The long finish has the mouth-watering effect of an under-sized, under-ripe blackberry that's been freshly picked off the vine: its tart and a little sour.
In recent years, Stag's Hollow has been expanding its well-respected Renaissance line-up to accommodate more wines that show particularly well from any given vintage. 2009 saw a lovely Chardonnay introduced and 2011 brought us the winery's first reserve-level Sauvignon Blanc. These wines outshone their entry-level siblings by a margin worthy of the higher price tag, delivering unique flavours and expressions of their respective vintages. Perhaps, the winery should take the same approach with its Merlot program moving forward and only label it a Renaissance when vintage conditions truly align. Put this one down for another year or two. Drink 2014-2016.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2013 IconWines.ca
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