Laurel Mountain Vineyards Merlot (N/V)

i head back to the groundhog wine trail in pennsylvania for this red. the laurel mountain winery was the first stop on our recent visit. and unlike the baco noir that i wrote about, this merlot is not a sweet red. in fact, it was tannic enough to require a little decanting. the nose was black cherry, herbal and spice (rosemary), and some slightly earthy notes. good beginning. and the palate was equally as nice, with plum, blackberry and some slightly smokey notes. as i said, this red was fairly tannic at first, but mellowed as the wine opened up. i also got more of the herbal notes on the palate too. sells for $15 and is excellent by itself, but will work with red sauce pasta or a nice grilled steak.