Maryhill 2008 Winemaker's Red

i am always intrigued with red blends. when they are priced in the under $15 area, like this one is, you catch my attention fully. and when it is good like this one, i am very pleased because i found a go to bargain. maryhill red is a blend of 40% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 20% syrah and 10% cabernet franc. the nose had cherry, some plum and some spice, along with a little earth. on the palate, lots of tart cherry and soft tannins. the wine gave me the impression that it might benefit from some more bottle time. nice chocolate, earth tones and spice were also evident in the finish. we had this with some pizza, and it would work with red sauce pasta dishes or red meat as well. very good wine at an even better price.