Sterling Vintner's Collection 2007 Meritage

back to the states with this meritage from sonoma. a blend of 52% cabernet sauvignon, 44% merlot, 3% malbec, 1% petit verdot, this red has a nose of black cherry, rose petals and chocolate. the nose was not very big and it took a while for the wine to open up, so i would suggest decanting this one for an hour or so before drinking. the taste was black raspberry, cherry, spice, with hints of chocolate and floral flavors of rose and violet and very firm tannins. the tannins softened a bit as it opened up in the glass, once again suggesting that the wine needs to be decanted. the best part is the price, selling for about $10 a bottle. this is a fairly dry red that will match up nicely with a veal or beef dinner.

Kendall-Jackson 2003 Meritage

this is a first release of this bordeaux style blend (49% cabernet sauvignon, 47% merlot, 4% cab franc) from kendall-jackson. the nose was black cherry and a little earthy. taste was tight, even after sitting and swirling for a bit. tasted of black cherry, dark chocolate, maybe a little vanilla. it was a bit green and thin with not as much finish as i expected. i will revisit the bottle in a couple days to see if some time and air will open it up some more. the nose gave me the impression that this would be really good, but maybe it just needed to be decanted for a while longer. about $15 so it could be worth the price with more time in the bottle.