This bottle was given to me a while ago from Pindar when I was out visiting with Pindar and Les.  I remember him telling me to wait to have this.  And that I should share it with my family over a nice meal.  Well we finally got around to it and it was worth the wait.

Let me again start off by saying that 2007, on Long Island was one of the hottest on record.  It was the ideal season for growing grapes and the ripening of grapes.  The wine’s that you taste from this vintage on Long Island will not be like any other.  This is a banner year yet at the same time it is considered an anomaly, by some.  I am leaning in that direction of the 2007 an anomaly year for Long Island wine, or  2007 is an  extraordinary vintage.

That being said, this is up in my top 5 for Merlot’s from the 2007 vintage.  I have tasted about a dozen, some from the barrel and some unreleased in bottle, but others, I am still waiting to try and some are not released yet.

On the nose, I was picking up some smoky, woodsy, and tobacco notes upon open.  It needed some time to awaken in the glass.  After a while I was picking up notes of cherry and plum with hints of cedar, vanilla and toffee that gave way to a freshly roasted coffee bean.

The taste was a bit tannic at first, and needed some time to open.  Once it did, I was picking up some blueberry cobbler, vanilla and cherry.  There were some deep dried herbal notes, like mint and some eucalyptus, that matched well with an earthy minerality that added to the multiple layers of this tasty wine.

This 2007 Merlot had alot of layers and kept unfold the longer it was in the glass.

I had this wine with lasagna that Melissa made.  Both were perfect together.

On the second day, there was more of a fruit note present and the tannic notes were diminished.

This has not been released yet, Pindar Vineyards is still selling their 2006 Reserve Merlot.  Pindar said it would be released soon, and when it is, make sure you pick up some and enjoy.