CEV Merlot 2005 by: Colio Estate Vineyards: Wine Review

12.7% abv
Colio Estate Vineyards
Harrow, Ontario, Canada
coliowines.com

Colio Winery started back in 1980 off the north shores of Lake Erie. I discovered this winery about 7 or 8 years ago. They have wine for every palate; from the newbie to the experienced wine drinker. If you are in driving distance of this winery it would be worth a day trip to visit and pick up a few bottles. With the December holidays coming up I’ll be visiting to pick up some Lily’s Sparkling Wine.

Back to The Wine

Here are the tasting notes from their web site: coliowines.com
Colour: Dark garnet
Bouquet: Chocolate, blueberry and dark toast…
Taste: Chocolate, white pepper and ripe blueberries with a longstanding fruit finish

This is one deep color and that should be a good thing. To me the lighter the color on a Merlot wine usually means less body, less texture, and just less everything. Okay, I am giving my attitude away toward Merlot wines. Yes, it’s true that Merlot wines were made to get Americans to drink more wine. But, that is old stuff. Today, you can find some good quality Merlot wines. So, I digress.

Back to The Wine Again

If I didn’t already know that this was a Merlot – I would not guess it was a Merlot. The deep rich color and the nose is so Cabernet like. There are some dark berries on the nose. I know they have blueberry listed but I get a black current note as well. This is followed by a nice smoky style, a touch of spice, and a hint of white pepper.

The taste is just yummy. Blackberry, blueberry, black currant along with a good dark chocolate presence (80% like), and a solid earthy profile. To me there is a nice blackberry tart bite that mingles with a good earthy-soil note to make for an almost chewy mouthfeel. This wine does coat the palate and for a Merlot it comes across thick. I really like this wine. The aftertaste is long, with the berries and earthy notes just covering the tongue, for a lasting impression. The white pepper and spice is nice on the back of the palate.

This Merlot may not be for the average or occasional wine drinker. This Merlot has some structure, body, strength, texture, and power. No wonder it has won a Gold Medal at the Great Lakes Wine Judging and a Silver Medal at the Ontario Wine Awards: both in 2009.

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