The 2004 Yarden Merlot shows off a complex array of
characters including blackberry and plum fruit, orange zest and fresh herbs AND
hints of cocoa, nutmeg, oak and violets. This is a full bodied example of
Merlot.
The 2004 Yarden Merlot is ready to enjoy yet will continue
to improve with a few more years of bottle aging and should stay in good
drinking condition for up to about a decade from the vintage. With Yarden
Merlot, we like to eat foods that bring out the bit of spice and fresh herb
character in the wine. Try making a spice rub with ground cumin,
coriander, fennel seed and celery seed along with smoked Spanish paprika,
English mustard powder and a bit of coarse sea salt. Massage this into a
rack of spring lamb asado short ribs and roast slowly until the meat almost
falls off the bone. Enjoy!
