Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Estancia 2011 Reserve Meritage, Paso Robles

We cracked open this wine during a recent visit to Poco Piatti, our favorite tapas restaurant. We started with a bottle of 2010 Stags Leap Artemis and as we settled in, we were ready for a nice accessible red wine to pair with our small plates.
The Meritage is a flavorful blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. I’d also say that it is 100% Paso Robles, where the wines are lush with fruit and ready to savor. Although Paso wines can become refined with aging, many are ready to enjoy now.
We were into our servings of chorizo tacos when we opened the Estancia. This was a perfect pairing – not too aggressive and bubbling with fruit – the wine, that is. I had hoped to get a 2009 or 2010 vintage red, but the 2011 Estancia is right on target. There is some earthiness with some dark berry fruit. This isn’t a bottle that should be aged for a long period – it’s drinking just great now.
This is a solid, all-around performer. It is a crowd pleasing wine that pairs well with a variety of foods or can stand alone. A Meritage is a good bet in most social situations as is wine from Paso Robles.
Rating: 3 of 5  Value: 3 of 5

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