JARDIN MERLOT - 2002

My Stellenbosch, South African obsession continues with this bottle of Merlot...

TASTING NOTES:

A touch of smoke on the nose. Very, very plummy. Dry, harsh, acidic finish with hints of cedar and dried herbs. Smooth but very alcoholic.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

85 PTS
In my last post I was raving about Stellenbosch Merlots claiming you can't go wrong. Looks like I have to eat my words. This one is a disappointment. Although there's some nice rich plum flavors there's way too much heat. The wine actually was at its best when it was first opened. Upon tasting hours later and the following day, the heat and 14% alcohol was so out of whack that it was undrinkable. 85 is probably generous. This is average at best. A pass. Retails for around $15.