2002 Castle Rock Merlot

[lcwatewine]

OK, so I ended up having a glass of this at lunch today. I was very impressed. I'm a novice at wine and not sure what to compare it too so I'll start with the Fleurie I had yesterday. Hopefully I will do this delicious wine justice. The merlot was by far my favorite. It was much brighter, and I actually think I detected cherry and vanilla smells in it. If tannins are what make your mouth pucker and feel sort of "scratchy" and dry then they were much more mellow than the Beaujolais but definitely noticeable, but in a good way. It had more substance and felt thicker in my mouth than the B but it was smoother somehow. It had a very fruity taste which I liked and haven't experienced in any other wines before. I'm not sure how to identify what the oak tastes is as I haven't exactly been able not narrow that one down yet but overall I have to say this wine was one of my favorites. Overall it was juicy, fruity, smooth, thick, very delicious, and smelled wonderful. Keep in mind that I'm new to the world of wine but for less than $10 it was a fabulous wine. If any of you have had this wine I'd be curious to see what you tasted and smelt in it to compare to my own experience.