Fat Bastard Merlot 2003 

My son and his wife brought a bottle of this wine to a dinner party last year. Knowing that I would really like to do a review on this Fat Bastard Merlot 2003, I quietly put it aside until I felt in the mood to devote the proper attention and time to it. It seems the time has arrived and here I sit enjoying a fine merlot.

Visually, this is a clear, ruby-colored wine that has a faint brownish-orange tint. Swirl the glass and you'll also discover that it is a rather "leggy" wine. I've always been somewhat amused by watching the "tears" trail down the sides of a Riedel "O" wine goblet.

On the nose is the aroma of cherries, spice and the "heat" of alcohol. It is a very pleasant bouquet, but one that I would not describe as spectacular or enticing. Still, it leaves you anticipating a more than average merlot. Enough about these preliminaries...let's move on to the taste.

On the palate is where Fat Bastard Merlot 2003 really shines. This is a fruit-forward wine with the taste of cherries and plums. The fruit does not overwhelm the wiine and is in fact, quite subtle. Having been aged for four moths in small oak barrels, this wine also has a bit of a smoky characteristic that I find very appealing. A few years if ageing, would more than likely bring out more complexity and make for a finer drinking experience. At about $9.00 is is worth trying and perhaps even addling to your list of "regulars".

13.55% alcohol