Smithbrook Single Vineyard merlot 2021

I have to say, this is one of the better merlots yet released from Smithbrook. It opens with a lovely mix of red berries and a subtle fruitcake complexity, with just a little more blue-fruit character, which is fairly typical of this region. It's medium-bodied, as you'd expect, with a plush, fruit-driven palate, balanced by fine, slightly chalky tannins, and just a lick of oak. It's an ideal current-drinking merlot with a little time in the bottle if you wish.