2014 Estate Merlot Reserve - Penns Woods Winery

Damson plum, tobacco leaf, warm blackberry crumble. Pitted black cherry, wilted rose, medjool date. Aged cedar and anise, green bell pepper and fresh mint. Soft black fruits & dried flowers plus a touch of something leafy stirred into wet gravel & leftover coffee grounds. Baking chocolate & clove reveal signs of subtle well-integrated oak. Poised, refined, and sophisticated in a modern yet decidedly classic style. This 2014 Estate Merlot Reserve by Penns Woods Winery is a Bordeaux-esque beauty from Pennsylvania state.

Pennsylvania is not often the first state you'd mention when discussing high quality wine production in the USA, but that doesn't mean there isn't great wine being made here. The first vineyard in Pennsylvania was planted in 1683 by William Penn himself and wine grapes have been growing here ever since. Cold winters can make things hard on vines but summers here are adequately warm to ripen most noble grape varieties. The moderating influence of Lake Erie also helps to calm temperatures and many of the best grape growing zones in the state are located near its waters. This bottling, produced by Penns Woods Winery from 100% Merlot, comes from rows 47-52 of their estate vineyard located in the town of Chadds Ford near Wilmington Delaware. This wine surprised us in the best way possible. It is composed and multidimensional showing pure fruit, beautiful terroir, structured tannins and noticeable acidity. This was our first experience with Pennsylvanian wine and we will definitely be seeking out a whole lot more of it after this.