Fall Creek Vineyards

For a wine from Texas, this is surprisingly understated, food-friendly, and elegant. With such a warm climate and relatively new wine industry, it would be so easy to jump on the super-ripe, super-extracted, super-rich and super-oaky train. Kudos to owners Ed and Susan Auler, and their General Manager and assistant winemaker Tom Barkley, who also apply this sensibility to their Meritus, Twin Springs, Perfect 10, and Sugar Bear brands.

Bright, fairly saturated ruby and moderately viscous, this varietally expressive and elegant wine has aromas of damson, fig, raisin, tar, brush, damp earth, cedar, and tobacco. On the palate it is medium in body, with bright, juicy acids, bold oak tones and ripe raspberry, blueberry, and plum notes. Tannins are understated, giving this wine the smooth, supple texture Merlots were known for before the current mode for sweet, ripe, obvious and very oaky styles. This smoothness, along with easy pronunciation, is what gave Merlot such easy success with consumers in the first place. Enjoy with Porcini and Fontina fondue, loin of pork with Merlot reduction and roasted sweet Vidalia onions, or a roast truffle-studded bresse chicken.

Reviewed May 28, 2007 by Catherine Fallis.