Wine By Nine

Red Wine by Shafer from Napa Valley, California. Varietal Composition: 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc The 2004 Merlot is rich purple, reflecting the vintage, and offers lush, focused flavors and aromas of bright cherries, strawberry, red and black plums, and cranberry. The Cabernet Sauvignon gives the wine added strength, firm tannins, and age-ability. Cabernet Franc brings in lovely fragrance with a hint of violets. Flatter this Merlot's fruit by adding a similar element of fruit to poultry, pork and meat dishes (duck breast with dried cherry-Merlot sauce, roast chicken with cranberry-wild rice stuffing). Carmelized onions, roasted garlic and mushrooms are also pleasant companions.