Turning Leaf Merlot was the next red wine on my experimental list. I don't know much 
about Merlot, other than it is supposed to be sweeter than some red wines. And I remember that Miles from the movie Sideways
hated Merlot. I got the impression he thought it was for pansy wine drinkers – for people who like strawberry, white zinfandel. I qualify as a wine pansy if that's the case.I uncorked my Turning Leaf bottle of Merlot a few nights ago. I kept it refrigerated, ignoring the advice I see online regarding the way red wine should be served, until it was time to pour a glass. I found it easier to drink than I expected. I just wish I knew enough about wine to explain the nuances of tastes I experienced, but I don't. So, I look for reviews online as a starting point.
On Snooth.com, I found a review of the wine that said, in part, "Nice, easy-drinking. Maybe rather non-descript. Slight fruity aroma, then with a soft tannic, oaky taste and quick finish." I wouldn't have picked all of that up no matter how hard I tried, but, like I said, it gave me a starting point. It wasn't bitter, and that's probably the most important thing for my taste buds. It wasn't overpowering, that's a plus in my book. I could detect a little fruitiness, but I have no idea what type of fruit. It was drinkable and that's a good thing.
I drank two glasses and saved the rest for the next night. I pulled the bottle out of the refrigerator so it could assume room temperature the next night thinking maybe red wine would be better than white wine at room temperature. It wasn't. In fact, it was awful. So, I learned two things with this bottle of wine. I can tolerate Merlot. Red wine must be chilled.
