Featherstone Red Tail Merlot 2021

A ridiculously affordable price for a Merlot this good. The wine is aged in 100% fine French oak barrels (25% new) from Tonnellerie Sirgue Nuits Saint Georges for 10 months. There is an intriguing, perfumed note on the nose with dark cherries, black raspberries, cassis, integrated spices, and subtle earthy accents. It’s rich with some tannic structure and weight on the palate followed by juicy red berries, anise, cassis, and elegant spice notes through a long, lifted finish. [You] can age this for 5+ years and you can feel pretty damn happy you paid only $20 a bottle. Score – 92. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, June 5, 2023)