red hair and red wine

Don't you just love/hate when you know the answer to something (like on Jeopardy or during a verbal quiz) but for some reason you don't spout it out?

Christopher, a sommelier at Cantinella Luca's in Carmel CA (and my boyfriend's dad) brought over a couple of wines for us to enjoy with the lunch we had prepared for them (sauteed potatoes and veggies, followed by an heirloom caprese salad ... delish). He decided to give both of us a taste test on the red wine that he brought with him, to help us with our palates. 

Here's a better picture of the bottle itself:

Put your pencils down. It's time to begin.  

This was a medium-bodied red, its silky-smooth body accompanied by a deep burgundy red color with a fuschia halo. The bouquet had subtle oak with a touch of vanilla and LOTS of deep red cherry. The first note I got upon tasting this wine was a sour red cherry, but it quickly smoothed out into heavy notes of ripe plum, blackberry and vanilla.
Overall, a fabulous and smooth tasting wine that is easily drinkable. 

Julien guessed a Pinot Noir, to which he got a resounding NO. I was thinking it was a Merlot in my mind, but I was almost sure I was wrong so I didn't say anything.

Well, I was right. 

To be exact, it's the 2004 Kermesse, created by Elena Walch in Tramin, Italy. It's primarily a Merlot blended with touches of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Lagrein. I couldn't even find a price tag on it, so it's probably not available in this half of the world. That's too bad, because I definitely recommend it to anyone who's been turned off by Merlot in the past (I'm looking at you, 'Sideways'), because it's a completely different experience than a New World Merlot. Much smoother and more emphasis on soft berry fruits, which I adore.

Damn. I knew I should've said something. Well, that's what I get for keeping my mouth shut.