2007 Wild Coyote Merlot (Cheyenne) (88 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Sunday, October 2, 2011

VINTAGE

2007

WINERY/PRODUCER

Wild Coyote

WINE NAME

Cheyenne

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

100% Merlot

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

Paso Robles (California)

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.5%

PRICE PAID

Approximately $16

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Received from the winery’s wine club in June, 2009.  We are no longer wine club members.

BOUQUET

The nose on this wine is very earthy, exhibiting dark fruit, spices, earth, and oak.

TASTING NOTES

This is a very earthy, rich, creamy Merlot.  The first thing that jumps out of the glass is red and black fruit (plums, blackberries, black cherries, and blueberries), followed by truck-loads of earth/dirt, tons of black pepper and herbaceous herbs, suggestions/hints/rumors of oak, with very supple, smooth, elegant tannins, followed closely by a satisfying, well-structured, lingering finish.

This is a FANTASTIC Paso Merlot.  It is VERY earthy, spicy, and fruity, with fantastic depth-of-flavors and wonderful complexity.  This is, easily, the best Merlot we’ve had from Paso Robles within the past two or three years, if not longer. 

The 2007 vintage was a very dry vintage, and based on this wine’s flavor profile, I’m assuming this wine was 1) dry farmed, 2) unfined and 3) unfiltered.  As I’ve said a thousand times before, I believe dry farming and unfining/unfiltering wines contributes to a wine’s complexity and flavor profile.  This is one earthy, fruity, spicy, complex, creamy, deeply-flavored Paso Merlot. 

We had a $70 bottle of Washington State Merlot last night with dinner (2007 Leonetti Walla Walla Valley Merlot) that was really good, but at approximately ¼ the price, this Paso Merlot beats the CRAP out of that premium-priced Washington Merlot.  This is easily one of the best single-varietal wines we’ve ever had from Wild Coyote.  The 2007 vintage was a VERY good year for Wild Coyote (WAY better than their 2006 vintage).  Almost makes me regret canceling our membership……

 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with a beef shank and Italian sausage ragu with Penne.  I don’t believe we’ve ever had a Merlot with a pasta dish before, but the recipe called for a bottle of red wine and Arthur decided to cook with a bottle of Merlot.  Following standard protocol (drink with whatever you cook with), I decided a Paso Merlot just might be the perfect accompaniment.  Sure enough, the Wild Coyote 2007 Merlot went wonderfully with the pasta dish and would pair equally well with lamb shanks, most grilled red meats, as well as the spiced prime rib that we had at Mom/Dad’s house last night. 

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking beautifully right now and will probably age well for another five years or so.

SCORE

88

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.wildcoyote.biz/