2003 Sawyer Cellars Bradford Meritage

So a long week has ended with some gorgeous weather here in good old Cincinnati, OH. It was a perfect evening to open a nice bottle of wine and have dinner out on the deck. Since it's a Friday I decided to open something pretty nice this evening, a 2003 Sawyer Cellars Bradford Meritage. Sawyer Cellars is a small winery we visited during our trip to Napa last year, and we were so impressed we joined their wine club. They're located in Rutherford, which seems to be my favorite area within the Napa Valley for great red wines.

The '03 Vintage is composed of Cabernet Sauvingnon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot - a wonderful mix of Bordeaux style wines. We drank this tonight with a dinner of beef tips and noodles, and it was a perfect complement. Both on the nose and in the flavors I was overcome with the sense of cherries. My best description for the nose is candied cherries. The flavors are very pleasing and full of berry properties. This wine has such a nice balance in both tannins and acidity, making it perfect for drinking with dinner. Another attribute I love about this wine is it's deep ruby red color, indicating a wine with good body that spent the right amount of time on the skins during fermentation. Now you'll pay for what you get with the Bradford Meritage with the price running around $48 a bottle, but for a nice weekend wine, or special occasion I have to say this wine is worth it. The best way to find Sawyer wines is either through their website or to visit them in person, so look them up, you won't be dissapointed. They know how to help you enjoy the first miracle. Happy Friday all.