Mirlo Merlot 2023

One of the oldest wine regions of Spain, Cariñena lies just southeast of Rioja, a land of ancient low-yield vines. Most of its vineyards nurture native varieties Garnacha, but this red shows its winemakers can excel equally well with international stars, including Merlot. This grape ripens to perfection in the arid rocky soils and hot sunshine. So well, in fact, the local blackbirds (mirlo in Spanish) love to swoop down and pick off the ripest, juiciest berries. So growers must be on the alert to harvest their fruit just at the right time, and before their competitors! Mirlo Merlot is a smooth, full-of-fruit red for easy sipping. Served at a cool room temperature, it's a great party wine, and tasty with chicken, veggie kebabs or frittata.