Il Merlot di Nonino Monovitigno Grappa

Clear and pure in the glass. Now, here's a fourth-gear grappa aroma that features the undeniably pungent, pencil eraser perfume of grape pomace; the middle stage passes unearth additional scents of rose petals and cherry stones; the final sniffing, following over seven minutes of exposure to air, finds the aromatic elements in harmony; what's so attractive is the freshness of this bouquet. The palate entry is dry and grapy, then at midpalate the flavor turns succulently sweet and stunningly ripe and compelling. The aftertaste is seemingly infinite, never harsh, grapy, and concentrated. A svelte, sinewy grappa which is more elegant than powerful, but that's not to say that there isn't some fire in the hole. Score - 4 Stars (out of 5). (F. Paul Pacult, Kindred Spirits 2, 2008)