Free Range Merlot 2005

Price: $29
Maker: JuiceBox Wine Company, Manchester, MA
Varietal: Merlot
Packaging: 3-liter box
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Free Range Merlot 2005 is the first of the Free Range Wines we’ve sampled. This box wine has a robust nose,with leather and tobacco notes blending with berries. The wine smoothly combines blackberry and cherry flavors with oak and soft tannins. It’s a medium-bodied Merlot that will appeal to those who prefer a wine that leans toward a more European style without being too mineral-dominated. The finish is long, well balanced, and a bit dry.

Free Range’s own description says their Merlot originates in “the region surrounding the walled medieval town of Carcassonne in the south of France,” certainly a nice image to have in mind as one sips the wine. Their literature says that half of the grapes are from Carcassonne and half from B�ziers.