2006 Trecini Cellars Russian River Merlot

Mission Codename: GO, GO Merlot!

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Sleuth out an exceptional Sonoma County Merlot for our thirsty Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Trechini Cellars

Wine Subject: 2006 Merlot

Winemaker: Dan Barwick

Backgrounder: Any true fan or red wine knows that, worldwide, Merlot is a serious and well-respected wine varietal. It is the most widely grown grape in the Bordeaux region of France and, in America, Merlot soared to popularity in the 1990s. And for good reason; Merlot, when done correctly, can be incredible. Such is the case with today’s serious offering from Trecini Cellars. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report immediately following to learn more about this wine – and why Merlot still rocks!

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Inky garnet to ruby with a dark heart of deep garnet, this wine has a bouncy surface with concentrated color out to its edges. When swirled the wine shows thick and thin legs that run down the glass at different speeds

Smell – Really lavish aromas! Lush and deeply layered with earthy rich smells of plum, dark cherry, cedar, dusky blackberry, mild dried herbs and soft-smoked meats

Feel – Cool and light up front, deliciously slick (not oily) with an initial wetness that is fast replaced by medium tannins and an all-over-mouth coating effect that I love

Taste – A delicious unveiling of great flavors, with dark ripe stonefruit, dark cherry, dark mixed berries, mild cigar box and fresh & mild mixed salad herbs

Finish – Cool and fresh, then slightly drying and airy with big flavors that taper off very gradually

Conclusion – It is no wonder that Trecini keeps winning so many gold medals; This wine is superb, conveying a real sense of place, of passion and of personality. This is a wine that connects you to the winemaker, the vineyards and the fruit. Its also no wonder that we Wine Spies keep returning to Trecini Cellars; We are diehard fans and they make wines that impress us over and over again. If you love Merlot, you will LOVE this one. If you don’t care for Merlot, you MUST try this one, for it will please you with its delicious flavors, great aromas, bright acidity and great feel.

Mission Report:

It was a cold and rainy day in Sonoma County. Just the sort of day I have come to expect in mid-January in this mostly-beautiful and usually delightful California wine growing region… but with a difference; The rain was relentless and the downpour particularly strong.

I had set a secret rendezvous with winery owner, Cathy Vicini, but was beginning to wonder whether I would make it to her or not. Roads were feet-deep with water in places, traffic seemed unmoving and I felt as though I would have done better in a rowboat than my Spy car.

The last time we featured a Trecini wine, I was not the agent on the case. Therefor, I had not had the pleasure to meet with anyone from the winery until today. Although, with this weather, I was beginning to wonder if I would even have the chance.

The spot where we had set for out meeting was nearby the winery’s HQ, but somewhat more interesting; we planned to meet in the center of a private sculpture garden where a few dozen sculptures were spread out over nearly a 1/2 mile stretch. I looked forward to seeing them, if I could just make it there.

By some great miracle, or perhaps just good luck, the weather cleared, the sun shone through the parting clouds and traffic began to move again. I made it with a few minutes to spare and thanked the wine gods as I climbed the hills toward the sculpture garden.

The sculptures here ranged in size from tiny to massive and were either stunning in their beauty – or downright bizarre. If you guessed that my tastes leaned toward the more bizarre ones, you may be right. My favorite was a 15-foot long creation that looked to be made of gnarled wood and welded metal that looked like a robotic, steam-propelled, flying baby whale, called “SirBent”, by Bryan Tendrick.

After a period of standing in awe before this creation, Cathy rolled up in her SUV, a quizzical look on her face. We exchanged prearranged authentication phrases and we both smiled warmly. Cathy had a case of wine for our careful assessment and, in true prohibition-era style, I transfered it from the back of her truck, to the trunk of my car.

Because Cathy had another meeting to make, we spoke for just a few minutes, then thanked each other, and were on our way again quickly.

That’s when the rain started up again. I made for our Sonoma safehouse and arrived there before the worst of the weather hit. Just.

Once safely inside, I built a fire in the fireplace, decanted a bottle of Trecini wine and made myself a modest meal of comfort food. On sipping the wine I was struck by its character and the feeling that the wine imbued. Where some wines are obvious party wines and still others are great elegant dining wines, I realized that this wine – with its rich but still soft feel, flavors and aromas – was the perfect comfort wine.

The rest of my evening was spent listening to the rain and reflecting on how some wines impart a visceral feeling, a sense of place, and a sense of the winemaker, when you drink them. Maybe it was being safe from the rain, maybe it was the great wine, but this Trecini wine delivered all of these, and a tangible impression that all is right with the World.

Photo Recon:

The location of our secret meeting, the sculpture gardens, and surrounding vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.wonderful mouthfeel.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Vicini Vinyard can be seen in this satellite photo.