A Classical Chelsea Goldschmidt

Wednesday night I was supposed to stay in McAllen, but a minor car issue brought me back to Brownsville early.  To celebrate my early return Pris pulled out a 2008 Chelsea Goldschmidt Merlot to go with dinner.  Even though we'd just finished up a Merlot heavy Bordeaux, it'd been a while since we had a straight up California Merlot.

The first thing you notice about the Chelsea Merlot is that it's got a lot of ripe fruit on the nose.  There is a little spice mixed in, but raspberry dominates the nose.  The rich fruit continues on the palate, with hints of cherry and currant.  At the end you get a nice dry finish with just a hint of spiciness.  All in all this is a good Merlot that really typifies the grape used.  It has great structure, good balance, and excellent flavor.

We paired this Merlot with leftover sirloin and rice.  It was a great combination, but like many other heavy reds you just can't go wrong with Merlot and steak.  If you're looking for a good solid Merlot to go with a rich beefy dinner, this one is a great choice. 

We picked up the Chelsea Goldschmidt Merlot at H.E.B. and it runs about $17 a bottle.  Its a good middle of the road wine as far a price goes.  Its solid on the nose and palate with everything you'd expect from a Merlot.  If you'd like more information on this wine you can visit: http://goldschmidtsisters.com/