Merlot 2021 Wild Fermented by Claros

Looking for something, au naturel? Here you go....

"⭐️ 3.6 out of 5.0

🍷Color: This is a 100% Merlot and it looks it - pretty good extraction. Deep red ruby to edges, unfiltered

🍒Fruit: Red fruits, some plum, sour cherry

🍃Spice: A friend says menthol, but acidity not spicy to me. What you do get is wild fermentation.

👅Body: medium

🌳Oak: none

🍁Tannin: low to med

🧬Acidity: Med highish...

⚗️% Alcohol: 14.6% getting up there for a Merlot..

🎬Summary: I've been out of tasting action for more than a month thanks to a bought of Covid in early April 2023, but this was one of the first wines I was able to start to pick up my nose and palate on again...

I've been wanting to try Claros for quite some time. They have a cool location near ancient sites on the Aegean not far from Ephesus. Plus in today's $40 a bottle climate in Turkey, their prices seemed too good to pass up (they're no where near $40 a bottle, hint, thankfully).

I found the wine enjoyable and I don't always love wild-fermenations. Often they seem just not quite right to me. This particularly one struck me as a good crossover into wild fermentation. It was notably acidic and very lively feeling and smelling, unfortunately for me it lacked the really deep, round, fullness that I enjoy from Merlot. This is a pleasant wine that would go well with food, which is how I'll try it next time. Recommended, especially if you like natural things....