Given the friendly atmosphere of Rancourt Winery, and the way Lionel and Lorraine (owners of the winery) make you feel like an old friend or even family when you walk in the door, I have dedicated each review of their wine to a particular friend or family member … you’ll know who you are. This Meritage reminds me of Dad’s everywhere, because there are layers you have to get through to really enjoy their company. My father is not a wine drinker, but if he was, this would be his wine. Lionel Rancourt has made himself another fine wine here. Using his 2004 Sauv, Franc and Merlot he has blended a complex wine in both nose and flavours. Starting off, the first smell you’ll get is black pepper and that’s about it – but let it sit for a bit and the wine opens up with aromas of blackberry, cassis, cedar, cocoa, vanilla and cherry. In the mouth, the flavours also start off slow, there’s good oak integration through the use of chips, so the first flavours are oak and tannin, then things really start to pick up. 20 minutes later, there’s white pepper, cedar, black fruit and raspberry; if you pay close attention you’ll also find some sour cherry. A complex nose with complex flavours that over the course of a few hours change dramatically in both nose and taste. Peeling back those tough, gruff layers of this wine to get to the sweet core is the real pleasure – and it rewards in spades. This is another nice wine from Rancourt.