Ontario merlot is an interesting creature, it seems to need time in bottle to really develop to its full potential. I find most young Ontario merlots have too much mouth drying tannin to truly make it worth sipping without a big hunk of meat in front of you. Winemaker Frederic Picard worked under award winning winemaker Jean-Pierre Colas at Peninsula Ridge. Jean-Pierre has won a few awards for his merlot over the years and Frederic seems to have taken a few pointers away with him. This wine sat in barrel for 18-20 months, a blend of 50% new oak and 50% 2nd and 3rd use barrels; the nose is loaded with black and red fruit, predominantly strawberry with some licorice and cedar. The mouth shows off good oak integration with fruit that follows the nose. This wine could be cellared for another couple of years, but there’s no crime in drinking it now.