The 2014 Merlot Valentino is packed with lush cherry flavors that are both sweet and chewy. Valentino is the quintessential hot climate Merlot that replaces subdued elegance with thicker lines, deeper colors and more robust consistency. The wine delivers immediate pleasure and flavors. It is simple and heavy in fruit.

Valentino (a Sicilian expression of Merlot) is aged in oak to produce a wine that offers equals parts cherry and spice in terms of its aromas. In the mouth, it is sticky, chewy and bursting with bright berry fruit. ——M.L.(4/1/2012)—— 88

Inspired by the fashion designer Valentino, this Sicilian Merlot shows sun-ripened tones of blackberry, cherry liqueur, and dried prune. It’s a soft, round wine with a dense and chewy mouthfeel. ——M.L.(4/1/2012)—— 88

Here is a heavily oak-driven expression of Merlot from Sicily that shows layers of cherry, blackberry, chocolate, exotic spice, leather and moist pipe tobacco. The wine is incredibly soft and yielding in the mouth with soft fruit tones on the close. ——M.L.(3/1/2011)—— 88