Parducci Merlot 03

Today we stopped by the Noodle and Co. near our house for some dinner. Much to my surprise, the menu offered a glass of wine for only $3.75!!! That is amazing for Utah, where little food chains like Noodle and Co. don't usually even have wine and the price was even more crazy. I ordered a glass of Parducci Merlot with my Tuscan chicken fettucini.

The smell of the wine was nice and lightly aromatic, I picked up hints of dark vanilla and sweet leather. The wine was served in a regular glass so, without the normal red wine bowl, it wasn't intense.

The wine tasted very good for the little price I actually spent on it. It was spicy with a medium-full body. It definitely did not disappoint. I wouldn't have called it "big" like most zinfandel wines, however it was a "bigger" wine than most other merlots that I have had.

The bright flavors complimented the garlicky pasta in a very good way and went well with the chicken and parmesan cheese. The chicken was blackened on the grill with some of the cheese on it giving it a smokey flavor. The smokiness added to the overall flavor of the wine. Throughout dinner the dish and the wine seemed to boost eachother in multiple ways.

I would definitely recommend this pair to any red wine fan, and I would recommend this inexpensive merlot to any merlot fan on a budget.