Larkmead Firebelle 2014 / 750 ml.

Of all our newly released wines, the Firebelle has by far the most inviting aromatic profile. Burnt matchstick gives way to plum skin and accents the wine’s ripe, red, fleshy core. Further investigation reveals scents of flowers, a touch of spice, some clove and sassafras bark that linger in the glass, even after the wine is consumed. In the mouth, the Merlot dominates the supple core of this wine, but—as with the ever-shifting aromatics—the palate is similarly changeable: nimble and ethereal with one sip, smooth and charming the next. The young vine Cabernet that makes up a quarter of the blend adds to the red fruit tones and makes for a bright, fresh finish.