This is in fact going to be a short and sweet review, as I am swamped in paperwork and other work related stuff. This wine was presented to the Canadian Wine Guy as a potential wine to review, and it would not be fair to accept the wine and not review it, now would it? Candor is part of the Hope Family Wines that produces Treana, Austin Hope and Liberty School (probably the most familiar of the labels for the average Canadian consumer). Candor is the newest of the group which is focusing on Merlots and Zinfandels. While their labels and naming (Lot 1, Lot 2) are interesting, I am still perplexed that any winery in this day and age would market a Merlot (or Zin for that matter) as non-vintage. Going over press materials and websites I am cannot get a true feel for this choice, my only hope was the wine would leave that question moot. On to the tasting!
‘Ripe strawberries’ fill your nose on the decant. The first few swirls skirt that fruit and replaces it with a flowery bouquet, odd, but the nose does not lie. The initial sips actually do not do this wine much justice, the initial reaction was ‘ho hum’, a bit lively at the beginning, half decent fruit and a dull finish. BUT, that was the start, this wine grows quickly on you, it becomes more balanced and more respectful in terms of the palate. Plum and come forward with a good hint of earthiness mixed in. A good pairing for this is the standard bold red meal, lamb, steak au poivre or a hard roast. This wine is not going to win awards, it will not wow your Merlot friends, but it is a good value and a decent table wine. Lot 1’s are still around and selling for under $20 so expect the same for Lot 2, you can do much worse for your twenty dollars then this wine.
The CWGSR is 84 out of 100.
