Dogwood Cellars

Dogwood Cellars is what I call a “pick-it” label: the wines are individual enough that no one wine stands for the label and you have to pick the one you like. I liked this Meritage in a recent tasting, though others might have chosen the Zin or Cab.

Dogwood’s Meritage is two-thirds Merlot and one-third Cabernet, and the fruit comes from two sources: Brutocao’s Block 5 vineyard and Contento Vineyards. Brutocao also assisted in the winemaking with Fred Nickel, who makes tens of thousands of cases for Brutocao, acting as consultant to winemaker/owner Doug Hackett. Hackett along with Chris Brown and Mike McColl form the three family partnership that owns the Dogwood label.

Aromatically, the wine comes across more like Cab than Merlot, and that’s not a bad thing: you get surprised by the softness and flesh of the Merlot, but the chalky mineral underpinnings of the Cabernet never leave the flavor profile. And because the Merlot rides on top of such a strong foundation, the wine lifts in your mouth rather than just settling down. There are plentiful fine tannins, good complexity and an impressively long finish. Drinking well now, for $38. Just 70 cases were made.

Reviewed March 12, 2007 by Thom Elkjer.