It reminds me of a Mon Chéri, the famous single-wrapped chocolate, consisting of a “heart” of cherry floating in a liqueur and contained in a bittersweet chocolate shell.
In fact, although in a fairly discrete way, the 14.5% alcohol reveals itself from the first sniff, giving a sensation of fruits under spirit. The time spent in the barrique adds a clear chocolate flavour. At first the wine is not as filling as you would expect. Both finish and aftertaste are also a bit light. The tactile feeling is initially smooth, probably mainly due to the high alcohol, but later the wood leaves you with a not so pleasant drying finish.
After some time in the glass the wine opens up and the overall experience improves. Sensations get richer, more pleasant and more persistent. I would therefore suggest decanting the wine before tasting.
On the whole I find this top of the range wine produced by Tamborini good for Ticino, but I’m convinced that on an international comparison the 50 CHF charged can buy a more fulfilling experience.
The general high price of the wines of Ticino, when compared with similar products from around the world, I find worth considering. Especially for a region that doesn’t have an oenological tradition and up to 30 years ago was producing rather mediocre wine.
Not till the mid ‘80 a small group of very passionate young winemakers went to Bordeaux, learned how to produce better wines and to use barrels, and started experimenting. We own them the huge improvement in the quality of the Merlot del Ticino.
In the ‘90 the wine producers understood that in Switzerland a wine of good quality could be sold at a comfortable premium.
The higher costs base, the limited supply of good Swiss red wines and our high living standards are all factors that contribute in making the Merlot del Ticino relatively expensive, when compared with similar products from abroad.
According to my experience, this is especially true for the lower and the higher end. Some products priced between 25 and 40 CHF seems to compete pretty well with international wines in the same price bracket.
Country: Switzerland
Region: Ticino
Grapes: Merlot
Type: Red
Vintage: 2013
Producer: Tamborini
Price range: Extra (50-100 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5