Penns Wood has two tasting flights, the normal tasting menu and the reserve tasting menu. The normal tasting menu only had one red wine so I went with the reserve tasting ($15) to taste all three red wines that were offered. The red grapes comes from the estate vineyard as well as a vineyard in Coatesville.
The red wines are listed in the order I tasted them.
2004 Ameritage - This wine is a blend of five grape varietals including 4 bordeaux and nebbiolo. The front palate has tobacco, cedar and smoke notes. The mid palate has hints of Easter ham and good structure. The finish is European in style with light structure and strong earth flavor. Retail $35.
2004 Reserve Ameritage - Fuller bodied than the regular Amertiage, the front palate gives dark berry and chocolate notes. The mid palate shows more red fruit and the firm tannin. The tanning on the finish are soft but the finish is surprisingly uninspiring. Retail $45.
Merlot Reserve 2005 - The front palate of the Merlot has light cedar, tobacco and strawberry notes. The mid palate shows dried fruit and soft but pronounced tannin. The finish is middle length with firm tannin structure across the tongue. The style is reflective of an Old World style Merlot that would not be out of place in a French or Italian cafe. The best red wine of the flight. Retail $34.
Penns Wood's red wines are still showing strong after 8 and 9 years. The 2005 Reserve Merlot was showing subtle fruit and the secondary notes were pronounced. The Reserve Ameritage was lacking a complex finish which was disappointing. The blend of the Ameritage changes each year so it will be interesting to see how other blends do with time.
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