WineShout Review of 2011 Maestoso “solo” Merlot

And then the beast – Maestoso. With such a masculine monicker, would you even expect any less? The Maestoso “Solo” Merlot 2011, is 100% Merlot primarily from the south Okanagan’s Lake Osoyoos District, an area just a stone’s throw from the US border that’s famous for being Canada’s only desert. It is an homage to the greatest of Super Tuscan wines, Ornellaia’s Masseto.

Nearly opaque in the glass, just as it was when I tasted the 2009 vintage, Maestoso is a medley of blueberries and autumnal spices, vanilla bean, Espresso and rustic butcher shop fattiness. The tannins pack a tender punch that makes me smile, though of course, they’ll mellow out with age. The finish lingers.

Maestoso is the pinnacle of Okanagan Merlot, a young Brando of a wine that shouts from the rooftops “I am what I am!” From a region known more for its Cab Francs and Rieslings, but where Merlot is the most widely grown grape variety, Maestoso is a flagbearer.