1999 Kim Crawford Merlot. Te Awanga, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. 13.5% alcohol. $23.

After enjoying a little cold maceration prior to fermentation, this wine was raised on its lees for ten months in a mixture of new and used barriques. Clean medium red color with diffuse legs. A herbaceous nose of canned red enchilada sauce, minty plum, and violets. Reminds me quite a lot of a minor league St. Emilion from a mediocre vintage. Thin with light herbaceous fruit that ends with a very short finish. Good acidity and light tannins. Drink now to 2005. A wine more suited for a restaurant list than an oenophile’s cellar. 82 points.