Start with good grapes, age them a bit, give it the right price and even with a goofy name – Luna di Luna doesn’t apparently translate into anything understandable in English – you have something worth trying.

This clear, bright violet colored wine is 60/40 blend of Merlot and Cabernet grapes and has strong black cherry notes. But it’s a young wine without much structure. There might be some plum under notes but it’s tough to distinguish anything further. The cherry notes come through on the palette with out a lot of tannins attached to the taste. The balance seems good. This moderately dry wine had a finish might be called medium. Overall it’s pretty drinkable, but a bit more complexity might be nice.

Grade: B- Price: $8

Wine Reviewed:
Luna di Luna
2003
Merlot Cabernet (60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet)
Delle Venezie
Italy
Alcohol: 12% by Volume.