Firestone, Santa Ynez Valley (California) Merlot 2008

There was a time when Firestone wines went through a bit of a slump, but now that it’s become part of the Bill Foley family of wines the quality seems to have shot up–as this very tasty Merlot shows. This Merlot has plenty of fruit, but reflecting the Santa Ynez Valley’s somewhat temperate climate that fruit is modulated rather than exceedingly sweet, and the wine is medium-bodied rather than heavy. This is a pretty little wine, and fairly priced at $20.