2007 Horse Heaven Hills H3 Merlot

Hello all!! We had this wine tonight with pork tenderloin, marinated in paprika and garlic, with peach chutney, and salad. The color was deep plum. The aromas were somewhat faint, and consisted of dark cherry and some oak. On the palate there was blackberry, firm tannins and cocoa. This sounds pretty yummy. And this wine had good reviews, particularly at this price point ($14 at Ashes). It was disjointed at first, but the flavors mellowed as it opened. Still, I didn't care for this wine. To me, it was thin on the mid-palate. It was described as having a velvety finish, but I found it to more closely resemble a thin flannelette. Disappointing. I prefer the 2008 Berringer Estate Founders and the 2008 Chateau St. Michelle Indian Wells to this wine. The St. Michelle's, in particular, was very good.