Sherwood House 2003 Merlot: Age Brings Out the Oak

In 2003, the Iraq War began, a blackout shut down the East Coast, Martha Stewart was indicted and acres of grapes ripened in the Long Island sunshine. Yet that year's wine, as well as a lot of those things above, sure have changed over the years.

The wine: Sherwood House 2003 Merlot, a garnet colored wine that's clear and shows the faintest hint of brown around the edges.

Aromas (Nose): Smoky scents emerge first, like a pile of burning leaves, mixed with herbs like dried sage. Aromas of cedar also carry, with muted cherry fruit behind the woody notes.

Taste (Palate): Shows lean fruit flavors of tart cherry, like it's just been picked off the tree, with a cherry pit nuttiness, loads of smoke and chewy cedar. The oak has taken over here, but it softens after being open a while, when red plum flavors emerge. The wine is soft, has not much tannins left, with mild acidity. The smoky notes linger for a long time on the finish.

See how it changed: A 2006 review in the New York Cork Report called the wine: "Juicy medium garnet, this wine's nose is straightforward with black cherries, blackberries and light smoky oak. ... It's not complex, but French oak influence, cherry-blackberry flavors and a medium-long finish are tasty nonetheless."

Food pairing: Braised pork covered in caramelized onions and cherry compote.

Price: $25 at the tasting room.