As many of you may know, I don’t venture out much in the world of red wine. I drink a lot of cabs and some riojas, but I mostly stick to what my palate knows. The other night, a friend brought me out of my red wine shell with this 2014 Ca’Momi Merlot.

Ca’Momi is the heart’s offering of Italians Dario De Conti, Valentina Guolo-Migotto and Stefano Migotto. Their work is a tribute to the land of their birth and the food and wines that they love. From the winery and vineyards in Carneros, and featuring hand-selected fruit from across the Napa Valley, Ca’Momi Wines represent the best of both worlds: Napa Valley fruit carefully crafted by the heritage and obsessive care of Old World winemaking into some of the finest wines available.

Upon inspection, it is ruby red in color and has an earthy, but sweet aroma. Those flavors continue to play out on the palate with smooth and rich notes, including berries and vanilla with slight acidity. I saw it online for around $14. I paired it with a fun, homemade wine stopper. RAWR! 3/5.