Bright with a purity of pomegranate and sour cherry flavors, Shaw’s late-release 2006 Merlot is beautifully spiced on the nose and palate with generous anise and cinnamon notes. Dry and lean with a brisk, bracing acidity, it’s a wine to accompany long meals of spiced duck or lighter meat dishes. ——A.I.(12/1/2011)—— 86