We have to admit we had a little tinge of nostalgia when we tasted this. Back in the early 90's Swanson Merlot was a big deal. It was constantly getting huge scores from Wine Writers and was one of the lushest, most complete versions of this varietal around. It was Merlots like the Swanson that made the varietal popular on top of the marketplace. This lush, chocolatey, fruit-packed effort reminded us of the 'good old days' with its unctuous texture and pandering fruit.