Merlot

Though this has become an iconic wine, the beauty of this wine and many others is vintage variation, which produces subtle changes, depending on weather patterns and how the fruit is grown. This is Duckhorn’s most dense and deeply rich Merlot of the past few years, and in fact this is a Merlot dominant iteration (98% Merlot, 2% Malbec). More dark and brooding than previous vintages this one has a beautiful depth to it - deep and rich, blackberry pie, Huckleberry compote, blueberry jam, and light strawberry.

This offers nicely balanced red fruit with minimal oak, solid acidity and decent tannic structure. Not an easy thing to find in a Merlot, and a Merlot at this price. Black cherry, black berry, huckleberry, red currant, light cedar and vanilla notes dominate and this is a very comprehensive wine. Mainly Merlot, there are small percentages of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Malbec. It was aged for 14 months in French oak, only 40% of which was new, hence the light wood touch. What this ultimately offers is a robust Merlot that is well worth the price.

This is 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.  One of the truly great Merlots out there.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, baking spice, chocolate, and smoke.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is flat out delicious.  Cherries, chocolate, slight cassis and spice.  Deep and complex.  Long finish.  This is drinking great now but should have another fifteen to twenty years.  Great on its own, this will work well with Ham or Chicken.  

This is 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc from the difficult 2013 vintage.  Ruby/purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose cherries, chocolate, tobacco and spice.  Nice texture.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries with some cherries with some clay and spice notes.  The finish is a bit clipped.  A very nice effort for the vintage.  It may not have enough fruit to outlast the tannins.  drink over the next ten years.  Nice on its own, but better with food.  A nice wine to open with Ahi Tuna off the grill.  

This is one of the best values in wine.  It is basically a blend of the better barrels that didn't make it into the varietal or vineyard designated wines.  In fact, the Sineann Red Table Wine (also a great value) gets the wine that didn't make it into the Abondante.

In a really special place right now.  Fantastic.  This is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, cherries, slight chocolate, tobacco, leather and slight funk.  Full bodied.  Velvety texture.  On the palate, this is vibrant but also showing layering and complexity.  Flavors of black cherries and cherries with underlying earthiness.  Some chocolate on the finish.  This is at peak but should drink well for another decade.  Great on its own as it is contemplative, but will work great with roasted fowl, meat or even vegetab

I’ve long held the belief that it’s pretty hard to mess up Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain fruit. The vines there are simply exceptional. So in the very capable hands of Duckhorn, the fruit in this 2018 shines. It’s all Cabernet with 8% Merlot added. There’s a lovely elegance to this wine, a steadiness that combines all the elements, oak, fruit, wood and tannin together. Not one element outperforms the other. The soft fruit includes noticeable black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, mocha, huckleberry and the ever-present but limited vanilla and caramel.

Though Cuvaison is best known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, they have an impressive overall portfolio of wine that often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Case in point, their 2019 Merlot is nothing short of outstanding. This is a medium bodied wine that drinks like a full-bodied wine with lots of swagger. Black cherry notes dominate along with plum, blackberry, light blueberry, cocoa powder and fresh sawed cedar wood. This is 100% Merlot and shows that with excellent fruit, you can make a Merlot that doesn’t need the addition of other grapes to make it better.

I’ve long reviewed wines based upon a simple principle: Is the wine I’m tasting commensurate with its price? Many expensive wines are not worth the price, and similarly, many inexpensive wines are not worth their price tag. So to find this Merlot, for 11 bucks, well, it’s worth every penny, and more. Line 39 did an exceptional job of making this wine and crafting a solid, dependable and tasty wine. Though not overly complex, it offers what every wine should: definable fruit, integrated oak, good acidity and tannic structure.

Luna made some nice wines.  This was certainly one.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, milk chocolate, spice, and slight plums.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this is easy drinking but also has some depth.  Chocolate covered cherries with a slight bit of undergrowth.  Good finish.  Nice on its own, this is a classic burger wine as well.  Drink over the next ten years.