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Category Archives: Merlot
RECOMMENDED: Wente Vineyards Estate Grown, 2009 “Sandstone” Merlot, Livermore Valley/San Francisco Bay. 13.5% ABV. $12.99.
APPEARANCE: Almost purple, translucent, clear edges. NOSE: Dust on nose at first. Blackberry and spice. TASTE/MOUTHFEEL: Round, balanced, mouth-filling, expanding. Smooth. Fruity. A hint of licorice. Pipe tobacco, toasty oak. FINISH: Lingering and lovely. LABEL NOTES: Wente Vineyards, established in … Continue reading
Posted in California, Merlot
2 Comments
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: elements by Artesa, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, AND elements 2006 Red Wine.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: elements by Artesa, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot and 1% Malbec), 62% Napa County, 38% Sonoma County. 14.4% ABV. Around $17 but available for as little as $12.99. We … Continue reading
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Leese-Fitch 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, California. 13.5% ABV. $9.99.
Three of us tasted this beauty, and all of us were stunned that a Cab this young (and inexpensive!) could possibly be this complex and delicious. Turns out there’s a reason: while it is indeed mostly Cab, it is in … Continue reading
RECOMMENDED: Leese-Fitch 2009 Merlot (87% Merlot, 13% Syrah), California. 13.5% ABV. Generally $8.99-10, available for as little as $7.75 (http://vinobazaar.com/red-wine/merlot/leese-fitch-merlot-2009/).
APPEARANCE: Dark ruby red with clarity, cool pink/lavender edges. NOSE: A light layer of red fruits: strawberry, raspberry. Opened to aromas of soft flowers, a kiss of oak, and molasses. TASTE: Chewy, round, mouth-filling, balanced, smooth, and mellow. I couldn’t … Continue reading
Posted in California, Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz
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HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Château La Bonnelle, 2008 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru. Around $22 but you can find it on sale for $18-19. 13.5%.
This beautiful red Bordeaux is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Sounds simple enough, but somehow the vintner managed to turn it into an unusual, very interesting, highly aromatic wine with the heady bouquet and taste of flowers including violets … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Food, France, Merlot
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HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Sterling Vintner’s Collection 2009 Meritage. Central Coast, CA. 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot. $12.99. 13.5% ABV.
Delicious! Oak, vanilla, and cinnamon. A first impression of brown sugar and jam gave way to a dry, beautiful wine. This is a wonderful, versatile everyday (i.e. inexpensive) blend that’s good enough for a dinner party. Delicious and classy, made … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Red Blend
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RECOMMENDED: 2009 William Knuttel Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County. 13.9% ABV. $19.99.
Delicious, smooth, elegant Cabernet Sauvignon. It was blended with Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, which explains why it is more of a Bordeaux-style red than a fruit bomb. It’s big but not in-your-face, and beautifully aromatic. It hasn’t been super-easy to … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot
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WINE TASTING. Two strong recommendations, lots of education.
On November 19, we attended a wine tasting hosted by Cuvée, Ocala’s wine bar and bistro (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). The wines were presented by Tom Tiley, wine consultant with Coastal Wine & Spirits. Tom’s background includes 15 years as a Level … Continue reading
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Chalone Vineyard, 2007 Merlot, Monterey County. 13.5% ABV. Around $12, available for as little as $7.34.
When we dined out recently (Mesa de Notte, Ocala, FL, mesadenotte.com), we were pleasantly surprised by the wine list. In fact, TWO Chalones (Merlot and Chardonnay) were on the wine list, along with a Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, … Continue reading
Posted in Books, California, Merlot
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