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Merlot Thursday: DuCard Vineyards Virginia Merlot (2021)
A bright, berry-filled mountain Merlot is on the tasting table! It’s the latest bottle we’ve enjoyed from the “if you know, then you know” (don’t call it “emerging”) wine region of Virginia. Tucked away in the Shenandoah Mountains of Madison County, DuCard Vineyards is a local destination for live music and boutique wine-tasting experiences. Their…
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Merlot Thursday: Château Armens Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (2020)
A World Cup match lasts approximately 90 to 100 minutes. I’m not really into sports…but coincidentally, 90 minutes is about how long I like to linger over a tasty glass of red wine. And so, we are at the bar, my wife is watching footie on the telly–and I am kicking off the evening with…
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Merlot Thursday: Meeker “Winemakers’ Handprint” Sonoma County Merlot (2022)
Every bottle of Meeker‘s “Winemakers’ Handprint” Merlot is marked by the winemaker with acrylic paint. Fingerprints grasp the curves of the bottle in neon smears of fuschia and yellow, wrapping the glass in a handshake–or reaching out from the shelf in a friendly wave. The handprint is meant to remind drinkers that wine is made…
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Merlot Thursday: St. Francis Sonoma County Merlot (2021)
“This lady reviews more cheap house wines than anyone I know.” That’s how I was introduced by a friend to a small group of wine folks earlier this week. While it was meant as a playful jest, it’s certainly true. Especially on #MerlotThursday, when Merlot’s ease of use propels it to the top of the…
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Merlot Thursday: Ron Yates Friesen Vineyards Texas High Plains Merlot (2021)
“Texas wine is bad” is one of those wine-industry truisms that I wish I could erase from conversation. The truth is, Texas wine runs the entire gamut of quality, from undrinkable to world-class. In that way, it’s a lot like Merlot–another wine category that has fallen victim to unfair generalization and unfair disdain. The only…
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Merlot Thursday: Anterra Terre Siciliane Merlot (2024) + a meatball Ferris wheel
Today’s Merlot is doomed to be overshadowed by its food pairing: An audacious, silly carnival ride for meatballs. The Meatball Ferris Wheel is the signature appetizer at The Sicilian Butcher. Created by Chef Joey Maggiore, the Italian chain has 7 locations in Texas, Arizona, and Tennessee. It popped up last year in a North Dallas…
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Merlot Thursday: Les Cadrans de Lassègue Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (2022)
Once again, I’m in the North Dallas suburbs and searching for Merlot. It looks promising: The steakhouses here are wedged into the crevices between every parking garage and highway median. However, this is the land of Caymus and Austin Hope, and finding a fresh glass of Merlot is never a sure thing. I pop into…
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Merlot Thursday: Bodegas Volver “Juntos” Alicante Merlot (2024)
A ripe ‘n rowdy Merlot from Spain is our pick for this #MerlotThursday! “Juntos” comes from the sunny Mediterranean coast in the region of Valencia. Wine lovers may hear “Alicante” and think of Alicante Bouschet, the red-fleshed grape that lends its irresistible color to blends. And indeed, Merlot-Alicante blends do exist in the table wines…
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Merlot Thursday: Shafer Napa Valley Merlot (2023)
The 2023 vintage in Napa Valley has wine writers using some immoderate language. “2023 was as perfect as any Napa vintage in living memory. It was Napa’s ‘1961 Bordeaux,’” writes Karen MacNeil in Decanter. “The Vintage of a Lifetime,” proclaims the Napa Valley Harvest’s vintage summary. “With consistent, mild weather throughout the season, above-average crop yields,…
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Merlot Thursday: Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot (2022)
Today’s wine was presaged by a special omen: Duck family! In my yard! Mr. and Mrs. Mallard stopped by this morning, grubbing up worms from the driveway after the rain. Whenever they found one, he nudged it toward her to taste it first–just like my partner does when I order something weird off a wine…
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Merlot Thursday: Château Giscours “Haut-Médoc de Giscours” (2020)
Today’s #MerlotThursday wine is actually just 50% Merlot–so I drank two glasses to make it count. 😉 The “Haut-Médoc de Giscours” is the third label of Château Giscours, a prestigious Third Growth estate in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux. The fruit comes from Giscours’ 60 hectares of vines in the Haut-Médoc, slightly inland and adjacent to…
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Merlot Thursday: Sydney Back South Africa Merlot (2022)
Oh no–#MerlotThursday snuck up on me again. Fortunately, I have this bottle that a friend gifted me last night: A Kosher Merlot from South Africa. Happy Passover to those who observe it! This medium-bodied, lightly oaked Merlot is fresh and red-fruited with some earthy character. Red cherries, black plum, and spiced cranberry yield to deeper…