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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…
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Merlot Thursday: “Madame de Beaucaillou” Haut-Médoc (2019)
Merlot’s fortunes are so low that it’s possible to walk into an upscale wine shop and not see a single bottle with the “M-word” on the label. When you ask for help finding a nice Merlot, they will look at you with either pity (as if you have no wine knowledge) or suspicion (as if…
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Merlot Thursday: Backhouse California Merlot (2023)
Late-night happy hours (sometimes called “reverse” happy hours) are superior to regular happy hours in every way. Urban drink-seekers know this. Instead of jumping into rush-hour traffic to (hopefully) find a barstool and catch a server’s attention before the clock strikes 6 PM, you get to slow down. You can finish your daily work and…
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Merlot Thursday: Château la Grâce Dieu les Menuts Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (2016)
If there is any 2016 Saint-Émilion left on the planet at the end of this year, it won’t be for lack of trying. I have been uncorking these bottles with relish on Thursdays (and other days), and they are consistently tasting just right. Want a sip of this vintage? Then you’d better hurry. Château la…
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Merlot Thursday: Salentein “Portillo No. 06” Uco Valley Merlot (2020)
Among wine drinkers, Argentina’s Uco Valley is almost synonymous with Malbec. Malbec’s growth, largely driven by international demand, has been heroic–more than 800% since 2004. The mountainous terrain allows this dark-skinned, intensely fruity variety to produce wines that also show elegant floral aromas and firm acidity. The emergence of Malbec as Argentina’s principal grape has…
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Merlot Thursday: St. Supéry Rutherford Estate Vineyard Merlot (2021)
I’ve pinched myself a bunch of times today, but it hasn’t worked. This is no dream…I really am in California. It’s the last full day of the Wine Writers’ Symposium in Napa Valley. It’s just after sundown. And there is excellent wine everywhere. Earlier today, I woke up in a cottage on the side of…
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Merlot Thursday: Reclos de la Couronne Montagne-Saint-Émilion (2022)
Every week, following the example of a loose community of online wine nerds, I stop whatever I’m doing and drink a Merlot. There are two main reasons for the exercise: One, I’m trying to train my palate to recognize subtle differences in terroir and winemaking by becoming overly familiar with one variety, and two, Merlot…
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Merlot Thursday: Early Mountain “Eluvium” Virginia Red Blend (2017)
Today’s #MerlotThursday wine is a rare treat: A classic Bordeaux-style blend from the rocky and steep terrain of the Blue Ridge mountains. The marker is Early Mountain Vineyards, a boutique producer in Madison, Virginia. They are specialists in structured red blends from Bordeaux varieties, sometimes with the addition of Tannat. Merlot anchors two Early Mountain…