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Merlot Thursday: Res Fortes “Merlot Madness” Vin de France (2021)
“Merlot Madness” may be the first #MerlotThursday wine to address the elephant in the room. “Unlike the Academy Award winning film ‘Sideways,’” the label reads, “we have always loved full fruit flavour, soft tannins, and easy drinkability.” Hey, we love all those things, too! A weekly dive into a glass of Merlot has reminded us…
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Costco Advent Calendar Wine #3: Champs de Foin Cabernet Sauvignon (Pays d’Oc, France)
Behind door #3 of the 2025 Costco wine calendar is…gasp! Could it be? A normal wine? So far, we’ve had a ripasso and a flavored white sangria inside the mystery box. Now, we’re getting back to basics with a regular old dry red wine from France: The Champs de Foin Cabernet Sauvignon. The appellation on…
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Costco Advent Calendar Wine #1: L’Artiste Ripasso (Italy)
Last year, I got the Costco Wine Advent-ure Calendar around Thanksgiving, hoping to taste all the wines before December 25. But wouldn’t you know it? The busy-ness (and booziness) of the holiday season intervened, and I fell too far behind. I forgot I had a wine fridge full of half-bottles. I ended up drinking most…
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Merlot Thursday: Captûre Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak Merlot (2021)
There’s a certain rebellious thrill to matching a big wine with a small occasion. In this case, the small occasion was 5 PM on a workday. And the big wine was the 2021 Merlot from Captûre Wines’ Pine Mountain estate.* I ordered this glass as a #MerlotThursday splurge after narrowly surviving (an exaggeration, but only…
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Review: Giuseppe Sedilesu “Mamuthone” Cannonau di Sardegna (2020)
“Cannonau” is the Sardinian name for the variety Grenache. This is the sort of random wine fact that I didn’t know six months ago, or need to know. But then the wine bug bit and some book learnin’ happened. Now when I see the word “Cannonau” on a wine list or a label, I don’t…
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Merlot Thursday: Château Larmande Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé (2005)
Today is a very special #MerlotThursday because I’m featuring a Merlot wine straight from the source: The Vins de Bordeaux expo table at TEXSOM 2025! The Bordeaux delegation is on the expo floor for all three days, pouring beautiful reds that rotate each day. Likewise, three winemakers are here for the conference: François Despagne of…
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Review: Mitolo “7th Son” McLaren Vale Grenache-Shiraz (2017)
It’s an exciting evening at the Wine Fairy house: The bottle on the table is big, red, and Grenache-y. We’re tasting the “7th Son” red blend from McLaren Vale’s Mitolo Wines, and the one-word review summary is, “Whoa!” Mitolo’s “7th Son” is in the genre of GSM blends, but with an Italian twist: The Mourvèdre…
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Merlot Thursday: Hope Tree California Merlot (NV)
On the tasting table today is a $5 bottle of non-vintage Merlot from Sprouts Farmers Market. But is it a Merl-icious bargain, or a Merlot no-go? Time to grab my best dollar-store glassware and twist that cap! We are earnest aspirants to fine-wine appreciation in this household. But we’re also cool with not-so-fine wine and…
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Review: Trapiche “Tesoro” Uco Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (2021)
Recently, through weekly Merlot tastings, I’ve been rediscovering the joy of Merlot. And readers of this blog know about my recent infatuation (now entering its second year, so maybe things are finally getting serious) with Grenache. But my long-term honeyboo, my ride-or-die, my desert-island soul grape is still none other than Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s what…
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Merlot Thursday: Château Franc Patarabet Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (2020)
Like a made-from-scratch spinach dip, a pair of suede loafers, a corduroy armchair…the best things in the world are cozy and opulent at the same time. We can surely add Merlot to that list. Unapologetically plush and oh-so easy to enjoy, it’s no wonder Merlot has been snubbed by those who think wine needs to…
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Review: w/o Frappato Terre Siciliane IGT (2023)
Tasting a new grape is a lot like meeting a friend of a trusted friend: Hello, new grape! Unless you give me a reason not to, I’m certain I’m going to love you. I was especially predisposed to love Frappato, one of Southern Italy’s rare and special wine varieties. Lighter and more aromatic than Nero…
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DFW Day Trip: San Martiño Winery (Lavon, TX)
On a drizzly summer Saturday, we wandered east of Dallas to San Martiño Winery & Vineyards. A tip from a wine friend had led us to this hidden family winery in a growing DFW suburb. It’s located in Lavon, Texas on Highway 205 between Lavon Lake and Lake Ray Hubbard. Spanish touches are everywhere, beginning…