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A year of Merlot Thursday: What I learned from tasting 52 different Merlots
Looking back at The Wine Fairy archive this week, I realized something neat: July is my one-year anniversary of Merlot Thursday participation. I first learned about #MerlotThursday while scrolling wine-related posts on Reddit. The premise is simple enough: On Thursday, you drink a Merlot and review it, in hopes of raising the profile of an…
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Merlot Thursday: Chateau Belle-Vue “La Renaissance” (2013)
Welcome to a special Merlot-versary edition of #MerlotThursday! That’s right…it’s my 52nd weekly Merlot review for The Wine Fairy. Coming next week: A separate article reflecting on all the gallons of Merlot I drank last year, from ten different countries and representing nearly every level of price and quality. Sometimes, it’s hard to separate the…
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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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Review: Château Le Devoy Martine “Via Secreta” Lirac (2019)
It’s the best evening combo I could hope for: A favorite bistro, a couple of hours to kill, and a bottle of Rhône. Rhône reds (sadly) aren’t common in restaurants in my town. They’re usually crowded out by blockbuster Cabs and Paso Robles blends. In the best of cases, they’re relegated to one or two…
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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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Review: Kirkland Signature Vacqueyras (2023)
There are two types of people who buy the Kirkland Signature wines from Costco: Those who care about wine tasting, and those who (mostly) don’t. Among the latter group, Kirkland wines are convenient, cheap grocery items and house-party standbys. Grabbing a case of Prosecco or a jug of Chianti saves you money and a trip…
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Review: ROCO “Gravel Road” Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (2022)
A fresh and lively Willamette Pinot Noir is on the table tonight. “Gravel Road” is the entry-level Pinot from ROCO Winery, founded by Oregon wine pioneers Rollin Soles and Corby Stonebraker-Soles. It’s a solid–though not life-changing–weekday wine at $25-$30. It opens with a friendly burst of fruit: Cherry, strawberry fruit leather, and Bosc pear. The…
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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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Review: Domaines Schlumberger “Cuvée Christine” Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives (2018)
“A late-picked Gewurztraminer has perhaps the most exotic smell of any wine in the world,” says Jancis Robinson’s Atlas of Wine. Whether dry or sweet, this grape is extra. Gewurztraminer punks the palate while it indulges the senses. It’s fascinating, it’s uncanny–and I can’t get enough of it. My local wine shop only stocks Gewurztraminer…
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Review: Santa Cruz Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (2023)
This dive bar is better known for birria tacos–and for bad decisions involving tequila–than it is for wine. But I really want a glass of red wine with some carne asada, so here goes nothing. Santa Cruz Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is sitting in mini bottles, next to vials of beer salt and a frozen-drink machine…
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Onward and upward for Texas wine! Tasting North Texas at the Frontiers of Flight Museum
Texas wine took over the Frontiers of Flight Museum for a day, with a dozen producers showing up to pour their wines for thirsty Dallasites. A backdrop of historic aircraft and spacecraft set the scene as the post-brunch crowd streamed in for an afternoon of tasting. The Wine Fairy was there, too! Here’s what we…
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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…