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Having been ridiculed (unfairly, in our opinion) in the movie, "Sideways," Merlot sometimes gets a bad rap as a beginner wine. We respectfully disagree. The Merlot grape, like many, can make fine wines for daily drinking as well as the best Merlots, sought out by collectors for their fine pedigree. Many of today's best-selling red blends contain Merlot as their backbone and some of the highest priced wines in the world (Château Pétrus in Bordeaux, for example) also use Merlot.
Merlot is versatile, which is why you'll find it planted in both warmer and cooler climates around the world. Besides Bordeaux, Merlot is also produced in the US, Australia, Chile, and elsewhere.
So here is an ode to Merlot. We know you well, and though we do not always sing your praises, we must give you your due as one of the greats.
JD9090 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 7/9/2022 Always bottled early, the 2020 Merlot is all varietal from a mix of sites in the Walla Walla Valley. It has a juicy, medium to full-bodied, chewy style on the palate as well as good purity in its ripe red and blue fruits, notes of tobacco, scorched earth, and graphite-like aromatics. It has some grippy, chalk tannins, and while rock-solid today, it’s not a wine to hide away in the cellar. (Jeb Dunnuck)
JD9393 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 5/6/2021 Lots of ripe cherry, mulberry, and currant-like fruits as well as spice, beef broth, and dried herb notes, emerge from the 2018 Merlot Stoneridge Vineyard. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a soft, plush texture, terrific mid-palate depth (which can be lacking in a number of Merlots), sweet tannins, and a great finish. Drink bottles any time over the coming decade. (Jeb Dunnuck)JS9292 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Monday, July 12, 2021 A full-bodied, plush red with aromas of plums, cherries, vanilla, rust and hazelnut. Polished and spiced with a full, creamy palate and fine-grained tannins. Flavorful finish. Drink or hold.
VN9595 pts. - Vinous - Mar 2022 Weighing in at 14.8% alcohol, the 2017 Red Wine Ciel du Cheval blends equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc from this outstanding site on Red Mountain. On the nose, it develops creosote tones alongside red florals, wintergreen, cigar ash and suggestions of Asian spices that all take shape in the glass. The palate is seamless and soft, delivering rich red and dark fruit flavors alongside black licorice and a hint of menthol. Glorious to consume now, the 2017 Ciel du Cheval could easily be a 20-year wine.RP9494 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 22nd Oct 2020 Dark ruby in color, the 2017 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard is dark-fruited with juicy black plum, blackberry essence and dark cherry with hints of currants and cassis. Soft aromas of red flowers and pencil shavings waft with a dusty tension. Medium to full-bodied, the wine shows precision with an elegant frame and sturdy tannins, ending with a long-lingering, mineral finish with high-tone red fruits of dark, dusty cherry skin and red plum skin. This will drink fantastically for the next decade, but it won’t do you wrong if you open a bottle tomorrow. Bravo!
JS9494 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Wednesday, May 24, 2023 Lovely brightness of fruit here, with dark plums, cherries, raspberries and chocolate orange. Some tobacco leaves, too. Roasted espresso notes come through. Full-bodied with creamy, broad tannins. Excellent concentration and depth. Drink from 2025. (James Suckling)
Premier SelectPremier Select wines are handpicked by our staff from amongst thousands of wines for their exceptional quality. They're made by a top producer and comparable to wines at twice the cost.
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Charles Smith Wines The Velvet Devil Merlot
Substance Vineyard Collection Merlot Stoneridge Vineyard
Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval Vineyard
