2001
Leaping Lizard Merlot $
(10.99) 
It got a one from me as it was a gift, but honestly, the comics of
Lil Orphan Annie deliver more pleasantries.
1995
Talus Merlot ?
(gift from dinner guests)
A rich supply of red fruits, and oak aging deliver a wine that has a smooth,
long finish. Like a statue
carved from a solid piece of wood, bottle aging brought out the subtleties
of this wine and made it a great complement to mesquite grilled London
broil.
1999
Black Jack Estate Merlot $$
(34.99)
Hey, I was at dinner with someone who bought this bottle. I didn’t
order the Merlot. But this is a
muscular Merlot with a deep dark color, cherry and earthy tones with a smoky
full finish and silky tannins. Not a bad wine for a girly Merlot grape that California
toughened up.
2000 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Merlot
$ (11.00)
Rough and tumble with some dark cherry and raspberry, but the finish is
short and there is little charm to this one.
1999
Monterra Merlot $
(10.99)
This is actually an interesting blend of 76.5% Merlot, 9.7% Cabernet Sauvignon,
4.3% Zinfandel, 4.1% Sangiovese, 2.4% Petite Sirah, 1% Pinot Noir and I think
that leaves 2% for some other stuff. Soft
and fruity, like some people I know in San Francisco, with hints of black
cherry, and smoke. Minimal tannins
and a touch of vanilla from the 10-month aging in American oak.
1998 Clos Du
Bois Alexander Valley Reserve Merlot $$ (36.00 rest.)
As you are well aware; Merlot is not a grape that tickles my fancy.
This is a soft, mellow wine for a dinner party that wants to drink red,
but enjoy white. The surprise here
was the toasted oak that flavored this wine and made it more than a fruit drink.
1997 Robert Keenan Merlot, Napa Valley $$
(30.00)
Black Cherry and plumb with soft tannins on the finish blended well with
the cheese.
1999 Silver Ridge
Barrel Select Merlot $ (10.99)
Merlot’s are not my favorite but this wine is
packed with fruit and has a pleasant, easy drinking style.
Cherries are all over the aroma and taste of this wine, a pleasing wine
for those who do not want overpowering reds.
This is a good starter wine or a safe wine to bring when there are
divergent winos at dinner.
1999
Quail Creek Merlot $ (11.00)
This is why I am not a Merlot fan, not much to
this one. The fruit is faint, the finish is short and there is a bit of
harshness to this wine.
1998
KWV Rooderberg $ (11.00)
A pleasant blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon which brings a smooth, fruity
sensation to the palate. A wine for
enjoying with friends with blackberry and cherry and mild tannin.
Enjoy now or over the next few years, but not a keeper for more than 5.
1994
Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Reserve Merlot
$40.00 (purchased at the Winery in 1996)
This was one big merlot! Plenty
of fruit and complexity. Deep, deep
color with legs that wouldn’t quit. This
bottle had something for everyone beginning with a nice balance of firm plum
fruit and a lingering, slightly dusty merlot finish.
Rating 90
1996
William Hill Merlot
- House
wine for the revered Auberge d'Soleil in the Rutherford section of Napa.
We like to stay at this fancy
Inn and Restaurant where rooms go for $400-900 per night, more during the Holiday season.
This is a fantastic Merlot that displayed a perfect balance of Fruit that included Plums and almost a hint of
well-ripened strawberry coupled with just the right amount of "dusty"
finish
that a great Merlot should have in order to pave the way to a soft and smooth
finish. The finish was not overly
dry, thus breaking the trend of so many current Merlot offerings. $34
Rated 90 WinoHondo
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