Robert Mondavi - 2006 Private Selection Meritage

There are few names as synonymous with California wine as that of Robert Mondavi. Over the years, in addition to his namesake Napa Valley Winery, numerous subsidiaries became part of the Mondavi empire. The Private Selection wines are one of those off shoots. These wines tend to have a suggested retail just above $10 and can provide a gateway for people at the beginning of their wine exploration, as well as everyday value for more seasoned wine drinkers. Today I'll look at their current release Meritage and see what it offers. The 2006 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Meritage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), Merlot (10%), Petit Verdot (10%), and Malbec (8%). The majority of the fruit was sourced in Monterey County (66%), with the balance coming from Santa Barbara (25%), and San Benito (9%). This wine was aged in oak for 15 months, with 30% of it being new. The suggested retail price for this offering is $11.

The nose of this Meritage is comprised of dark berry fruit notes. Black cherry and plum dominate. Throughout the palate, those dark fruit tones continue, along with vanilla, black pepper, and some hints of cedar. This wine has firm, chewy tannins and good acidity. Some earth emerges on the finish along with more dark fruit and spice notes. This wine will be an excellent match for grilled chops, a burger, or strong cheeses.

The question when I taste a wine of this nature, what am I expecting for $11? I hope for a wine that is well made, true to it's varietal compostion and hopefully somewhat interesting. This low priced Meritage from Robert Mondavi Private Selection, fits the bill. It has sufficient structure to drink well for a couple of years, tastes true to being mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, and has enough length and interesting elements to make it worth it's price-tag. Truth be told it's often available for under $1o. For that amount of money, you won't mind opening it any night of the week.

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promisQous Red - A California Table Wine

When tasting a wine it's important to take into account what the intent and purpose is. Some wines are crafted with the goal of scoring 90 + points in major wine publications. Others are made with the intent of producing wines reflective of their place. And then there are wines produced with the purpose of providing everyday drinking value. The promisQous wines seem to aim for that market. I'll look at their red blend today and see if it hits its mark.  promisQous Red is a blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and other red varietals. Fruit was sourced from several areas in California, though 42% is from Lodi. 15% of the wine was aged in barrel. The suggested retail price for this wine is $12. This offering is available at Supermarkets and Target stores that carry alcohol.

The nose of this blend is filled with plum, red raspberry and vanilla. The palate is loaded with both red and black, lush, ripe, fleshy, jammy, berry fruit flavors. Spice notes in the form of pepper emerge on the finish along with a touch of earth. This wine has the structure and acidity to stand up to a wide away of foods.

For me promisQous Red is a classic pizza wine. This is the price bracket most people are drinking in on a regular basis. For $12 you can buy this on your way home from work and pop it open to pair with leftovers or a burger. The blend of varietals offers a broad array of characteristics that emerge as you drink it, offering something pretty interesting for the price range. So, yes this wine fulfills its intent. This is one I'll keep in mind to bring with me to the first barbecue of the season.

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O'Brien Estate - Napa Valley - Romantic Trio

I wasn't very familiar with O'Brien Estate in Napa Valley until recently. However after reading about them, and more importantly their wines on-line, I was intrigued. So I set out to taste some of their offerings and see if the juice in the bottle lived up to all I'd read. They're a small (4,000 cases) Family Winery whose portfolio includes Chardonnay, Merlot and Seduction a Bordeaux style blend. They also make reserve or barrel selections of some of these offerings and have several gift pack options as well. Packaging isn't something I write about very often when it comes to wine. However the "Romantic Trio" I tasted this weekend is packed in such a beautiful and stunning manner that it demands mentioning. The trio is comprised of "Attraction" Chardonnay, "Romance of The Heart" Merlot and the aforementioned Bordeaux Blend called "Seduction." They are housed in a gorgeous lacquered wood box whose lettering has been branded in. Each set is numbered and signed by Bart O'Brien. Production is limited to 400 sets per Vintage year. The back of each bottle has a poem written by owner Bart O'Brien. Each varietal has its own poem. There is no question the set is a dazzling and dramatic presentation. The obvious question for me, would the wine in the bottle taste as good as the set looked? This set sells for $199 through their website.

The 2007 Attraction Chardonnay is sourced from Estate fruit on their Oak Knoll Vineyard. 50 Cases of Attraction were produced.

This Chardonnay opens with a nose of apple, vanilla and light toast notes. Throughout the palate stone and orchard fruit notes are plentiful along with some apple pie crust spices and a gentle touch of citrus peel. There is a purity of fruit throughout that is enhanced and complemented by oak aging. The finish of Attraction is impressively long with Crème Brule, caramel, cream, white pepper and just the right amount of toast.

There are two things that stand out to me about Attraction. First of all it's very much a California Chardonnay, but in the best sense of that description. Secondly the finish is complex and lingers forever. I'm very finicky when it comes to California Chardonnay; Attraction is one of the best I've tried in awhile.

The 2006 Romance of the Heart Merlot is also sourced from fruit on their Oak Knoll Vineyard. 75 cases of this wine were produced.

Cherry and pomegranate notes highlight the expressive nose of this Merlot. Taking the first sip, I found it to be tight. In decanting it I found that about an hour of air did the trick to let this wine blossom. Once it did open up this Merlot proved to filled with blueberry and blackberry through the rich, mouth-filling palate. Tannins are clearly present and firm, but certainly approachable. Chicory and earth notes came out in the finish which is above average in length with lingering spice notes. This wine, with its solid core of fruit is balanced by fine acidity. It's closer in structure to Cabernet Sauvignon then what many people unfortunately let pass for Merlot. This wine would be a perfect match for Filet Mignon topped with Gorgonzola.

I love Merlot but as I hinted above there's a boatload of sub-par ones out there. For years now my standard bearer for Estate Merlot in Napa has been the outstanding one Swanson Vineyards makes year after year. Romance of the Heart from O'Brien Estate is comparable in quality, varietal correctness and overall drinking enjoyment. And for me that says a lot. This is an impressive effort.

The 2005 Seduction Bordeaux style blend is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot. 2,500 cases of this wine were produced. This is the largest production in the O'Brien portfolio.

The nose of this blend leads with explosive cherry followed by cedar which is underscored by a touch of bramble. While I fould it slightly more immediately accessible than the Merlot, an hour in the decanter proved to be a revelation. Once it came to life, there is a solid core of berry and cassis notes through the palate. The finish features a multitude of earth notes that simply increase as it opens up. These are joined by some dark coffee and mineral notes in a long, lingering, lusty finish that beckons you back to the glass again and again for further sips.

What impressed me most about Seduction is how well it's balanced. The Cabernet Franc elevates the nose and the Merlot provides nice structure. While it's drinking well now I expect this blend to improve over the next 5 or so years and drink well for several after that.

All three wines in the Romantic Trio are well made and very enjoyable to drink. Along with the wonderful packaging this makes for an excellent gift, romantic or otherwise. I look forward to following the O'Brien Estate going forward and hope they continue to make wines as pure and compelling as these.

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Don Valentin Bianchi Lacrado 2005

Over the last year I've revisited the wines of Valentin Bianchi on several occasions. There are a couple of reasons for that. For one, Argentine wines are of particular interest to me.  Additionally I have found the Valentin Bianchi wines to be well made and good values across different tiers and price levels. Today I'll look at one of their blends. The 2005 Don Valentin Bianchi Lacrado is a composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (34%), Malbec (33%), and Merlot (33%). This offering sees no wood and is aged completely in stainless steel, then filtered and bottled. The suggested retail price for this wine is $11.99.

I found the nose of this wine to be exceedingly fragrant. Plum, anise and subtle lavender notes amomgst the most prominent characteristics. While this wine is slightly tight out of the bottle, it opens up quickly. 30 minutes in the decanter really does the trick.  The palate of this blend mixes in an impressive smoothness for it's price range with some rustic charm that brings to mind old world field blends. Berry characteristics abound along with some light coffee notes on the finish as well as  earth and pepper spice. It's a rich, mouth-filling wine, offering plenty of drinking pleasure. This will match nicely with grilled meats. Chorizo comes to mind as a perfect accompaniment. Aged, better, Parmesan cheese would work nicely as well.

This is a wine made to drink in it's youth. It's priced to be affordable everyday. Another solid value from Valentin Bianchi.

Imported by Quintessential Wines

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Ridgeline Vineyards - 2004 Merlot

Ridgeline Vineyards is a boutique producer with the same ownership group as the well known and regarded Artesa Winery. Unlike Artesa which cuts a wide swath in terms of wines produced at varying tiers, Ridgeline is tightly focused on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The 2004 Merlot from Ridgeline was produced from fruit sourced in several prime Sonoma vineyard sources, Alexander Valley and Sonoma Mountain amongst them. Less than 2,000 cases of this wine were produced. The Suggested retail price is $24.

Pouring this wine into your glass and lifting it to your nose, scents of blackberry, eucalyptus, vanilla and cedar simply burst out. When you take the first sip it's immediately apparent how smooth, silky and elegant this wine is. That said it's big, rich and round in the mouth, filling the senses with loads of flavor. More blackberry is joined by plum, mocha and gingerbread spice notes. White pepper and earthiness are the prominent flavors on a long, lush finish. Hints of smokiness come also emerge which is typical of Alexander Valley fruit. This is a wine that will stand up to a steak or other similarly hearty cuisine.

What most impresses me about this wine is that it's a truly classic example of pure Merlot at a really nice price for the quality. This wine has the structure and heft to impress Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers, yet it has no rough edges. Ridgeline Vineyards Merlot is the sort of wine you can use to blow away your Wine Geek friends. It's simply an awesome wine, and at this point Ridgeline is still a bit under the radar. This would be a perfect wine to tuck away for a special occasion. It's drinking well now and will continue to improve and drink nicely for at least 7 or 8 years. If you've been turned off to Merlot because of all the industrial tasting offerings out there, here's one that might bring you back.

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Villa Poggio Salvi - 2006 Merlot

The diversity of wines coming from Italy surely rivals, if not tops, that of almost any wine producing nation. Aside from the classic and widely known grapes and styles there are literally hundreds of varietals throughout the country. Over the course of this week I'll look at a number of releases from legendary producer Biondi Santi and their sister winery Villa Poggio Salvi. These will lean towards classic, well known grapes. Villa Poggio Salvi's2006 Lavischio Merlot is 100% varietal. The grapes for this wine come from estate vineyards in the Monteriggioni region. The wine spends three months in oak and annual production is right around 3,000 cases. The suggested retail price for this wine is just under $30. Check wine-searcher though and it can be found for closer to $20.

The nose of this merlot presents cherry, plum, vanilla and cedar notes. 45 minutes to an hour in the decanter helped this wine come into its own, as it was pretty closed and tight at first. Once it blossoms the Poggio Salvi Merlot proves to be a medium bodied offering with loads of sour cherry in both the entry and mid-palate. Vanilla notes that came out in the nose are more prominent by the end of the mid-palate and carry through to the finish along with some secondary earthiness and a touch of white pepper. This wine has excellent acidity and will be an outstanding match for hard cheeses or a classic Italian Sunday Dinner of pasta with red sauce.

What I like best about this selection is how smooth, silky and easy to drink it is. This 2006 Merlot is a wine made in it's local style that speaks of the place it comes from. The 2006 Villa Poggio Salvi Merlot is not built for long term aging and should be consumed in its youth for maximum enjoyment. Drink it over the next couple of years.

Imported by Shaw-Ross International Importers.

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Opolo Vineyards - 2005 Merlot

A few weeks back I took a look at Opolo Vineyards Pinot Noir release. In short I felt it was an enjoyable wine to drink but not necessarily a typical Pinot Noir. I'll continue today with an occasional look at releases from Opolo Vineyards. Their portfolio is pretty wide and covers close to 30 offerings in any given year. At the moment I'm going to look at their 2005 Merlot. As much as I love Pas Robles I have found that Bordeaux varietals can be hit and miss in that area compared to Rhone Varietals, Zinfandels, Italian Varietals and the like. The 2005 Opolo Vineyards Merlot opens with a big nose loaded with dark plum, black cherry and subtle eucalyptus. Taking the first sip it's apparent this big wine need to be decanted if it' to be enjoyed now. At least an hour in the decanter is recommended to allow this one to begin to truly emote. Once it opens up an avalanche of berry fruit, spice and structure becomes apparent. The mid-palate of this wine has mocha and cherry notes underscored by a candied edge. Cedar and earth notes become more prominent at the end of the mid-palate and carry through the finish which is above average in length.  Good acidity is present and this wine is nicely balanced.

This wine has a suggested retail of about $35 and can be found for a few dollars less. What I like most about this Merlot is that it's true to it's varietal. It's a big, beefy wine but not over the top in any way. This is a plush, layered, serious Merlot that tastes more expensive than it's price tag. It'll evolve positively for at least 5 years and drink well for a couple after that.

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Thornton Winery - 2005 Temecula Valley Merlot

Temecula Valley is another of the California Wine Regions that's been coming on strong over the last few years. More and more consumers are aware of its existence and the fact that quality wine is emerging from this burgeoning region. Over the next few days I'll look at three releases from Temecula's Thornton Winery. First founded in 1988, Thornton Winery is one of the Pioneers of high quality Temecula Valley Wine. Their initial focus was Sparkling Wine. Five years later they introduced varietal wines. Between Sparkling and Still wines they currently produce 15,000 cases annually.

Today I'm looking at the Thornton Winery 2005 Temecula Valley Merlot. This wine has a suggested retail price of $27. Alcohol is a modest 13.9%

The nose of this Merlot presents dark, juicy plum and dust. The first sips through to the mid-palate are full of black cherry fruit, spicy white pepper and subtle mocha notes. Dust and white pepper continue through to the finish, joined by brambly earth, dried cherry fruit and nutmeg spice. The wine will be an excellent match for braised short ribs, lasagna or grilled marinated flank steak.

Most impressive to me about the Thornton Merlot is the excellent varietal character it displays. This is a relatively austere red wine, which leans towards the dark fruits that are often trademarks of Merlot made in a more classic European style as this one is. This wine was a little tight and tart out of the bottle so decanting for about an hour is recommended. This Temecula Valley Merlot has present but not overwhelming oak. A firm tannic structure suggests this wine will evolve nicely for at least 2-3 years and drink well for a couple of years after that.

A well made Merlot that's a fine example of this great varietal This is worth seeking out.

Up Next: Thornton Winery- Syrah

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Carmody Mcknight - Estate Merlot 2003

The Paso Robles area in California is best known for Rhone varietals. Second to that is probably Zinfandel which they also do exceptionally well. With some notable exceptions Bordeaux and Burgundy varietals don't seem to fare quite as well there, by and large. 

Carmody Mcknight is without question one of the notable exceptions. Their work with 100% Estate, 100 % Varietal wines is exceptional. Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, they make them all well.

Their Merlot is particularly good. What shines about it from year to year is that it tastes like Merlot. Not the swill that often passes for Merlot but actual Merlot.  Shocking isn't it?

The 2003 Carmody Mcknight Merlot is outstanding. It starts off with an immense nose of bright cherry fruit. The first sip reveals that the cherry notes are actually deeper than they smell. The mid plate brings white pepper that hangs through a noticeably long finish. In addition to the white pepper the finish brings with it some earthiness in the way of mushroom character as well as chocolate notes. All of this is balanced by a firm acidity that keep things well in check. This wine screams for some grilled food to accompany it.

Carmody Mcknight does make some blends in addition to their varietal wines. They are also quite good. But in letting the grapes from each variety speak for themselves each year they are providing quite a service. Tasting their wine year after year you get a sense of their Terroir. Their vineyards are renowned for limestone rich soils. That comes through in the consistency of their wines and the refinement they display vintage after vintage.

At $22 their Merlot is not the least expensive you'll drink. However it will be one of the most consistent year in and year out both in quality and varietal correctness.

Casa Julia Merlot

It's a funny thing about Chilean wines. People seem to either rave about them or revile them. Along with a lot of other Southern Hemisphere wines they've been bandied about as bargains for years by the Wine Press. Truth is, sometimes they are are sometimes they're not.

The 2003 Casa Julia Merlot is definitely in the bargain camp.

Coming in under $8 it offers plenty for that money.

Dark fruit rules the day with a bit of a peppery undertone.

It's medium to full bodied with a nice finish. Certainly more finish than you usually get for $8.

Significantly more true varietal character than you'll generally find in this price range

It likely won't evolve much but I'll bet it holds up for another few years if properly stored.

If you're looking for a house wine or something to go to with a large crowd when you don't want to break into your higher end bottles, the Casa Julia is a safe bet.