Red Wines

15 Good Merlots Under $15

May 26, 2009 Tim Lemke

0

51.11K

Merlot

Over the past several weeks I’ve posted a number of reviews for Merlot.  I feel sorry for Merlot.  It’s gotten an undeserved reputation as a boring wine.  This is mostly due to the movie Sideways, and American’s tendency to foolishly be influenced by anything they see on screen.  Let me set the record straight, Merlot […]

Read more

More than Value: Excellence at Esporão

Cono Sur Visión Merlot – More Great Wine from Chile

May 19, 2009 Tim Lemke

0

8.69K

I logged on tonight planning to post a summary of all the Merlot reviews I’ve done recently, in order to show how they all stack up to each other and help you pick the best bargains.  When I pulled up my tasting notes database I saw that I had neglected to post a review of […]

Read more

More than Value: Excellence at Esporão

Blackstone Merlot

May 18, 2009 Tim Lemke

0

12.83K

Today it’s nothing fancy.  Just a quick and dirty review.  This Merlot is one of the best sellers at one of my favorite wine shops.  It’s a great price, and so I wanted to see what made this so popular.  To be honest, that still seems to be a mystery to me. I would call […]

Read more

More than Value: Excellence at Esporão

FAT bastard Merlot – Full and Approachable

May 14, 2009 Tim Lemke

0

17.76K

When I see a wine named “Fat Bastard” I don’t know what to expect.  My first impression is that wine is all about marketing shtick and has no real substance.  But then I think that perhaps the winemaker just has a good sense of humor.  There’s no real way to know without giving it an […]

Read more

More than Value: Excellence at Esporão

Oyster Bay Merlot – A Little Dirty, a Lot of Good

May 11, 2009 Tim Lemke

0

9.69K

Although New Zealand and Oyster Bay are both best known for Sauvignon Blanc, it’s the Oyster Bay Merlot that has captured my attention.  I first tasted this Merlot at the first ever North American Wine Blogger’s Conference last October.  At that conference there was an open tasting of 100 wines from New Zealand.  Most of […]

Read more

More than Value: Excellence at Esporão

Dancing Bull Merlot – Big, Fruit-filled and Tasty

May 5, 2009 Tim Lemke

0

9.12K

When you see the label on the Dancing Bull Merlot you might think that the design looks similar to that found on Rancho Zabaco Zinfandels.  Well, it is… and the two are related.  Rancho Zabaco, part of the E&J Gallo portfolio, has been around since 1996 and has developed a good reputation for Zinfandel over […]

Read more

More than Value: Excellence at Esporão

Sebastiani Sonoma County Merlot

May 4, 2009 Tim Lemke

0

5.19K

Last fall, Sebastiani Vineyards was one of the wineries I visited on my trip to Sonoma County.  If you’re ever doing a wine tour in the area I would recommend giving them a visit as they have a beautiful wine room with enormous old redwood casks.  It’s a sight to see. Sebastiani is a family-owned […]

Read more

More than Value: Excellence at Esporão

Red Truck Central Coast Merlot

April 29, 2009 Tim Lemke

0

8.13K

Red Truck is a relatively young wine brand, but one I seem to see everywhere I go.  Perhaps it just stands out on the shelf with the big red truck on the label and I notice it more than other brands.  I have to give them credit for creating a memorable brand identity that breaks […]

Read more

More than Value: Excellence at Esporão

Barefoot Merlot

April 27, 2009 Tim Lemke

0

25.69K

I’ve tried a number of wines from Barefoot Wine and to be honest, I have a love/hate thing for them. I love the affordability of their wines. But I dislike the fact that their wines are non-vintage. I’ve mentioned this before, as well as my position that I don’t expect consistency when there isn’t a […]

Read more

More than Value: Excellence at Esporão

McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Merlot

April 23, 2009 Tim Lemke

0

5.73K

Last month we reviewed the McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Shiraz which was a good Shiraz—especially for the price.  And today we’re giving the Merlot from this brand a try. Like the Shiraz, the grapes for this Merlot come from the New South Wales region in Australia, and more specifically the Riverina region within New South Wales.  […]

Read more

More than Value: Excellence at Esporão