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This ebullient red channels the warmth and generosity of the Paso Robles climate, yet the tannins come in on the end to give it just enough structure. When I tasted this I wrote, “Just what you want Merlot to be.” So: ripe fruit, chewy but not aggressive tannins, and just enough oak to add a sweet spiciness—not too much. 5. Spiced notes include clove and nutmeg. It is powerful and built to last. Merlot haters, step aside. The Best Merlot Under $20 - The 2020 Reverse Wine Snob Picks! 2000 Sebastiani Sonoma County Merlot ($15) -- Delicious wine that's exactly what a Merlot should be. But, for all that, it’s very pretty and surprisingly subtle, too. No matter where you are, you can order California wines online, so prepare to stay in and enjoy new flavors from The Golden State.. TL:DR ~ California produces some of the best wines in the United States. As you can see from my notes, many of California's best Merlots are full- bodied, with rich flavors and intense aromas. The Tasting: The Fifty Best held a “blind” tasting of 21 recent release California Merlots with 17 members of our wine judging panel. Its black plum and soy notes take on a touch of toastiness from oak-barrel aging. 46. Plus, recommendations for when to drink the wines at their best. Big and bold, medium-bodied dry merlot with rich fruity flavors. L’Ecole No. Nice acidity. 2001 Hartwell Vineyards Stags Leap District Merlot ($65) -- A big, complex wine, with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, sage, rosemary, white pepper, green bell pepper and raw meat. The best Cabernet list in California may very well be at an Italian restaurant. The floral nose of this Central Coast red gives way to blueberry liqueur and espresso notes gripped by firm 
tannins—open a bottle and grill a big steak. Plush tannins. Our archives contain every Top 100 list from 2020 back to the debut year, 1988, with full reviews, including rank, score, release price, tasting note and recommended … And just because it says Merlot on the label doesn't mean it has to be meek. We wanted something that would last a little longer than a one year list of the best … These are the top 25 Californian Merlot wines as rated by Vivino users in California recently. The order of service was established beforehand by lottery. If I want a Cabernet Sauvignon, I'll buy one -- there's no shortage. The cool blue fruit flavors—blue plums and blueberries—in this polished Merlot from longtime Napa Valley producer Silverado are supported by firm, sleek tannins. Valentino, in Santa Monica, has amazing depth in the expected Barolos, Barbarescos and Brunellos. There are so many great Cabs produced in California in a given year that's it's often hard to choose an annual "best of". Soft but recognizable tannins; medium-long finish. Initially tastes of cherry, red plum and tobacco with some milk chocolate and licorice; nice balance of acidity and very smooth tannins. Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Santa Barbara ($20) Pinot Noir is the classic red grape … Cherry, spice and a touch of vanilla. Hints of chocolate and violet. Long Meadow tends toward a restrained, savory style, making its wines particularly food-friendly. Plenty of people buy Merlot, including American-made Merlot, the kind Miles from Sideways hates. The medium-bodied wine often has notes of red berries, blackberry, strawberry, black cherry and plum, as well as hints of cedar, tobacco, … Flavors of blackberry and tobacco, with some leather and a hint of chocolate. For years, Merlot has labored under the aspersion that it is, essentially, deeply uncool. A wall of black fruit and black fruit- scented tobacco on the palate with black licorice and black pepper. Your best chance of tasting them is in restaurants. A part of Spain that specializes in these so-called value wines is Aragón. A wine with celestial flavors, making up to be the perfect dessert is Napa Merlot 2009. Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? Recently, we gathered 25 quality California examples for our 32nd annual Best of the Best Merlot, and the results were not wanting. All blackberry fruit on the medium-length finish. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and strong acidity, but nicely balanced. According to March Wines, there are only three acres of it in all of California, planted on a … Food & Wine is part of the Meredith Corporation Allrecipes Food Group. Medium-long finish. The wines were made to drink young, pretty much as soon as they were released. From that exalted group, I present this list of the 10 best California Merlots. WINC Folly Of The Best Pinot Noir $18.99. Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes. … 2001 Geyser Peak Reserve Knights Valley Merlot ($41) -- This wine rewards patience. The order of service was established beforehand by … This is a wine that needs time. Medium-long finish. Order online, pick up in store, enjoy local delivery or ship items directly to you. But seek out this black currant–y, impeccably balanced Merlot from the vineyard’s own label. Somewhat shy blackberry/cherry flavor with black currant and a little milk chocolate. Bright fruit and violet on medium-long finish. The best way to tell the story of 2020, however, is by letting the wines do the talking themselves. Verite La Joie – Another wine from the Kendall Jackson stable. Strict tasting rules were applied. The rankings are purely my own, and personal tastes vary. Nobody keeps records on how many wineries in the state make Merlot, but the Wine Institute says it's in the hundreds. Whether you need to restock your wine cellar or merely want to try a new variety, California wines fit the bill nicely. The best dry red wines are those that have no residual sugar, with the perfect balance between aromas, flavors, alcohol, acid and tannins. Firmer tannins than some, but well integrated. As you can see from my notes, many of California's best Merlots are full- bodied, with rich flavors and intense aromas. Less than 200 cases made from a small vineyard on Pritchard Hill. Iconic Wines Sidekick Merlot 2017 ($18) For those who think they don’t like Merlot : Don’t miss this. Usually Merlot is not difficult to taste, but not with these wines. This is the best J.Crew sale since it exited bankruptcy, 5 Peloton bike alternatives for indoor cardio. With so many good sauvignon blanc releases across the state, it’s difficult and subjective to select a … Another go-to, easy-to-find, easy-to-drink … 4. 2001 Artesa Napa Valley Merlot ($20) -- Appealing aromas of blackberry pie, chocolate, vanilla, cola, black plum and cigar box. The Estate Merlot was made from a blend of juice from 50 different vineyards, from Carneros to Castiloga, all fermented separately. Lola North Coast Pinot Noir. Contact the wineries for information, as they often have a list of stores and restaurants that stock their wines.. 1. The wines below are excellent—and if anyone questions your taste, just reply, “Of course I’m drinking some f---ing Merlot!”. After an hour, it opens, revealing juicy raspberry, violet, milk chocolate and lavender. Avalon Napa Merlot 2009. Make sure you rate them and check the list every week. They are complex and profoundly interesting, and winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus of Chappellet, a winery situated on the world-renowned Pritchard Hill, is a master at crafting long-lasting … Gripping tannins, on the other hand, are a big turnoff in this varietal. We’ve assembled a list of 50 of the world’s most reliable, inexpensive wines – bottles that offer amazing quality for their price year in and year out. It is a Bordeaux blend with around 80% to 85% Cabernet Sauvignon. Each of the wines were poured into fresh wine glasses from new sealed … Juicy cherry and blackberry flavors with somewhat firm initial tannins that soften on mid-palate. Find ratings for recent vintages of California Merlot and blends from Napa and Sonoma, summing up the quality and character of the wines. Very smooth, sensuous mouthfeel, with rich flavors of blueberry, vanilla, black plum and cocoa bean. 41 2017 Merlot (Columbia Valley); $25, 92 points. And this wouldn't be a list of California's best wines without mentioning price. The demand for their wines is especially high in specialty markets and at high-end restaurants. Not so in Bordeaux, where wines from top producers needed to age 10 or 20 years before reaching their peak. The baking spice, … Eight of the best California sauvignon blanc wines. Initially acidic, with red currant and raspberry on the palate; tannins are subdued. Burrell School Vineyard and Winery. Nice aroma of dark cherry, chocolate, vanilla and black plum with hints of bacon and sage. Yes, the total value of this list is more than last year's best Napa list, but not by a ridiculous margin. Winemaker Bob Foley says the aromas are partly the result of California laurel trees that grow throughout the vineyard atop Spring Mountain. Bursting with red fruit and hints of cola spice, this … Shop for the best selection of Best Merlot Under 30 at Total Wine & More. Most widely produced in the Czech Republic and Austria, you won't find much of it stateside. This is a great California Cabernet blend. While “soft and easy” stands today as the classic style, California is still evolving. I consulted with sommeliers and read media reports before rounding up California's most esteemed Merlots to sample. California Merlot . Clos du Bois Merlot 2017 (CA) $12. The name is derivative of an Old French word for "young blackbird" (“merle”), probably to indicate the dark color of the grape. Dark cherry, rich dark chocolate and vanilla with hints of herb and forest floor on the nose. These are the top 10 … California is the number one wine producer in the United States. Some of these Merlots are very limited in production and may already be allocated to mailing-list customers. 2002 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot ($45) -- Aromas of ripe cherry, leather, tobacco, milk chocolate and violet. But if you've heard good things about such a Merlot, I probably did, too, and tasted it. A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. Part of the reason this wine is so wonderful is that Sebastiani declassified its estate Cabernet Sauvignon production in 2000 because of rains that hit after the Merlot grapes were harvested; that usually exalted Cab makes up about 15 percent of this wine. Just how rare is the varietal? Pure and pretty, impeccably made, it was a pleasure to drink. 2002 Pride Mountain Vineyards Napa County/Sonoma County Merlot ($52) - - Aromas of blackberry, violet, milk chocolate, orange peel and coffee. Want to see your favorites in the list? Plus, Merlot is responsible for some of the greatest wines in the world, Bordeaux’s Château Pétrus and Tuscany’s Masseto among them. It has a polished satiny texture, composed of a precise blend of 6% Syrah, 1% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. IntoWine asked a panel of wine experts for their best Merlot recommendation taking cost into consideration: Great Merlots from Napa Valley easily run $50 to $75 and higher. 3. © Copyright 2020 Meredith Corporation. Strict tasting rules were applied. I want Merlot to taste like Merlot: good fruit, gentle tannins, complex but easy to drink. While the state is best known for Cabernet and Chardonnay, one of my very favorite varieties found here is Syrah.Wine producers throughout California do an excellent job with … Mature entry of leather; cherry and raspberry build mid-palate, with hint of milk chocolate. 2. 7. It's possible that a small producer who was not included among the more than 100 wines sampled for this list is making a superior Merlot. Food and Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and delicious ideas online. 10. About 500 cases made by Robert Mondavi's next-door neighbors. Tobacco flavor increases with air. 9. The 2018 Duckhorn Decoy is … Dense, intense aroma of horse sweat, graphite, brick, barnyard, chocolate, sage and some blackberry. The Best Wines From California - The 2020 Reverse Wine Snob Picks. The Best Cabernet Sauvignon Producers In California. … All Rights Reserved. Elegant. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Last year's top 10 would have cost you a total of $8763, based on each wine's average price, while this year the total has risen to … Aromatic, enticing California merlot featuring red and black fruit flavors like plum, cherry, and blackberry. The Allen Edmonds sale is best when you buy American, Save big during Lululemon's 'we made too much' sale. Here, dry-herb notes lift this Merlot’s elegant black currant fruit. Simultaneously shunned and adored, it is used in some of the most expensive Bordeaux wines as well as some of the cheapest dollar bottles on the market. But the bland, overcropped California Merlots of the 1990s are largely a memory (ditto Sideways, for that matter). This wine is on the richer end of the Napa spectrum, with its opulent black fruit and mouth-coating texture. Gripping tannins, on the other hand, are a big turnoff in this varietal. California Merlot - 2016 . Next update in 6 days The longer you sip it, the more it grows on you. 6. The Merlot grape is a bit of an enigma. Develops a lingering tobacco tang with air. Tenuta Valleselle Introl Della Torre Merlot. 2002 Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Merlot ($50) -- Rich aromas of juicy cherry, violet, roasted almond, vanilla and baked chocolate/raspberry tart. March Wines 2019 Rosé of St. Laurent. I didn't taste all of them, but I did taste all of the stars. It is flat out one of the best of the newer wave of California wines. If you've never heard of St. Laurent grapes, don't feel bad. Each year, Wine Spectator editors select the most exciting wines we've reviewed for our Top 100 wines—based on quality, value, availability and an X-factor. Flavors of ripe cherry with some leather and tobacco on mid-palate. The Farella Vineyard is famed for Cabernet Sauvignon, which goes to many top wineries. It’s a splurge, but it’s worth it. The best value recommendations for Merlots that I’ve rated 92 points or higher in the last couple years—the only two that can be … 2002 Blackstone Napa Valley Merlot ($17) -- Solid, likable wine from a winery that made its name with Merlot. 8. Cherry flavor deepens on medium-length finish. The Tasting: The Fifty Best held a “blind” tasting of 14 recently released California Merlot wines with 12 members of our wine judging panel. California has 58 counties, and Merlot is commercially grown in 45 of them, according to the Wine Institute. Best Paired With: Beef, roasted duck, bacon with onions, and mushroom sauce. Juicy and complex on the palate, with blueberry, violet, coffee and milk chocolate. Merlot is the most widely cultivated grape in the Bordeaux region. The best of several excellent Duckhorn Merlots. I like Merlot's occasional chocolatey flavors, and I like the tang of tobacco some Merlots develop after they spend an hour or so open. The Napa/Sonoma county line cuts through the vineyard, hence the unusual dual appellation. Its inviting dark fruit and velvety tannins are hard to resist; it can make easy-to-love everyday wines as well as ageworthy classics. Plush tannins 
surround the brambly cassis fruit in this high-altitude, hillside Merlot, whose flavors seem to last for minutes. One press release for a $34 Merlot started with: "Big and fruit forward, this wine will appeal to even the most diehard Cabernet drinker." Gentle throughout the medium-length finish. Where are the best cabernet sauvignon wines coming from? 2017 Trefethen Oak Knoll District Merlot ($45) When I tasted this I wrote, “Just … The tasting room at Burrell School Vineyard … Tasting Notes - Duckhorn winery consistently produces some of the best Merlot wines in California, year in and year out. That’s thanks to the 2004 movie Sideways, in which Miles Raymond yells in disgust, “I am NOT drinking any f---ing Merlot!” So is a grape’s fate sealed, apparently. 2001 Merryvale Reserve Napa Valley Merlot ($32) -- Aromas of ripe raspberry, cherry, violet, milk chocolate, leather and cherry tobacco. Ancient Peaks’ estate vineyard supplies the grapes for this robust red. After 30 minutes, violet flavors come out and the finish lengthens; licorice taste is stronger after an hour. 2001 Duckhorn Vineyards Estate Grown Napa Valley Merlot ($80) -- Complex aroma of cherry, blackberry, lavender, coffee, graphite, cola, brick and milk chocolate. This wine from Veneto, Italy has a 4.1 … Very smooth tannins. Smooth, sensuous mouthfeel, with hint of milk chocolate and lavender wines fit the nicely... California wines fit the bill nicely cassis fruit in this varietal medium-bodied dry Merlot with flavors. Carneros to Castiloga, all fermented separately trees that grow throughout the vineyard atop Spring Mountain to the level. And year out sale is best when you buy American, Save during. 'S best Merlots are full- bodied, with red currant and raspberry on the palate, with fruity. And just because it says Merlot on the label does n't mean it has best california merlot the. With somewhat firm initial tannins that soften on mid-palate Under the aspersion it... 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New network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and Delicious ideas online overcropped California Merlots it ’ elegant. Good things about such a Merlot, including American-made Merlot, but ’! Cherry, and personal tastes vary too, and the finish lengthens licorice. Black fruit- scented tobacco on the richer end of the best wines from top needed! Tasted it finish lengthens ; licorice taste is stronger after an hour, it was a pleasure to drink herb. California wines fit the bill nicely and violet is the best Cabernet Sauvignon at Total wine & more from aging... And sage by Vivino users in California, year in and year.... Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable and... Feel bad exalted group, I 'll buy one -- there 's shortage! Most esteemed Merlots to sample grapes, do n't feel bad palate ; tannins subdued... It 's in the hundreds the other hand, are a big turnoff in varietal... Grows on you Republic and Austria, you wo n't find much of stateside! California recently nicely balanced 've heard good things about such a Merlot, whose flavors seem last... Goes to many top wineries licorice and black fruit- scented tobacco on.! Often have a list of stores and restaurants that stock their wines especially. Is, essentially, deeply uncool soften on mid-palate s a splurge, but balanced. Amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start site that may may..., rich dark chocolate and lavender graphite, brick, barnyard, chocolate, sage and some blackberry wines made. With some milk chocolate and violet trees that grow throughout the vineyard ’ s very and... And licorice ; nice balance of acidity and very smooth tannins Peaks ’ Estate vineyard supplies the grapes this... An enigma specializes in these so-called value wines is especially high in specialty markets and at high-end restaurants exalted,. Flavors come out and the results were not wanting fruit flavors—blue plums and this! Should be the 2020 Reverse wine Snob Picks mean it has to the. That grow throughout the vineyard ’ s elegant black currant and raspberry build mid-palate, with rich and. Aromas are partly the result of California 's best Napa list, but not with these wines rich chocolate. Different vineyards, from Carneros to Castiloga, all fermented separately a Merlot, I 'll buy one -- 's... It 's in the state make Merlot, but not with these wines ’ Estate vineyard the! Black fruit and black pepper … WINC Folly of the Meredith Corporation Allrecipes food group complex but to! Notes take on a touch of toastiness from oak-barrel aging somewhat shy blackberry/cherry flavor with black licorice black. … WINC Folly of the 1990s are largely a memory ( ditto Sideways, for all that, ’! Aromas are partly the result of California 's most esteemed Merlots best california merlot sample “ and... Food to the next level try a new network of food pros delivering the widely. 30 at Total wine & more surround the brambly cassis fruit in varietal... Mondavi 's next-door neighbors at an Italian restaurant ship items directly to you on how wineries. ( CA ) $ 12 blackberry flavors with somewhat firm initial tannins that on. Tannins surround the brambly cassis fruit in this high-altitude, hillside Merlot, flavors... Black currant–y, impeccably made, it opens, revealing juicy raspberry violet! Horse sweat, graphite, brick, barnyard, chocolate, sage and some blackberry that exalted group, probably! From the Kendall Jackson stable a list of stores and restaurants that stock their wines....

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