June Wine- Merlot

I can hardly believe that June has already passed by so quickly...why does every year go quicker the older I get!? Summer is in full swing and shows no signs of stopping. This month I've been tasting my way through Merlot, both at home and at the Bakespace Virtual Wine Tasting Club. This was actually my choice. I was tossing around a few different varietals in my head, but decided that re-visiting one of the original wines that starting me drinking wine would be a good idea. Pinot Grigio (last month's choice) was the white I started on...Merlot was the red. In all honesty, I've moved on from this great introductory red and haven't really revisited it that often before this month. And while I did not fall back in love with Merlot, I did find a couple of really good bottles that I will seek out when craving Merlot in the future. Since I was this month's wine steward, it was my responsibility to do a short introduction and (hopefully) encourage people to sample at least a little Merlot. I'm still not too wine savvy...despite giving it my best effort...but I tried my best. This is a short introduction I grabbed (mostly) from Wiki-info:

Merlot Grapes source: Wikipedia

About the grape: Merlot is a red wine grape (but it's black) that is used as a varietal, but also for blending. Since it is soft and fleshy and it ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, it is one of the major players in Bordeaux produced wine. About the varietal/wine: Merlot became a very popular varietal back in the '90's (which ultimately led me to choosing it). It is sometimes called the fruitcake wine...I like to call it a "gateway" wine. Although it is one of the widest grown grapes, its major growing regions are: Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Chilean Central Valley and Australia. (and I know we grow over here in the Indiana/Michigan area, too!!) Tannins: medium Tasting notes range from red berries to plum, cedar, tobacco and fruitcake to chocolate and black cherry...which mostly depends on the growing climate. Pairing Merlot with food can be tricky because with such a range of tastes, you have a wide range of options! Cooler climate Merlot tend to go better with most food pairings because they are more acidic & versatile. It always helps to read the info on the bottle or check out a particular wine's website. I went ahead and included White Merlot in the Merlot category. It is made similar to White Zinfandel...the grapes are crushed and after a very brief period of contact with the skins, the wine is then run off and fermented.

So, my general Merlot observations were that yes, I found a lot of the fruitcake variety. I actually found most of them to be a little too sweet or too dull. The wines that had notes of chocolate & vanilla or with smokey undertones turned out to be my personal favorites...and the ones with a pronounced deep cherry or blueberry flavor were also some I enjoyed. Here is a little (and very amateur, I know, I know...I'm learning) review of the Merlots that I drank this month....

Barefoot -California

2007

$5.49 on sale (reg. price $7.49)

Intro from Winemaker: ...is a luscious wine with alluring flavors of boysenberry and chocolate. Hints of anise and subtle tannins compliment the decadent, silky finish.

Review: Nose-chocolate. Taste- smooth, chocolaty,, slight hint of berries (though I can't actually decipher the "boysen"). Slightly spicy with perhaps that hint of anise. Slightly smokey.

buy again: Yes, it was one of my favorites!

Beringer WHITE Merlot

California

2007

$5.99

Intro: This carefully crafted wine has enticing flavors of ripe red berries. It is soft, smooth, friendly and delicious.

review: Dark rose in color. Nose- berries on a warm, summer day...slightly spicy. Smooth, light & sweet- but not too sweet. Warm & happy with a hint of tobacco. I actually didn't mind it...and I usually don't care for "pink" wines.

buy again: I think so, yes

Black Swan

Australia

2007

$5.99 on sale (reg. $7.99)

intro: Flavors of mixed berry and mellow cherry, with a velvet finish...

review: color- garnet. nose- warm berries. taste- spice & berries...bright, warm, dry. I liked it.

buy again: yes

Bohemian Highway

California

2006

$5.99

intro: ...is a soft, supple red that finishes with a burst of ripe raspberry fruit flavors. It's the perfect choice for those who prefer a back road to the highway.

review: smooth, warm, slightly spicy...very mellow. Semi-dry with pleasantly sweet berry undertones. Nose- berries. color- ripe red raspberry. One of my top 3!

buy again: yes!

Burlwood Cellars

California

2007

~$4-5.00 (forgot to remember...)

intro: Luscious flavors of blueberry & black cherry with subtle notes of vanilla and toasted oak.

review: nose- yup, subtle hints of oak and vanilla. Color- burgundy. taste- deep berry, slightly oaky with hints of spice and vanilla. As it has time to bloom, the vanilla becomes more apparent and makes for very smooth drinking. Dry & medium-bodied. Another of my top 3.

buy again: yes

Columbia Crest Grand Estates

Washington

2006

$7.68 on sale (reg. $10.99)

intro: G.E. wines are created with an artisan wine making approach. During harvest, a third of the fruit from the vineyards for this Merlot is not crushed. The whole berries are added to the wine during fermentation to create a unique aromatic and flavorful style with a soft texture.

review: tastes very strong and coppery the first day. The second day it is mellow and smooth. Nose of black cherries...still a bit of a coppery or metallic undertone, but somehow it is not unpleasant. Slightly must with a bright berry flavor sneaking up from underneath. This was the priciest of the Merlots that I tried...but I think it was worth it.

buy again: Yes...a day before I want to drink it.

Frontera- Concha y Toro

Chile

2008

$1.25 mini-bottle

intro: none about the wine itself, just the winemaker

review: color- ripe plum taste- of ripe fruit and tobacco..very dry and kind of boring.

buy again: probably not

Oak Leaf Vineyards

California

no year listed

$2.98

No intro given

review: Kind of non-descript...a bit spicy & flat...fruitcake (!) Sad because this is my favorite label...but don't worry, they make different varietals...cuz I know you were worried...

Stone Cellars by Beringer

California

no year listed

$1.25 mini-bottle (regular size bottle $7.99)

intro: Our Merlot is full with vibrant fresh blueberry flavors with hints of plum and blackberry fruit leading to a luscious, smooth finish.

review: color-blueish purple. Tastes of berries...fruity and slightly sweet. Very drinkable as a stand alone wine.

buy again: yes

Sutter Home Family Vineyards

California

2007

$1.25 mini-bottle ($7.49 regular size bottle)

No intro

review: color- ruby. Tastes like cherries with slightly smokey undertones. Spicy on the tongue. Good!

buy again: yes

Sutter Home Family Vineyard WHITE Merlot

California

2007

$4.99

No Intro.

review: color-rose. smell- sweet & floral. Tastes sweet, very sweet, cloyingly sweet. Slightly spicy & oaky...overly fruity and yick, yuck, gross! Really super sweet. Really. This is probably the first bottle of wine that I did NOT even finish...

buy again: nope

Tisdale

California

no year given

$3.49 on sale (reg. $3.99)

Intro: With flavors of black cherry and mixed berries, our experienced winemakers have crafted this Merlot to a smooth, full-flavored wine with a medium body and impressive finish.

review: Tastes a bit smokey with chocolate and berry undertones....somewhat sweet aftertaste. If you roll it around on your tongue, it actually tastes very sweet. Not the best, not the worst.

buy again: maybe

Vendange

California

2003

$4.59

intro: Our Merlot has notes of plum, black cherry and toasty oak.

review: color- deep purple. Tastes strong, like very ripe plums and oak. Slightly smokey aftertaste. Mellowed a bit after sitting a day, still plum-y...but I actually preferred the more pronounced taste of the first day. Decent.

buy again: probably Come on over to BakeSpace Wine Club and join us in next month's wine tasting!

Tasting Pinot Grigio in May

Are you a member of the Virtual Wine Tasting Club over at Bakespace yet? Do you drink wine anyway? Do you want to drink wine, but not know where to start? Do you feel the need to branch out from your normal wines? Well...seriously, come join us in our endeavors! A different type-varietal-grape is picked each month. You buy the vineyard-brand-region of your choice and then share your experience with everybody else. No wine snobs here, just regular old (and young) Joe's & Jane's sharing their likes, dislikes and experiences with wine. I was kind of stuck in a rut before I joined. Sure, I could have tried a new wine each time I went shopping, but I usually stuck to one of 4 or 5 that I know I like (or can afford). But now, I actually tested a bunch of new-to-me Pinot Grigio's this month! If memory serves, I think Pinot Grigio was the wine I started drinking years ago and then branched out and sort of forgot about. Well, I'm really happy that it was chosen as this month's wine, because I have re-discovered what I liked about it in the first place...and then some! It was Spryte that enticed me first, but I've since discovered other great foodie-bloggers who are also members of the Bakespace Wine Club...you may even know them... Shane, Bob, Dajana, Danielle...right!? Plus, there's more...come join us; drink one bottle (or glass) or drink many...you never know what you might discover! PINOT GRIGIO In general, I've found that Pinot Grigio's are fairly dry, at least a little sweet and fruity and most contain notes of one or more of the following: citrus, melon, pineapple, apple, pear. Some have flowery notes thrown in...most of the Californias I tried were pretty tropical tasting. I kept going back to thinking they'd be good with grilled tuna (after I tried one in particular with some that I made this month). They pair well with pasta, chicken and seafood. These were my observations...who know, yours may concur or they may differ greatly; come find out! These were the Pinot Grigio's I drank this month:

Stone Cellars by Beringer California 2008 $5.00 Winemaker intro: Our Pinot Grigio pops with vibrant pineapple, mango and orange fruit flavors leading to a crisp, smooth finish. Review: very pale in color and light in flavor. Dry & slightly sweet. Orangey nose with a mango finish and aftertaste. Very easy drinking. Buy again: Yes

Bella Sera Italy 2005 $7.99 Winemaker Intro: crisp and refreshing with citrus aromas and flavors of ripe apple and pear. Review: Straw color. Very skunky when first opened. Strong taste of fermented apples; almost like a hard cider. Mellowed a bit the second day. Leaves an aftertaste of pears. First PG I found that leaned more towards apples & pears than tropical fruits. Buy again: Probably, yes

Oak Leaf California No Year Stated $2.97 This is actually a Pinot Grigio/Chenin Blanc blend No intro from winemaker Review: Slightly lemony with melon hints. Light, understated and slightly sweet. Not outstanding in anyway, but not bad, either. buy again: yes

Villa Malizia Italy-Venizia 2008 $4.99 Winemaker Intro: floral and honeysuckle aromas are accented by flavors of peach and pear. Review: Lightly skunky & fizzy. Semi-dry. Light citrus flavor w/ peach in their somewhere. Sort of blah and non-descript. Better the second day, once the flavors bloomed a bit. Not very good as a stand-alone wine, but decent paired with food or for cooking. buy again: yes (see, I'm easy and I don't hold a grudge)

Bohemian Highway California 2007 $5.99 NOTE: THIS WAS MY FAVORITE OF THE PG'S I TRIED...AND I LOVE THE BACK LABEL...KEEP YOUR KARMA CLEAN! :) Winemaker Intro: Zesty and crisp with refreshing aromas and flavors of melon, tropical fruit and cool lemon/lime to finish. Review: Tasted of pineapple ending on a citrus not. Bold...permeates my senses. Pleasant aftertaste...perfect balance of dry & "just" sweet. Good stand alone wine, though I'd pair it as well. Couldn't tell you how it tasted the second day, because it didn't last that long. buy again: DUH!

Barefoot California no year listed $1.25 (mini-bottle...perfect for just tasting) Winemaker intro (not on mini-bottle, so I copied it from regular size bottle at market): A crisp & refreshing wine with bright aromas and flavors of citrus and fresh green apple. Hints of jasmine compliment a bright, delicate, flavorful finish. Review: Fizzy on my tongue...and even slightly visible in the glass. Dry, fruity. Melon and pineapple evident...citrus aftertaste. Good. Buy again: yes (probably even a big bottle)

3 Blind Moose California 2008 $6.49 Winemaker Intro: We think you'll fall head over hooves for our delightfully fresh and fragrant California PG...bright citrus, pear and melon flavors. Review: This tastes like a tropical breeze (in a good, pleasant way)! Light, clean, crisp and bursting with flowers. I thought at first that the big, floral smell would turn me off, but it did quite the opposite and made me want more. Bright, sweet...leaving pineapple and flowers resting on your tongue. Buy again: Yes

So I'm a big fan of wine...I'm not gonna apologize! And yes, I drink my wine from a jelly jar most of the time. A while back I was so tired of wine glasses that I gave all of mine away to the needy (needy= sister with no wine glasses). Ever since I've been drinking from jelly jars...they are rarely in danger of tipping. I did buy stemless wine glasses after ridding myself of the pesky stemmed variety, but those are sort of awkward to hold. I don't ask for a jelly jar if I'm out drinking wine...and I'm starting to come back around. I did just buy another stemmed glass, because I know to actually get the "full" experience the glasses are actually made with this in mind...so, I'll trade up every now and again! Hope to taste some wine with you soon! "You came to me like wine comes to this mouth, grown tired of water all the time...you quench my heart and love, you quench my mind." -Dave Matthews

**On a separate note, I've finally joined Friday Shoot-outs (from your town)...my first post on water is up on my girlichef: off topic blog**