2007 Ventisquero Queulat Gran Reserva Merlot (Chile) – Merlot grape
“Deep ruby. Dark cherry and raspberry aromas are complicated by mint and dark chocolate, with a hint of spicecake coming up with air. Juicy, fresh cherry and red berry flavors are sweetened by a sexy oak note and show no rough edges. Pretty alluring merlot with good finishing lift and sappy length. This is the style that made merlot popular a generation ago.” Rated 89 International Wine Cellar
2008 Columbia Crest Horse Heaven Hills H3 Merlot Columbia Valley (Washington State) – Merlot grape
“Ripe, supple and seductive, delivering a plush mouthful of red berry, floral and pomegranate flavors, swirling effectively through the deftly balanced finish.” Rated 90 The Wine Spectator
2006 Luna Napa Merlot (California) – Merlot grape
“Bright red-ruby. Aromas of blackberry, graphite and game, plus a smoky, flinty note winemaker Drash describes as “Black Cat firecracker.” Juicy and mineral-driven, offering an enticing combination of density and clarity. This very sexy wine should give early pleasure but also age well.” Rated 92 International Wine Cellar
2006 Milbrandt Merlot The Estates Wahluke Slope (Washington State) – Merlot grape
“The 2006 Merlot The Estates is a substantial wine with an excellent bouquet of toast, cinnamon, allspice, violets, cassis, and black cherry. Ripe and round on the palate, it has ample savory, layered fruit, plenty of spice, and excellent balance. It will evolve for 1-2 years and drink well through 2018.” Rated 90 points The Wine Advocate
2008 Chateau Joanin Becot Cotes de Castillon (Bordeaux) – Blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc grapes
“The wine is opaque purple to the rim, with tremendously sweet black raspberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with charcoal, incense, and a hint of toasty oak. Full-bodied with layers of fruit, sweet tannin, remarkable density, and a long, smooth, velvety-textured finish, this sleeper of the vintage should drink beautifully for 8-10 years. The exuberant and charming Juliette Becot continues to push the envelope of quality at this estate. Cropped at a remarkably low 29 hectoliters per hectare, this blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc was harvested in mid-October, with the final Cabernet Franc grapes being picked on October 20th, which created an unusually long period between the flowering and the harvest. This was not unusual in St.-Emilion and other Bordeaux appellations in this fascinating vintage.” Rated 90-92 The Wine Advocate
2009 Falesco Merlot Dell Umbria (Italy) – Merlot grape
“The 2009 Merlot is one of the finest wines I have ever tasted from Falesco. It is a decidedly firm, vibrant Merlot that stands in stark contrast to the super-ripe, obvious Vitiano Rosso. Here the fruit is wonderfully precise and elegant. Jammy blueberries, blackberries, cinnamon, leather and crushed rocks are woven into a beautiful fabric. The French oak is layered very nicely, adding depth and flavor, but never overpowering the wine. This is impressive juice from proprietor Riccardo Cotarella.” Rated 92 The Wine Advocate