A stand out merlot. - Episode #89

September 13, 2006

episode89

Wines tasted in this episode:

After tasting over a hundred different wines from several suppliers today, Gary found a Merlot that really stood out. See why Gary thinks this Merlot was a home run before having to dash off to see the Yankee game tonight!

53 Responses

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  1. about 6 months ago

    Kristen

    haha, yeah does Lizzie relegate all of your Jets paraphernalia to WL? :)

  2. about 9 months ago

    thefanjestic

    Quick question - Did the Yanks win?

    Wish I could try that wine.

  3. about 16 months ago

    David Canada

    Where do you actually hang that sign? Is it in the front of the store or does Lizy let you have that in your place?

  4. about 24 months ago

    mr skin

    Deja Vu looks pretty interesting. Kilmer and Denzel are some of my favorite actors.

  5. about 26 months ago

    Jason R.

    Gary - Hope you had a good time at the game. I was out of town this week and just caught up on 3 episodes. Was in Chicago and picked up the CLIO for $34.00. Heavy glass bottle. I hope the wine is as good as the score of 96.. I will have to back track a couple of episodes to see if you mentioned roughly how long this one will keep.

    Did a big dinner @ Mortons in Chicago (Had the fillet - Awesome) Anyways we had 3 wines poured at the same time. We had the 2002 Cakebread Cab, 2003 BV Georges De Latour, & 1999 Ferrari Carano. Only the Ferrari was decanted since it came from a 3L bottle. As we had a 3 hour dinner I thought that each had some time to show even though young. Winner by leaps and bounds was the 2002 Cakebread. It showed very well all night!!!! Lovely. The BV GD Latour just didn’t deliver, and I didn’t expect much from the Ferrari as I have always that this was overpriced and as so - It was young, green, lacked fruit, etc. Overall a great experience and a great time!!!

  6. about 26 months ago

    the professor and....

    Decided to change my name, too many Tony’s. Please let us know when this wine comes in! This sounds like a homerun and I love the Merlot based Bordeaux’s, so email us or something.
    Oh, and thanks for squeezing one in.

  7. about 26 months ago

    kidseyemd

    Cheval Blanc is Cab Franc/Merlot, as are most wines from St Emilion…sometimes with dollops of Cab Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec….Petit Verdot is so often overlooked but it adds unbelievable floral aromatics even when present in small amounts

  8. about 26 months ago

    Mike Stickel

    Ze (Frank), was that you?

    ;^)

  9. about 26 months ago

    TimF

    I’m pretty sure the Cheval Blanc is Cab Franc _and_ Merlot. The percentages change by year…

  10. about 26 months ago

    DougG

    Lawrence, Actually I believe the Cheval Blanc is a Cab Franc which he also bashed in the movie as well.

  11. about 26 months ago

    Jaye

    Lev M. (comment 41) - yes, I agree. Until that happens automatically, just right click and choose “open in new window”.

    Rebecca (comment 39) - Re: your Question 3 - Gary is a man, not God, how could any person honestly answer that question? Back in the 1970’s everyone I knew talked about the hole in the ozone, heck, I didn’t even expect there to be a world in 2006!

    Anyway, no one knows what tomorrow may bring, we could have ever improving vintages — or things could go to hell in a handbasket, and then wine would be the least of our worries. If you like a wine, and think it will appreciate with time, and you can afford it, then get it and cellar it. If you don’t, then don’t. Enjoy life. Just my 2 cents.

  12. about 26 months ago

    Brandon M

    Lev M….Just right click on the link instead of left click, and then select “Open in new window”

  13. about 26 months ago

    Lev M.

    i think the links to the wines should open in their own window, that way, you can keep watching the episode while checking out the wine.

  14. about 26 months ago

    Matty Van

    GV thanks for giving us that quickie, really helps the work day go buy knowing I have WLTV to look forward to. If anyone comes across my fav. wine buy some..is 2002 Spellbound Petite Sarah, I have not been able to find it local anymore. and there web site that was previously out of stock on this wine is no longer up

  15. about 26 months ago

    Rebecca

    Gary,

    Great episode and thanks for putting one out there today. I can appreciate working all day and then running to sit in tons of traffic to get to the Stadium - the Yanks usually make it worth our while though. For those of you not from this area, trust me, it’s pretty cool that Gary took a few minutes to post an episode. Let’s face it with traffic, every 5 min. you are late in leaving equates to an extra half-hour or more getting through the city to Grand Central or up to the GW and over to the Bronx.
    My QODs to you:
    1. did you make it to Yankee Staduim on time?
    2. Yes Gary (Comment #15 - kjb), where do you get all of the cool Jets “stuff”? I think the lunchbox is still one of my favorites.
    3. What are your thoughts on global warming specifically with the impact that it could have on the wine industry as portrayed in Sept. issue of Wine Enthusiast? I, like you and others that comment, drink old and new world wine for the fun of learning and enjoying and trying a new bottle every day. But, at the same time should I/we be developing a collection, (sort of like a fall out shelter) for years to come so that when countries are experiencing drought conditions and having difficulties with production, we still can enjoy some of our favorite juice?
    Look forward to enjoying the Charles Creek Merlot….thanks again.
    Rebecca

    My other QOD:

  16. about 26 months ago

    David K

    Gary -

    I was wondeirng why you rarely taste the wines on WLTV that are featured each day in Wine Library’s emails. Its not because the wines featured in Wine Library’s emails are usually highly rated and you fear that you will think they taste like crap and have to pan them, is it?

  17. about 26 months ago

    Grant Gallagher

    I am also glad to hear the merlot episode and I wonder just how much the addition of some cab does for the wine. Somehow it seems obvious that 100%-ers may not always be the best way to go. It’s not as if these ‘classic’ blends from France (Bordeau, burgundy, st emillion etc etc arrived out of NOWHERE………). I love some of the chliean merlots and I think the best Californian one I wver had was a Firestone. Hope your team won (not the least interested in the game tho…… give me RUGBY any day!)

  18. about 26 months ago

    Brandon M

    Big Billy From Big D
    Great post!

    B

  19. about 26 months ago

    Michael W

    Merlot Rocks!! The previous comments stole my thunder. The French know how awesome Merlot is…in fact one of the most expensive wines that comes from a region that is known for blending [the most famous in the world] is 100% Merlot. [Petrus/Bordeaux]. Now for my fellow Merlot lovers…I will share what the best Merlot made in this country is; Mr. Parker agrees with me as do 98% of the people who have been lucky enough to try this wine. Unfortunately Gary will never carry this wine. You must be on the winery list and Evan after that you are only allocated a whopping two bottles a year. [note: Parker has given this 100% Merlot a 96-99 rating just about every year [when tasted] PRIDE…not the regular 93 rated one but their Vintner Select Cuvee. It’s also pricy…$80 a bottle. Bob Foley uses only a couple of rows of vines at the very sumit of Spring Mountain.

    Gary, have you ever had this wine? I would be happy to share a couple of bottles before a Jets/Bucs game in 07′…..I’ll Evan bring the tickets…what am I saying, I spend enough money in your store for you to buy…just joking

    Thanks for kicking my Devil Rays butts…..It’s hard to find the joy with that team. You had to be impress with Carl Crawford….he would be a superstar if he play for the Yankees….in fact one person talked about for MVP this year has very similar numbers.

    Big sport fan and Wine lover…what’s not to like about you Gary? If you tell me your a big family type guy as well then you hit a home run in my book!! Take care.

  20. about 26 months ago

    Rachel

    Try Carhartt Merlot, Santa Ynez, if you get the chance. Brooke and Mark Cahartt are cattle ranchers making wine on the side…under 300 case production. Tasty juice.

  21. about 26 months ago

    Paul

    Thanks for the comments regarding Merlot, Gary. I recently had a Rafanelli Merlot, which was absolutely massive - dark cherry fruit, a bit of earth and chocolate. The color was deep, inky. It really pointed out that Cali Merlot doesn’t have to be simple, light and jammy.

  22. about 26 months ago

    Big Billy from Big D

    GV, I salute you tasting between 100 and 200 wines and still going to a Yankee game.
    Shades of Robert Parker, olfactory marathon man and oenological superman.
    Parker wrote in a June 2002 article in the NYTimes:
    “I taste 120 wines a week, except when I’m on a tasting trip. Then I taste that much in a day.” Like you did yesterday, GV.
    In the same article Mr. Parker continues:
    “When I taste quantities of high-acid wines, I can feel as if the roots of my teeth are rotting. Other hazards include black teeth stained from rich red wines. I joke that I can tell the quality of a great, concentrated ripe vintage by how stained my hands are. Sometimes even scrubbing won’t clean them.
    I don’t get palate fatigue, which I attribute to drinking up to five liters of water a day. However, when I’m tasting wines high in alcohol and tannin, I can feel as if I’ve taken head shots from professional boxers.”

    GV, I don’t envy you a bit. Hell! I get palate fatigue from a 6 wine tasting flight. That level of dedication on your part gives real meaning to your slogan of “tasting wine so you don’t have to”.

    Thanks Gary, because of you I can concentrate on just contemplatively enjoying wine a bottle (or two) at a time.
    Chin chin

  23. about 26 months ago

    Lawrence Leichtman

    In case anybody forgot at the end of Sideways Miles drinks his Cheval Blanc in the burger joint and Cheval Blanc iis what …..Merlot. Mass producers in CA ruined Merlot’s rep not a movie. The movie just reflected what already had been happening with Cal/Merlots. Big empty wines.

  24. about 26 months ago

    Sam Zen

    G- Thaks for sticking up for Merlot… a great varietal. I’m shocked at how strong an impact Sideways had on this grape… a shame, if you ask me. But, if you pay close attention to the the movie, the last wine had is a merlot! The irony of it all. BYW- have you seen Mundo Vino? Now that’s great watching. Look forward to trying this wine at the right price.

  25. about 26 months ago

    Jaye

    Thanks for the “quickie”, Gary.

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