first time poster. long time fan.

first time poster. long time fan.

At least when Gary’s on vacation I have a chance to be in the top 10.

TOP 5! 🙂

hey… must be a little taped jewel for us; so that we will keep missing him!

enjoy the Vacation Gary!!! (see you on the forum later =) hehe

Have to love those Pats, eh Gary 🙂

Merlot is popular because it is easy to pronounce!!

Thank for the tape Gary, Enjoy the vacatio, you deserve it. Now get your butt up to Tampa!

ALLLRIGHT!!!!! An Episode

QOD – I really like the Toasted Head Merlot from California. Worth the $12-14 price tag.

QOD – I really like the Toasted Head Merlot from California. Worth the $12-14 price tag.

Very interesting. Count me among those who never drink merlot . . .

Love the “F Pinot Noir” message. That’s awesome.

Recently had a Burgess Merlot(only about $12-13) that was pretty tasty. Normally don’t drink too much Merlot though.

Love the “F Pinot Noir” message. That’s awesome.

Recently had a Burgess Merlot(only about $12-13) that was pretty tasty. Normally don’t drink too much Merlot though.

not a big Merlot fan but had the Miradero recently and thought it was very interesting

Actually, I believe Cheval Blanc (the wine from Sideways) is mostly Cabernet Franc, which was also critized in the movie. I think Cheval Blanc is only about 30% merlot, and over 60% cab. franc.

Just tried the 2001 Kennan Napa and was pleasantly surprised. Love finding wine that exceeds expectations. Would / Will buy again.

QOTD- Been drinking the Raymond R Collection Merlot at $8.99 (?) Nice bottle of wine for the price. Now go on vacation!!!!!!

To be truthful, I can’t remember the last time I drank a bottle of Merlot, and I have none in my cellar.(Sideways didn’t effect my consumption of merlot)

QOD: Columbia Crest Grand Estates ’03. Retail in Chicago is about $8.50. I bought a case for to gave on hand for cooking. Medium body, mostly red fruit. Solid finish for a wine under $10. Spectator gave is a 90 – that might be a little generous. 88 in my book. But at this price, an excellent QPR.

Wow, what a bonus! Thanks for keeping the Vayniacs entertained while you’re away!
QOTD – Markham Merlot 2004 – great full bodied flavor (18 or 19 bucks?).

I love that there is an episode today!

QOTD: While not a 100% Merlot, I have enjoyed the 1995 Chateau Monbousquet, St Emilion, several times in the past year. I believe it is a 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blend. This is a very nice wine but is in the $65 to $80 range. Another nice Merlot Iâ??ve had in the past year was the 2001 Pine Ridge Crimson Creek. Generally, I do not drink a lot of Merlot. My favorite Merlots are from the right bank of Bordeaux. For â??budgetâ? Merlot, I think that Washington state has a lot to offer. There are even some good higher end examples from Washington but in the lower end the Columbia Crest offerings are pretty consistent. Thanks again for the free shipping offer over the weekend. Iâ??m bummed I missed out on the Von Hovel though.

I think Washington State merlots are pretty solid in the $15-$20 range. I can’t say that I am a huge merlot drinker though. As far as my favorite merlot goes, it is the Ehlers Estate merlot from Napa Valley. It isn’t that readily available so I try to buy a few bottles whenever I see it but it is OUTSTANDING. Tons of chocolate and dark cherry flavors with a smooth, lingering finish. Best CA merlot I have ever had. It usually retails for somewhere around $25-$30.

A few months ago you tasted and raved about the Snoqualmie reserve 2000 – Washington State. it has since become my favorite Merlot and the ONLY Merlot that I drink on a regular basis. It’s in the $15 range but worth every penny more than the “bargains” under $10… but more than that, it has steered me in the direction of Washington State quality and complexity which I find superior to the Calif. Merlot in the “under$20” category. Thanks Gary for making our lives more luscious with better wines.