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EP 803 Another Merlot Blind Tasting

Gary revisits Merlot in this blind tasting of wines around the world, with some interesting results.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Chateau La BienfaisanceSt Emilion
2007 Bellanotte MerlotFriuli Venzia-Giulia IGT
Segal’s Fusion RedIsraeli Kosher Wine
2007 Osso Anna MerlotNapa Merlot

Links mentioned in todays episode.


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Tags: Blind Tasting, merlot, red, review, Video, wine, wines

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  • You still bringin Merlot back? Man, it’s taking a WHILE!

  • Dont tell anyone but Merlot is one of my favorite grapes paryb 😉

  • I will have to try that Jay, you know me with Bordeaux’s….love them

  • Anonymous

    So who was the peanut gallery?

  • Melissa

    QOTD: 2001 Pride Mountain

  • Steven L

    Great Show- much better than the Guests selling wines shows- Money Changers in the Temple.
    QOTD- Fav Merlot- always found Merlot as a better blender than sole performer- but Blason de L’Evangile 2005 if I had to pick one.

  • Always glad to see some Cowboys hate on the show.

  • I also have had great luck with Italian Merlots or Merlot-based blends. Little Penguin’s a good value too.

  • benkearney

    I love Blind Episodes!

  • This looks good

  • Steve_T

    No red beer today?
    qotd: if blends count, then the wines of St. Emilion and Cotes de Castillon.

  • sarno

    Getting ready to watch this episode GV, maybe. Just finished watching the “I love the Jets” episode from yesterday and had to say, I don't think I'm going to be able to stomach the episodes this week……

  • RADV

    GTop 10… more to come.

  • philct

    I love Oak Monster bombs.. I have no idea why since I hate oak in wines, but really.. it's the best part of the show when your chewing on wood!!!

    Gotta stick with the Havens.. So good, I recently had the merlot and loved it.. Along with every other wine I've tried from there..

  • Lb_in_KS

    I really like Merlot…just don't know which one was my fav. I am not one that tracks the wines I've had…maybe I need to change that.

  • You still bringin Merlot back? Man, it?s taking a WHILE!

  • Batresq

    Since before the movie…. I have not liked Merlot. I prefer bigger. I like Amarone, but also have a sweet tooth for Muscato D'Asti.

  • Tom T.

    What, no wristband today?

  • Nothing better than a blind tasting. Very suspenseful. haha.

    I don't know why it is but I love trying wines made from grapes not traditionally grown in a specific region. My fav example of this is Poderi Alasia Camillona Sauvignon (sauv blanc) from Italy. So I'm not surprised that the Italian Merlot won out.

    QOTD: Merlot has never been my forte but not because of Sideways (damn movie also made it cliche to say you like Pinot Noir, my fav grape). However I really enjoy a Long Island Merlot from Castello di Borghese vineyards. Just one of those things.

  • drt999

    Laugh-track today, or just a happy audience?

    QOTD — not a huge fan of straight Merlot, but I do love St. Émilions!

  • Anonymous

    Try Blankiet or Pahlmeyer, a little pricey but outstanding Merlots.

  • GLrocks

    PLEASE PLEASE do a blind Napa or California Cabernet tasting !!!!!!!!

  • manonthemoon

    Great show today, love the blinds and the fact you brought out more Merlot. The only issue is that how can you have a Merlot tasting without a WA merlot? That's my go to for that wine, some really good stuff going on up there.

    QOTD: 2005 Dunham Cellars Merlot Lewis Vineyard, great bottle, but a little pricey

  • BradV

    Great episode–loved the diversity in where the wines were from! More blind tastings, please!
    And somebody in the background loved that OAK MONSTER description!!! Will there be a regular peanut gallery and will the happy viewer be there again (I hope)?
    QOTD: probably the '82 Le Bon Pasteur –haven't had it in a long time but I remember that it was amazing.

  • allanj

    Great Show! Blind Always Brings The Thunder… ; )
    Qotd: Favourite Merlot Is Actually An Italian 100% Merlot Called “Montiano” From The Falesco Label (Well Known Label!). Made By A Guy I'm Sure You Know Called Ricardo Cotarella. That Guy Is Awesome. He's Like The Godfather, You Know.
    Yo G. These Latest Shows Have Been Awesome. Straight Line And Then Boom! Great To See You're Keeping Them Tight.

    Looking Forward To A Rioja-Tasting In The Near Future… Please. And Please If You Can Track This Guy Oz Clarke…?

  • Braden G

    Still lovin the blind format – great show GV.

    QOTD – Best Merlot I have had so far would be a Pahlmeyer – don't recall the year but it was outstanding.

  • jason carey

    Well, gary, we do see many Merlots from Italy….They have been doing it there for a long time.

  • Anonymous

    I agree! But I would like to have you taste some cult wines in the mix as well as some of the better known cabs (Schrader, Shafer, etc.)

  • MikePos

    Who is laughing in the back there?

  • Nice episode… glad to see a St. Emilion in there…

    QOTD: posted before… for me… Chateau La Pointe, Pomerol… nice little chateau that to me at least, is very, very good…

  • castello

    Castello di Amarosa 2001 Napa Melowww. I bought 5 bottles and 1 was bad and 2 others were cooked or something. One of them was fantastic. They sent me newer versions to replace them all and they were pretty good. Also a big Duckhorn fan but sometimes they just aren't worth the big bucks. Still looking for a big ass Merlot for under 40 bones I'll read through the comments but any good advice is appreciated. reply to me!

  • Bringing the Thunder with this show! I've recently come back to Merlot, and I drink it all the time now. The best I've ever had, might be the best wine I've ever had 2001 La Muse from Verite

  • castello

    I also would love to see the Great OZ Clark on your show!!!!! Please do it.

  • gubbiotti

    QOTD – oh i think it was 2 summers ago, i opened a bottle of chateau quercy, st emilion, 2001 and it was singing my song – plums, cinnomon some cherry, indian spice, beautiful tannins . it is strange to say. merlot is not my favorite grape, but i adore st emilion and pomerol. st emilion is in the top 3 places for me. i still buy a lot of it.

    good to see that you did another merlot show. it needs to come off the whipping post soon.

  • gubbiotti

    la pointe is one of the biggest chateaux in pomerol, but in the grand scheme, it is small. i have a bottle of o4 in my cellar

  • laurieinvt

    Good show! Nice eclectic mix of regions.
    QOTD: Can't say that I've found a favorite. Some have been nice enough, but those that I've tasted have been all over the map (kind of like today's tasting!). I had put it down to my limited price range, but it seems I just have to keep looking and trying!

  • cellarrat5

    Blind tastings are back in 2010!! Loved the format, perfect length. I liked the hopeful optimism you were showing before you went to San Diego, it proves your a classy fan! Also was a fan of the results of this show, what a twist! Too bad about the Oak monster rearing its ugly ass twisted head! Quote of the day: “if you enjoy eating tree trunks” I lost it like many of the people behind camera.

    QOTD: Gary, I'm sorry but I can not remember the last time I had a Merlot. Its not that I don?t like them, I got nothing… no excuse for that. Perhaps mainstream media has brainwashed me!!!

  • Yeah, sure sucks that you gotta play the Chargers, don't it.

    Nice show. I have a hard time getting excited about Merlot ever, and I've had a fair amount of them – even cheap California versions – that have been genuinely pleasant surprises and really nice wines. I'm intrigued by Friuli, but you don't see a lot of it around. At least I don't.

    Had a 2000 Duckhorn 3 Palms merlot I sat on for about five years and when I finally opened it it was just meh – nice texture, some cool fruit, not offensive but just not exciting. As for Washington, everything I've had has been a spoofulated frooty mess; if you know a nice one under $20 with a little more character to it I'd love to hear about it.

    Q: '03 Sansonnet from StEmilion, that's mostly Merlot if I remember right.

  • cellarrat5

    I just remembered that i had a flight of Merlot's at Duckhorn when I went for New Years! The estate grown Howell Mt. stuff was pritty good, but their 04 Library cab blew it out of the water. Keep up the blind tasting, and bring on the double blind shows!!

  • I think my favorite merlot was red bicyclette, was one of the first merlot I ever had, but remember liking it quite a bit, and it was pretty inexpensive.
    Side note, I want the jets to win now just so i can see the beard grow for the entire off season

  • DCaragher

    GV – Good show, love K. Murph's choices, mixing it up a bit! Also, I liked to questions to Mott in between the wines! KEEP GOING BLIND!

    QOTD: I recently had a Chateau St. Jean Merlot, not bad. I don't drink too much Merlot, give me a bad headache!

  • johnfarrin

    QOTD: I think I'm having a senior moment because I'm having a difficult time remembering the Merlot's I've had before the 2006 Havens. For all of you who aren't convinced that aeration isn't important try taking a sip of this when you open it and then coming back 3 hours later. You won't believe the transformation.

  • Kmurph

    Thanks…I just wanted to keep things interesting! 🙂

  • Neil

    QOTD: Chateau Le Gay Pomerol.

  • wneslage

    GV- Love the blind tastings!! Really, really enjoy them and the convers with Mott! Really appreciate Mott more that we know what he looks like…we were imagining a college nerdy guy! Just got the Havens I ordered opened and will do tastings throughout the 6 hr wait…really look forward to that!

    QOTD-hmm, since turning forward I am forgetting faster than I can remember…Rutherford Hills was the last that I can remember…we enjoyed it.

    Hey Thks GV…I get kind of irritated at some of the postings on CV, but C'est La Vie…KEEP DOING what you do! More Sasha!!

  • Did Mott do the camera or was their a someone else? A little laughter in the background a few times. is WLTV being filmed live? Another solid episode.

    QOTD: Not a huge fan of Merlot, but I like Cain Five which typically is a blend.

  • ONUMello

    Interesting as always. I like the blind format- have you ever done sparkling vino blind? I don't think so and it would make an interesting episode.

    QOTD: The 2007 Columbia Crest H3 Merlot. That's been one of the very few merlots I've tried and liked. I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a huge merlot fan (and it has absolutely nothing to do with Sideways- just my palate) But I'm going to try to push myself to find more & try more. I think they just have to be well made & structured, not watery or over-oaked like the Napa example.

  • C_Shorty

    Very excited to see the La Bienfaisance. I had it last summer. Gary, you nailed the review. A very tasty wine but pretty one dimensional.

    QOTD: I'm not a huge merlot guy, but I've had some nice right bankers. Ch. Simard St. Emilion. stands out. Not sure of the vintage. I had it by the glass at Bourbon Steak in DC. Best steak I've ever had and the wine was an absolute ace pairing.

  • BrettFavre

    Nice show. QOTD: the wine that got me INTO wine was Columbia Crest, probably the 2002 vintage.

  • bobbytiger

    San Diego who?

    Nice show today Gary. 4 bottles, and a blind tasting, all coming in at about 16 minutes.
    Good pace
    QOTD. While I don't drink a lot of Merlot these days, my old go-to Merlot use to be, (shoot me now, or shoot me later), Napa Ridge from CA.

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