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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.


Latest Comment:

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luca bercelli

90/100

line of the day – ‘this is like your old five and dime; candy smells and you love it’

Really good info, especially regarding smooth wines being overscored. Love the blinds, love the beard

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

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  • got sick and traveled 🙁 booooooo

  • Braden G

    yeah, you only opened like $200 worth of wine and entertained us with your reviews at no charge twice… slacker 😉

  • heavyblanket

    QOTD-Favorite Merlot is Burgess Merlot 2006. Incredible. Totally American, monster fruit, great spice, lots of body, not oaky. Delish!!!! I also love Twomey Cellars Merlot, as well.
    Isn't there a region in Italy just west of Chianti that is famous for Merlot? Bolgheri I think. I think they also make some bomb Merlots in Lazio.

  • heavyblanket

    Rubs you in all the right places. That's awesome!!

  • brixforbrains

    Favorite merlot? Leseggue for FR, L'ecole for US, there's an Umbrian producer that floored me, but most St Ems will make me happy ( as will Washington and Cali's Howell MT)

    Beard is starting to look itchy. Let's go Jets.

    “I'm not drinking any F*@#@#king Merlot!!” 🙂

  • Dan B

    Favorite merlot: a tie between Berringer Howell Mountain Bancroft Ranch 1997 and Pride Mountain Mountain Top Vineyard Vinter's Select 2001.

  • Dan B

    Favorite merlot is a tie:

    Berringer Howell Mountain Bancroft Ranch 1997 and

    Pride Mountain Vineyard Mountain Top Vineyard Vinter Select 2001

  • jimchem

    QOTD: Walla Walla E'Cole 41

  • How do I get on your show to review some beer? Will bring the beer and my own beard. Love your #1 beer follower…

  • Marek

    2006 Ehlers Estate Merlot, superstar big boy merlot for cab drinkers.

  • castello

    Mott is the man! Tx G! I complained to discust but haven't heard back.

  • YoungDave

    Excellent concept for a show! I'm so glad that you decided to do a second blind tasting Merlot show, and I'm glad that there was a wide diversity of regions from which the wones were sourced.

    QOTD: 2003 Storrs Merlot, Mendocino, CA. (not counting the many Pomerol, Lalonde de Pomerol, St. Emilion, etc.- that are Merlot-doninant blends that totally deliver both true Merlot character and mineral and acid complexity that makes Bordeaux so versatile).

  • No worries really, but one small idea is to post interuptions like that in your endless flow of interesting consumer advice with a twist. “Gary's sick and away, back on monday”

    That will of course send chockwaves all around you had to be online all the time to refute the rumour that you are dying 🙂

    Good luck to the JETS then.

  • nonamerican

    Hi Gary,

    Just wondering; do you think it's time to try Rosemount Shiraz again?

  • PeterB

    QOTD: L'ecole 41 Seven Hills Merlot from Walla Walla. Hard to get over here in europe.
    Like the show very much, please keep it up!

  • Don Simpson

    KennethNDC, which restaurant are you the wine director for in DC? I’d like to check it out if I haven’t already.

    I live in Arlington, VA and frequently go to restaurants and wine bars in DC. In fact, I was at Cork last night with my friends. They have INCREDIBLE sauteed wild mushrooms. Had a delicious bottle of burgundy too for $42. Great price point for amazing wine at a restaurant.

  • maybe!

  • NY Pete

    only 2 shows this week and that slacker SS Chris can't keep his damn spreadsheet updated … WTF.

  • NY Pete

    where's the Vaynerprediction for Sunday's big game? here's mine … 28-24 … JETS.

  • JiminAtlanta

    I enjoy the blind tastings. I like to attend them too because we judge the wines without having any preconceived notions. They often change your mind about wines, wine regions, and wineries. QOTD – I have a hard time remembering any great merlots recently, but I did enjoy a Mollydooker merlot (think it was called the Scooter) a couple of years ago, even though I know Gary does not normally like that winery.

  • JimboJones86

    Nice show, the blind tastings are some of my favorites. I had no idea Italians even knew what Merlot was…anyways.

    QOTD: My favorite Merlot would have to be the last bottle of wine I drank, which was a Chateau Tour de Bigorre from the Cotes de Castillon region, east of St. Emilion. It was 90% Merlot, 5% Cab Sauv and 5% Cab Franc and it was DELICIOUS. Hints of blueberries and flowers in my mouth always makes me happy.

  • First time watching your videos, my friend Katie keeps telling me about your show, I love it. Can't wait to grab a few of these wines and listen again while tasting. You have great enthusiasm, its awesome to see that kind of passion! Keep makin great vids!

  • drt999

    Maybe I need to try that on the home computer. . . .

  • bigmatty

    One of my all time favorite Merlots comes from a great southern Umbria producer by the name of Castello Delle regine – 2001 vintage.

  • lawrenceleichtman

    My all time favorite merlot is Cheval Blanc. This is a second blind tasting of merlots with nothing outstanding. That being said, at least most of the prices were reasonable. Jets play the Colts and hope they get to Manning.

  • Don Simpson

    Gary – we were expecting more JETS THUNDER this week leading up to the AFC Championship! I can't even imagine how fired up you are right now for the game tomorrow…. Do you drink wine to pre-game for Jets games? I make it a point to drink wine before every sporting event (NFL, NHL, NASCAR, everything).

    Example A: Drinking a super tuscan this afternoon before the Capitals vs Coyotes in DC!

  • danielout

    Blind tastings are my favorite thing to watch, but I haven't done one yet because (I think) they're hard to pull off without any kind of bias or guesswork that may influence your opinions. I applaud Gary for putting out a great blind tasting episode, and I hope he does more. It really highlights the wines as they are without bringing any prior knowledge in to play.
    As far as my favorite merlot… I'm sad to say I haven't found one that I've really enjoyed that isn't part of a blend. To me, they can contribute some really good flavors in a blend, but I don't particularly care for them by themselves.

  • K_Murph – where is the love for the best Merlot region in the WORLD? Washington! Sneak Gary some WA Merlot and I GUARANTEE it will win!

    Gary – Something about the blind tastings that get me watching all the way through without skipping anything. I think it's the reveal at the end. Great work. Very interesting that Italy won this showdown! Great work!

  • DollarBillK

    Gary, you are the man = )
    I've been in the marketing world for >10 years, and I enthusiastically give you 2 thumbs up as an amazingly genuine, engaging, entertaining educator.
    Fabulously well done.

  • steelersreleets

    colts 28 jets 0

  • JPM

    Good show, Great energy! Love me some merlot.
    QOTD: RIght bank aside, Twomey 2002 — I can still taste it—Last had it 2 years ago! I'm excited people are talking about Walla Walla Merlots—AMAZING Terroir, delicious wines.

  • Anonymous

    Hi Don, I also live in Arlington. I am the wine director for The Capital Grille in DC. Please stop by some time and ask for me. I’ve heard great things about Cork, but have yet to get over there.

  • Elizabeth A

    QOTD – 2003 Erba Mountainside Merlot. Small production, this was their first commercial release year. They also produced a memorable Cab and Syrah.

    It is the only Merlot I've ever liked enough to purchase a full case of. So far it is aging nicely.

  • bfr1028

    Hey Gary;
    Just wanted so say you have another satisfied viewer. Ive been lurking in the background for two months and you turned me on to wine again.

    I would have never found your show if you were not on TIVO internet downloads.
    I couldnt find a revew on “Steytler Stellenbosch pinotage 2006” , Can you check it out?

    Keep up the great work!

  • AnthonyManzalji

    First off I want to give a shout out to the Vayner Nation: What an amazing group of people here online. The ability to allow us to post our opinions freely without a lot of brick walls going up is absolutely amazing(takes another drink.) Having said that, I have recently got the chance to sell a 2007 100% Merlot from Tapeil estate in the Red Mountain AVA. Exclusively available to our club members we released it two months ago and it is nearly sold out. People were going crazy over it after doing an 09 barrel tasting during a cellar club event. A Cab style Merlot with a big tannins. I'm in no way familiar with the tipiacity of Merlot so I'm this episode came up so I can read comments. I'm sure I'll get some good suggestions. Thanks in advance

  • Anonymous

    I heard from disqus today and it’s still working. I got some of the BIGASS GLASSES so now I can get a real sniffy sniff!! Can I say that? Sniffle sniffle. Rootin for the Big underdogs. Go Jets! and Fernando Gonzales!

  • kasperhip

    bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla Jets bla bla bla bla bla bla dominate bla bla bla bla bla bla bla kickass bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla Colts bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla Giants bla bla bla bla blabla bla bla bla bla bla Play-offs bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla Super Bowl bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla …..

  • winebaum

    Hi Lawrence,
    Cheval Blanc is made with a majority of Cab Franc. The rest is Merlot.
    So maybe you are a Cab Franc fan rather than a Merlover;)

  • tacomabrian

    Sorry, but Gary, if you're gonna do a daily wine show then do it! This year has SUCKED thus far. Mostly uninteresting, and completely inconsistent.

    Bring it!

  • Are you an attorney? My office is also using extremely old versions of IE (along with everything else), and will not upgrade. I think its a law firm thing…

  • wow this is cool

  • jimaharris

    QOTD:1997 Ornellaia Masseto

  • Good luck today my man!

    Colts 30
    Jets 17

  • winebaum

    Hi Gary. Nice show. Little mistake there on your part: Merlot is Italy's 5th most widely planted grape variety with 32,000 ha of vines planted, so it plays a big role and the Massetto for example is one of the most famous 100% Merlots in the world.

  • hipandkneedoc

    Wow, listen on my Ipod for a while, never missing an episode, and can't even figure out how to log back in…you do have hate for a converted lurker…..

    QOTD, Berringer Howell Mountain, unknown vintage, was very good

    Best of luck today, reliving the first meaningful event of the year man walked on the moon…

    hipandkneedoc

    I

  • Braden G

    Dude, give the man a break. Keep in mind that none of us Vayniacs actually pay anything for this content and we should appreciate what GV does do for the VaynerNation. Just my $0.02

  • Love the blind tastings. Keep them coming as frequently as you can stand.

    Watching the Jets play as I type 17-13.

    If they make to the Superbowl, you NEED to do a WLTV or GV.com episode from the superbowl.
    Awesome.

  • QOTD: I haven't had a lot of merlot in the past. I blame Sideways. In any event, the 2005 Charles Creek Punta Mita Hyde Vineyard that was on cinderellawine back in December is my favorite. It's really good.

    Jets: 20
    Colts: 17

  • lawrenceleichtman

    I like Cab Franc but some vintages of Cheval Blanc are higher in merlot than others. It was part of the joke in Sideways if I remember.

  • patagonia23

    Go Jets!!! Blitz the hell out of Peyton!! Best Merlot Frogs Leap 2005 30 bones or Stags Leap 2005 65 bones Love your Show!! Best internet stop by far!!

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