Last week, I made a case for merlot, a red grape that never seems to get the love it deserves. Now, we're diving into the details of the bottles I find to be worth seeking out and a few that, year after year, are worth the splurge.
Seven Hills Winery Merlot, $23
I've long been bullish on the reds coming out of Walla Walla, Wash., and the merlot from one of the region's most iconic producers is evidence of why you should be too. Also, if you can find it, the winery's Seven Hills Vineyard Merlot ($55) is another Walla Walla standout.
Merryvale Starmont Merlot, $25
The grapes for this wine were grown in Carneros, the southernmost area of Napa Valley, where cool breezes coming off the San Pablo Bay keep the grapes safe from the sometimes-oppressive Napa heat. The result is an elegant wine that always seems to bat above its price point.
Chateau De Bellevue Lussac-Saint-Emilion, $27
Bordeaux is merlot's ancestral home, and, in this example, it's rounded out by a dollop of cabernet franc that has been added to the blend. Grab an extra bottle for the cellar and thank me in a few years.
Chateau Gombaude Guillot Pomerol "Pom-N-Roll," $33
A lighter and fresher wine than one normally finds in Bordeaux, I like to think of this bottling as the Elle Woods of wine's most venerable wine regions: unexpected and undeniably good. If you're the kind of person who craves a heavy red wine even when it's 90+ degrees with 95% humidity, this is the wine for you.
Chateau Belle-Graves Lalande de Pomerol, $38
A personal favorite, this is a classic, silky-smooth take on the merlot-dominated Bordeaux blend. Look for notes of plum, cigar box, Rainier cherry and funk. The 2015 vintage is in stores now and should be starting to peak around its 10th birthday.
Robert Keenan Merlot, $45
This wine was my "aha" moment with merlot and is still the first bottle I tell merlot skeptics to seek out. The Keenan winery is known for balancing Napa Valley's opulent and overt fruit with a restrained and refined touch.
St. Supery Rutherford Merlot, $50
I was recently able to pour this wine during a blind tasting for a woman who claimed it was "the best wine [she'd] ever had" and thought I'd made it up when I told her it was merlot. What more of an endorsement do you need?
Reynolds Family Winery Merlot, $53
A wine that needs a few years to really show its muster, this has consistently ranked among my favorites from Napa Valley. Heady notes of dried figs, raspberries, fine leather and my Mamaw's pie crust.
As always, you can see what I'm drinking on Instagram at @sethebarlow and send your wine questions and quibbles to [email protected]