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...I have never been a big fan of merlots. When I got serious about wine in the 1980s, merlot was mainly used to blend with cabernets to soften them.
Then cabernets became more expensive and merlots started to be popular as a less expensive alternative. I thought merlots didn't have much of a finish and much preferred zinfandels or cabs. Then came the film "Sideways" which panned merlots and their popularity dropped somewhat.
...4 of us (the others were on summer vacation) tasted 5 merlots. We began with "merlots over $30" but to fill in I brought a second, less expensive bottle.
We rate the one we like best 1pt and the one we like least 5pts. Low points wins.
5. 2013 Rexford Santa Cruz - $35 - 18pts - 3 lasts - had a slight off-taste - when the wine group was in Santa Cruz last summer we tasted at this winery and a number of us bought their merlot.
4. 2014 Markham Napa - $22 - 14pts - 1 last - I picked this one because this winery has been known for their inexpensive merlots for over 20 years.
3. 2013 Reynolds Napa - $48 - 12pts - 1 first, 1 last
1/2. 2013 Stags Leap Napa - $38 - 8pts - 1 first
1/2. 2013 Sheridan Mystique Yakima Valley WA - $31 - 8pts - 2 firsts (Total Wine) - the guy who brought this and I both had daughters who went to school at Gonzaga in Spokane, WA. When we would go up to see their basketball games, we would always go wine tasting during the day. We found the WA merlots to be much better than ones we were used to finding in CA and this one seemed to show that.
Obviously the Sheridan and the Stags Leap are the ones to try. I would drink either of those, but at the price I could find a much more interesting zinfandel.
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