As temperatures start to drop and football blares in the backgrounds, fall means a shift from white wine and rose to reds. Merlot has been experiencing a solid comeback over the past five years. I have loved to see how this varietal has grown in popularity, as Merlot at its best can be one of the world’s singular wines.
I have chosen ten new world Merlot wines that emirate good value and show the potential of the varietal. See for yourself, I think you will be very impressed with these wines, whether it is the budget friendly 2019 Bonterra Merlot (OB, 88) or the utterly captivating, special occasion 2018 Duckhorn ‘Three Palms Vineyard’ Merlot (OB, 95). These wines prove that there is a great new world Merlot for every occasion and budget.
CALIFORNIA
2019 Bonterra Merlot ($18.99)- Juicy with ripe red currants and red cherry flavors, this good value Merlot is best enjoyed over the next several years while the brightness remains. Drink 2021-2024- 88
NAPA VALLEY
2018 Cakebread Cellars Merlot ($70.00)- Rich and polished, the 2018 Cakebread Cellars evokes a soft mouthful with plenty of rich dark fruits with tobacco leaf and tar undertones. Enjoy this great new Merlot over the next decade. Drink 2021-2029- 91
2018 Duckhorn ‘Three Palms Vineyard’ Merlot ($110.00)- A magical new wine, the 2018 ‘Three Palms Vineyard’ by Duckhorn is one of the best of its kind that I have eve tasted. The heady aromatics bring you back to the glass for more enjoyment as Turkish coffee, dark cherry cordial, tar and leather tones all brilliantly combine. Full-throttle, yet showing great acidity and texture, this intense, hedonistic style of Merlot is brilliant to enjoy now with its milk chocolate, creme de cassis and coffee ground flavors. I can imagine this cellaring well for another twenty years, but it is very hard to resist in its unadulterated youth. Drink 2021-2038- 95
2018 Mt. Brave Merlot ($100.00)- Deep, polished and filled of terroir, the 2018 Mt. Brave Merlot is a spectacular bottling by Chris Carpenter. Once on the nose this evokes tar with leather, baking spices and copious dark fruits with chocolate tones adding to the intrigue. Full-bodied and decadent, with good structure, enjoy this outstanding bottling over the next fifteen to twenty years. If enjoying in its youth, give this beauty at least an hour decant. Drink 2021-2038- 95
2018 Markham ‘Napa Valley’ Merlot ($29.00)- The 2018 Markham ‘Napa Valley’ Merlot delivers a soft mouthfeel with ripe blackberry, black cherry and milk chocolate flavors with lighter loamy undertones. Immediately gratifying, try pairing with a juicy burger. Drink 2021-2026- 90
2019 Rutherford Hill ‘Napa Valley’ Merlot ($30.00)- Juicy and ripe red and dark fruits greet you with tobacco leaf and underbrush undertones. Beautiful now, enjoy this great value over the next five to seven years. Drink 2021-2026- 90
CHILE
2019 Casillero del Diablo ‘Reserva’ Merlot ($10.00)- For a mere ten dollars retail this Merlot delivers plenty of ripe dark fruits with herbal undertones that makes this very classic Chile. With bright acidity, enjoy this great value now. Drink 2021-2023- 88
WASHINGTON
2019 Woodward Canyon ‘Estate’ Merlot ($52.00)- The 2019 Woodward Canyon ‘Estate’ Merlot is an outstanding bottling that is already providing plenty of drinking pleasure at the two year mark. Right away fresh and plush red fruits combine with tobacco leaf, tar and leather on the palate. Soft on the mouth with beautiful length, this has another ten to fifteen years to go. Drink 2021-2033- 92
2018 Northstar ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot ($41.00)- Soft, round and generous, the 2018 Northstar ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot is an outstanding of this varietal from Washington State. Generous, with good length, the wine exudes class with its core of Black Forest Cake, cigar box and boysenberry cordial flavors that mingle with firm tannins and bright acidity. Enjoy this outstanding wine over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92
2018 L’Ecole No 41 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Merlot ($38.00)- The 2018 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Merlot is an awesome wine by L’Ecole. Ripe black plum and chocolate covered dark kirsch aromas with baking spices all meld in the glass. The palate is refined and elegant with a terrific mouthfeel and outstanding length. Rich dark fruits collide with minerals, smoke and chocolate cake notes on the palate. Outstanding in its youth, this has a long way to go. Drink 2021-2035- 93