2009 Ehlers Estate Merlot

Poor Merlot, so picked on.  Bad press from snooty critics for years has not done this “Noble” varietal justice.  Then came Sideways.  The inside joke in the wine industry is that after the movie Sideways came out all of the wineries making bad Merlot changed to making bad Pinot Noir.  In the end, that’s a good thing because the bad Merlot, in many cases, has left the market.  And the good Merlot, the truly delicious bottlings, have gotten better.  My personal favorite is the Ehlers Estate.   Winemaker Kevin Morrisey cut his teeth as an intern at Ch. Pétrus so let’s face it, the man knows his way around a Merlot grape.

Another stellar reason to drink Ehlers Estate Merlot is this:  One hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of Ehlers Estate wines go to support the Leducq Foundation, a highly regarded, not-for-profit foundation dedicated to funding international cardiovascular research.  Now, drinking wine is not only good for your health, it’s good for a lot of people’s!

Tasting Notes:  This is a complex full bodied Napa red that has the balance and structure to age for decades. It starts off bold on the attack, and continues full and plush. The flavors of raspberry and cherry cola, cocoa and black currants adorn this rich and dense expression of the North St. Helena, terroir. This wine has layers of complexity, a firm acidity, velvety mid-palate, and a long, classic Merlot finish.

This wine is available at Porthos!

Paloma Merlot 2009 – 96+ Points

I’ve been fortunate to sample every vintage of Paloma for the past decade and it always thrills but this 2009 is my highest rating ever. Complex aromas of black berry fruits, black stone fruits, semi-sweet chocolate, tobacco, spice and floral notes with a mineral overtone. On the palate the wine has a big silky mouth feel, well balanced, with flavors of berries, fruit, cocoa, cassis, and spice, and a long spicy finish that is tightly wound now with ultra-plush tannins. Enjoy now after decanting (pre-2013) or anytime until 2017, peaking in late 2015 in my estimate.

Buy this wine at Porthos.

Produced by Paloma.

Chateau Sergant Lalande de Pomerol 2005 – 93 Points

Deep in color and heady with the scents of cedar, crushed blackberry, and chocolate. Opulent and medium bodied, this wine exhibits a complex cache of flavors, including fresh berries, hints of violet. Medium-to-full body, with velvety tannins and a clean, fruity aftertaste. Fine, supple, and supremely elegant.

Buy this wine from Porthos.

The #1 “Cabernet Lovers Merlot”

Lewis Napa Merlot 2006 is the finest Merlot, guaranteed to thrill Cabernet lovers, of the vintage! When wine insiders describe a wine as “Merlot for Cabernet lovers” or “a Chardonnay that red wine lovers will enjoy” what does that mean? On one hand, it seems sort of silly because if you love Cabernet why bother purchasing or tasting Merlot? Our explanation is that wine collectors are inherently adventure seekers and always hoping for a new discovery to exhilarate the palate.
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PALOMA MERLOT 2006 = better than “Wine of the Year”!

INSIDER SCOOP: The owners of this tiny winery are old friends of Porthos.  We’ve been tracking their wine for 7 years now and the 2005 if their BEST YET featuring bold fruit and an ultra smooth texture! Ever since Wine Spectator rated this wine a “Classic” 95 points” and awarded it “#1 Wine of the Year” Paloma has soared to the top of the highly-sought-after Collector “must have” list! Funny ‘insider’ story is I’ll never forget when proprietor Jim Richards contacted me to enquire if I thought he should change the name of his wine to help boost sales since it was still undiscovered at that time. (more…)