Good Sauvignon Blanc plus Merlot 09 and Syrah 09. The SB has a tangerine note, Napa Valley News american harvest weekend cakebread winery symposium for professional journalistsVery interesting seminar at the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers -- a "bean tasting" with various wines from Cakebread!

It is very quaint, very wine-centric and in some ways similar to the restaurant where I was introduced to Robert Mondavi in California’s Napa Valley, a place frequented by local winemakers. "So here i am, at Ken Forrester's 96 Winery Road restaurant in South Africa!". Africa for many decades. During my recent trip to S. 96 Winery Road.

Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon round it all out, along with Petit Sirah and Merlot. Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet Sauvignon fruit comes from an alluvial fan on Ritchie Creek in Calistoga, and the 8% Merlot and 8% Malbac comes from a vienyard along the Napa River. Terrezas de los Andes. 21.99. 21.99.

Harvest is progressing nicely, if slowly, here in Napa Valley. We'll be picking the Oak Knoll District Merlot next. Crosby Roamann USA 3 stars Sonoma Napa Valley 2008Our 2011 St. Helena Sauvignon Blanc is all barreled down and aging nicely. We are stirring the lees regularly to maximize flavors. Up on Mt. What We're Drinking.

At present, they are offering a Cabernet Sauvignon (with six percent of Merlot) and Sauvignon Blanc with a percentage of Semillion. Napa Valley that inspired him. With a clear vision of the potential of the Napa Valley, in 1971 he co-founded Clos du Val. Chairman of the Napa Valley Wine Auction in 1997.

We've reached about 50% veraison in our small plot of Merlot at Jaeger Vineyard just west of Big Ranch Road in Oak Knoll District. Crosby Roamann Napa ValleyOur clone 181 is catching up slowly on last year. We've been about two weeks behind schedule, but the recent weather has brought things along nicely.

We began with base blends of our varietals -- Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot -- and then experimented with single barrel additions and reductions, "reserve" or "barrel selections," and blind tasted everything with friends and family repeatedly. Merlot from Oak Knoll and 1.7% Crosby Roamann USA blending 2010 Napa Valleyalcohol.

You can attend the Napa Valley Wine Auction the week of June 2 - 5 (Lot 19) and purchase the wine for charity (and a lot of fun extras) in person. or if you can't get to Napa, starting May 29 2011 you can bid online ( just click here ). The vines planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. Helena.

It's always fun when the Napa Vintners association comes to New York -- the owners and winemakers take a break from pouring at consumer and press functions, and are able to relax a bit and talk about their wines. The winery is located on Soda Canyon Road in the Napa Valley. first met Shirley Roy a few years ago at a trade event.

In the actual experiments, the subject ordered a glass of “house merlot,&# so perhaps the conclusion is valid. You’d think they ordered the house merlot! SPIT: “imbibing idiot bias&#. But what if the subject ordered a glass of hipster wine, such as pineau d’aunis or Txakoli, or a back vintage something good?

enjoyed the merlot sample with 20% cabernet sauvignon blended in, but not the other way round. This leaves us with a likely blend of our 2009 Napa Valley red wine: 95% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot, 75% new oak with one American barrel for good measure; alcohol by volume approximately 14.5% 2) Dark fruits. 3) Mellow and round.

So here's the story: In the 70s Dennis's father (the whole family consider themselves co-owners) visited the Napa Valley and mentioned his interest in owningg a vineyard to some family friends who had a ranch in Rutherford. When he returned home that afternoon, the phone rang and it was the family friends offering to sell their property.

Here are some of my quick tasting notes: Lot 108 Napa Valley Chardonnay 2007 $14 Apple, pineapple, lemon rind and pear aromas with lemon verbena and grapefruit on a creamy fresh finish. Lot 169 Napa Valley Merlot 2007: new release Blue fruits, candy cane, some heat, blueberries, oak, structured. My favorite of the group.

Of course my choice would be Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley or Russian River Valley, the home of some of the best wines in the world. Recently, the wife and I have been discussing a possible trip to California next year. few of the issues are for how long and where. Maybe we should wait until we can spend a couple of months and visit them all.

Happily, I've met most of the group during our Napa educational week and then during what is called a 'Course Day' in the UK and dinner at the wine bar Terroir. The percentage here is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. Gorgeous sunny weather is this beautiful city is always a treat. Chateau Rauzan Segla. The estate has 52 hectares.

Behind the bar one of the owners, Joe Rabasco recommends the Costa Del Sol Napa 2005 blend of Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Merlot produced by Bennesere Vineyards. Every morning I’ve been passing by a storefront in New York’s West Village that for months had its windows papered to block a view to the inside. That’s a good start.

But that is a part of the character and charm of Monte Bello, which distinguishes it from so many other wines from California, even those -- if not especially those -- from Napa Valley. Also tasted (blind): 2003 Ridge Vineyards California Mountain Merlot and 2005 Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley Both very similar in style to the 2005 Monte Bello.

So says renowned Napa winemaker, Mike Grigich, age 87, in a story in today’s NYT dining section. The story elaborates on the difficult times of selling expensive wines from Napa and how wineries are struggling to adopt new sales techniques, including social media. “Try the Red: Napa Learns to Sell&# by Katrina Heron.

Grapes from Napa, Sonoma and El Dorado make up this Claret (or English Bordeaux) blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 3% Cabernet Franc. very generous finish displays itself via a robust rich texture and silky tannins. 13% alcohol and in the $15-20 range. Very nice.

Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 70% form Napa, 30% from Sonoma with a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Throughout the evening we sampled a broad spectrum of 5 wonderful wines, 1 Italian white, 3 Italian reds and 1 California Cab. Well, here they are.

Actually this is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah and 4% Merlot and made from grapes from Mendocino, Lake County and Napa County (45%, 30%, 25%). This red from California is from the second flight at Snooth's Cabernet Blind Tasting last week. alcohol and $12.99.

This was my favorite from the first flight at the Snooth Cabernet tasting last week. Initially, beautiful dark ripe blackberry aromas assault together with wafts of berries, and hints of vanilla, spices and cassis. 15% alcohol and $16.99

At my table were people who had come in from Chicago, Wisconsin, Delaware and Napa. note the appellations of the six right bank wines since they are mostly Merlot based as opposed to the Cabernet-based wines from the Medoc. On Wednesday evening I attended a tasting of fifteen wines from Bordeaux 2005. Parker called it “shut down.”

I’ve wanted to visit the Dominus Estate in Napa since it was built in 1997. So when I was in Napa in February as a speaker at the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers, I inquired about visiting and was glad that they offered me the chance. But it’s not open to the public. So here’s an edition of Dr. Vino inside !

According to the website, "A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon , this right-bank inspired blend shows high-toned aromas of blackberry, black raspberry and bitter chocolate." Tags: Cellar Selection USA 2006 3 stars Napa Valley Just make sure you pay for it on the way out.

From 95% cabernet sauvignon, with 3% merlot and 2% petit verdot.makes me think they should add 2% petit verdot to the final blend of the 2008, in an attempt to recreate the longevity of the sweetness here. Tags: 2004 Central California 2006 1988 3 stars Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Napa Valley 4 stars This wine put the 1989 to shame.

The 2008 Monte Bello will (probably) be made from just cabernet sauvignon and merlot for the first time in twenty-five years. Upon reaching Paradise, after his tortuous journey upon Mount Purgatory, Dante wrote : His glory, by whose might all things are mov'd, Pierces the universe, and in one part Sheds more resplendence, elsewhere less.

We tasted these wines blind over the past five nights, with a 2004 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon thrown in to mix things up. The 2004 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ** by contrast was mote black and abundantly oaky on the nose at first glance. But the predominant note on day 1 was the vanilla.

From 85% caberent sauvignon, 10% merlot and 5% petit verdot, the wine nevertheless sounded a striking note of graphite and crushed stones. We also tasted a 1993 Ridge Vineyards York Creek Merlot ** from the Spring Mountain District of Napa Valley. picked this up for $25 at WineBid.com.

Napa Valley Vintners states, "Switchback Ridge produces handcrafted estate wines sourced exclusively from the Peterson Family Vineyard in Calistoga. Varietals grown and produced include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Sirah." Tags: Cellar Selection USA Corrections 2005 Napa Valley 4 stars That would be a mistake. At 15.5%

Welcome Napa Valley Vintners! As you can see from my tasting card, I didn’t get to taste all of the wines at last night’s A Taste of Napa Valley with Morrell & Co. Lail Vineyards was pouring the Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc 2007 which is just such an individualistic Napa Valley white that it really needs to be tasted to be understood.

STARMONT Merryvale, 2006 Napa Merlot -$24 Popcorn. 2007 STARMONT Merrvale Napa Chardonnay- $20 Beer. Is this a blend of the Merlot and the Charonnay? I've been good natured about mostly neglecting to review unbidden samples. But for some reason this shipment was like a Golum, whispering to me. thought why not? Sawdust.

tasting like a Merlot blend. 2007 Flora Springs Napa valley 14.2% $15 On the nose cranberry candy with a vegetal swash of green peppers, cologne and manure, while the flavors are earthy and cedar.more to come with pix later in the day

Charmail **, a 2005 Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot, 2000 Ch. The Mondavi 2005 Merlot, which we had opened the night before but left half-full, uncovered, had already spoiled. Emilion Grand Cru, displayed strong but round, dry tannins, with mint and pine on the back end, and I would have fingered it for a Heitz Cellars Napa Valley.

A blend of just 50% cabernet sauvignon with 32% cabernet franc and 18% merlot "with all of the fruit coming from the Napa Valley." This 1999 harkens back to an age of simplicity in style - and marketing - that I long for from Napa Valley. Tags: 2 stars USA 1999 Napa Valley Actually, it does the opposite.

Please put aside the fact that I've compiled this list because I'm a tool of the marketing gestalt that controls Napa Valley.) Most of the cults aren't even bottled yet when they are purchased as futures, and this fact might give you the "blues." You aren't alone. This list is by no means complete, and it may very well be inaccurate.

We followed up with Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot 2005 ** which is less robust than the 2004, and not quite as fruity, but is more subtle, and a generally good value wine at $16 To conclude my previous post. Cherry red color with bricking at the edge, this was full on bloody with nice tang on the mid palate.

Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot 2004 ** a very good merlot with blueberry notes and solid body that can be had for under $20 Bryce Vineyard Pinot Noir 2004 * ripe and succulent but with sufficient acidity to hold it all together. But more on that, later. Some are Good Values , others are Cellar Selections , all are American.

NV Concha y Toro Reservado Merlot C.O. 2002 Seavey Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ** A big Napa cabernet of dried cherries with smokey and chewey tannins. Mexico is a difficult place to find a good bottle of wine. I've listed what we tasted, below, in no particular order. drink beer.  2004 Mouton Cadet Bordeaux.

2004 Napa Valley Merlot **+ Thoroughly enjoyable. Mondavi's website states the wine is made from 100% Napa Valley fruit and sees 20% new French oak. 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ** The merlot was so good I went back and bought a bottle of the Cabernet Sauvignon. had never even been to the estate. God forbid.

Araujo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley "Eisele Vineyard" 2005 * Smoky garnet color. wine of great depth and class, and my favorite 2005 Napa cabernet of the night. Bond "Pluribus" Napa Valley 2004 ** did not display the depth and concentration I hoped for from a 2004 Bond. Viader Napa Valley 2005 Bouquet of dried spring flowers.

Greg opened 3 beautiful California reds for us: Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1985. Laurel Glen Sonoma 1985 Cabernet (blended w merlot & Cab Franc, I think).2nd Had the opportunity to share dinner and some great wines (thanks to Greg Dal Piaz) with a small group of snoothians this past week. the wines.

Medium body. Dark cocoa, raspberry liquor, and a little menthol. Pretty good stuff - drinking nicely right now

Then there was that California style Bordeaux, narrowing the margin between the wines, moving a wine I sort of like (Bordeaux) too close to a wine I really didnt warm to, (Napa Cab/Merlot). This marked the year of the complete coup; reverse osmosis/micro bullage machines rolled into town like WW2 German tanks. They became the norm.

This Pine Ridge 2005 Carneros Merlot from the Napa Valley/Carneros region of California is 98% Merlot , 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Malbec and aged 15 months in French oak barrels. It shows dark aromas of blackberries, cherry and blueberry with notes of coffee, tobacco and cedar. SRP is $45.

Made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon aging in French oak barrels for 18 months, then 15% Merlot added to the final bottled blend. This rich deep rose colored Cabernet from Napa , California is full-bodied, clean and smooth. On the nose wafts chocolate, oak and herb. Extremely concentrated and complex with an alcohol content of 14.9%

First up is the Merlot from Napa County, California. This is one of my favorites from a tasting I attended this past weekend at The Restaurant at Sun & Surf Beach Club in Atlantic Beach, N.Y. There were exclusively California wines that ran the gamut, but I'll be concentrating on the reds I enjoyed. alcohol content. Range about $22

Washington State, is known to produce some exceptional reds, in particular Merlot, Syrah and yes, of course, Cabernet Sauvignon (and blends including all or some of the aforementioned varietals). They are also often (but certainly not always) more affordable than their southernly neighbors from Napa.

Some young Bordeux (a red wine blend generally containing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and up to 3 other "Bordeaux varietals") can be so acidic & tannic that one really needs to wait as many as 10 years or more before it softens enough to be palatable. What is better, an old wine or a young wine? Up to your personal preference.

stayed in a northern part of Napa known as Calistoga and made my way North West to Sonoma county. The prior day in Napa was a lot of fun but I have friends and other contacts there whom I really wanted to see so my day was very much set. There was also a Merlot, Cab, and then 4 zinfandels. Maybe he simply lacked personality.

Connie & I worked together at Napa Wine Company where she was easily one of my favorite people. We started the visit with a white as I tried what I was told the only Albarino from Napa (or maybe it was the first?). We had some Merlot & Cab from both a regular series and a reserve one. Havens had some really nice wine.

He is collaborating with a winemaker I used to work with in Napa and poured that wine for me in addition to his own wine. His 2004 Neiman Cellars Napa Valley Red is a blend of 1/3 Cab Sauvignon, 1/3 Merlot, & 1/3 Cab Franc. Maybach winery from the Napa Valley had one wine at the tasting. don't know. great wine.

Called Black Coyote Bates Creek Vineyard 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. it's 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot and barreled for 19 months in new and used French oak. Today after work a few of us got together and sampled a really powerful bottle of wine from California. Powerful because it is 15.1%

Rich, elegant, and very fruity, the wine showed too much Napa spice for me to be truly wowed, but this will probably outlive many other wines, and once the pepper and spice fades, it may be truly extraordinary. Eric Baugher (left) Sean McBride (right) holding bottles of 2006 and 2007 Monte Bello. traveled down to Wasihngton D.C. French wines!

Then we stopped by the side of the road and took this picture, and I remembered that Napa Valley time isn't the same as NYC time and the good folks at Seavey probably wouldn't care (or notice) if we were 15 or 20 minutes late for a Friday morning tasting. 2003 Seavey Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay - $40 - 2-3 stars. calling to me.

Lang & Reed Napa Winery was represented by the husband and wife team who make the wines and they were great. And their 2004 "Right Bank" Red, a blend of Cab Franc (53%), Merlot (30%), Petit Verdot (9%) & Cab Sauv (8%) was beautiful. Also had a nice Cabernet from Oakville, the town in Napa where I lived and worked.

Nice ripe plum. Medium bodied, gaining weight as it breathes. Dark cocoa, red berry fruitcake, hinting at toffee or caramel, with a touch of dusty tannins and a lightly spicy finish. Overall an excellent wine, and one of my perennial favorites

According to the professional wine critics, 2004 was a very good vintage for California cabernets, merlots, and blends. Wine Spectator loved the fully extracted and massively endowed wines produced in Napa. Monte Bello is my favorite winery/vineyard. No two vintages of Monte Bello taste the same, and each vintage evolves in the cellar.

There is certainly plenty of exposure and sunlight - even more per day on average than in the Napa Valley. Are they an extension of the bad aspects of Napa, or are they making wines that reflect something about their own place? 2004 Pepper Bridge Colombia Valley Merlot - at last, some brett - a breath of fresh air, so to speak.

It was Hagafen Napa Merlot & my life would never be the same. Sweeter" & softer Merlots were what I initially preferred to the tannic & cloyingly dry Cabernets I had the opportunity to taste. Until somewhere along the line I grew tired of one-dimensional Merlots and began to appreciate Cabernets. BAMMM.

Do you like Merlot? My Napa contacts might kill me for saying this, but I think I preferred this wine to some of the high scoring California Pinot's I have had. It's late, I have a nice buzz, so I'll keep this (first) one brief. went on a (blind) date with a nice young woman tonight. On to the wine. Sweet & red??? NEVER AGAIN!

With all this talk of the merlot and pinot noir it was now time to enjoy the latter. Never did get to Napa but of all the places I went for wine in The Golden State Santa Barbara County was our favorite.Sideways or no Sideways. Last night my wife and I were celebrating for celebration's sake. Actually I just downright love them.

1995 Stags Leap Merlot, Napa Valley - Opulent nose of plums and spices. This is a decadent wine, a very classy merlot. thought it was delicious, and I found myself thinking "I bet this will go cheap - who is buying Merlot anyway?" And what of the white wines? was not so impressed, though, overall. Almondy marzipan palate.

blend of 47% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 19% Cabernet Franc. Second Place - 2001 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Napa Valley $68 : one 1st place vote, one 2nd place vote, one 3rd place vote = 9 points. blend of about 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot. put this wine in 2nd place.