2008 Gumdale Merlot

On November 8, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Gumdale Merlot by Wakely Vintners in Australia. I found this for under $7 and the only complaint I have about the packaging is a desire for a screw cap. I previously found the 2007 Gumdale Merlot to be a good value.

Color

This wine is ruby red in the glass. A little too thin.

Aroma

The wine shows good black pepper on the nose combined with other herbs and vegetables. I detect red currants as well. This wine is pretty strong aromatically overall with a hint of oak.

Flavor

I get quite a bit of oak right off the bat along with some good blackberries. The mid-palate has cherry and the finish has some coffee and spice. This wine is young and a bit hot. It is labeled as 13.5% alcohol. I’d like to see the fruit more in balance with the alcohol so that it would finish smoother. Nice tannic structure on the finish. This would make a good pizza wine.

Rating

Unless you are a true Merlot fan, then I would not recommend this wine. I think the Gumdale Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon (and blends) are superior. I rate this 85 points.

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2007 Santa Carolina Reserva Merlot

On November 6, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Reserva Merlot by Santa Carolina from Chile. Vina Santa Carolina was founded in 1875. This Bordeaux like blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Carmenere and 5% Syrah is aged in oak barrels for 9 months and I found it for under $10.

Color

The color is a nice dark red.

Aroma

I can smell the oak right off the bat. Almost like a cedar smell to it. There is also dark fruit on the nose. Blackberry and plum.

Flavor

The attack is very good with fruit. Blackberries, black currant and black cherries are present. The mid-palate is very strong with cherries and vanilla present. The finish is long. There is a little oak on the finish and some spice. This Merlot has a nice body and mouth feel. It is excellent by itself, but also should complement bleu cheese, pork and chicken dishes.

Rating

I really like this wine and highly recommend you try it. It is one of the best Merlots I’ve had recently. I rate it 90 points.

Have you tried any Santa Carolina wines?

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2008 Santa Rita 120 Merlot

On November 3, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

After previously enjoying the 2008 Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc, today I am tasting the 2008 Santa Rita 120 Merlot from the Valle Central of Chile. This 100% Merlot varietal was aged in oak. I found this bottle for under $8 and it is packaged with a quality screw-cap.

Color

For a Merlot, the color of the wine in the glass is a darker than normal garnet.

Aroma

This wine has a big nose. It has good components of red currant and strawberry. Definitely very interesting on the nose.

Flavor

On the attack, there is some cherry and strawberry. In the mid-palate the cherry continues and the finish shows smoky notes. Overall this wine seems a little off balanced and the oak is strong throughout. I don’t notice any secondary flavors. It could pair with pork or salmon.

Rating

Although I like their Sauvignon Blanc in the 120 series, this Merlot is not for me. I rate it 83 points.

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2007 Walnut Crest Merlot

On October 31, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Walnut Crest Merlot by Emiliana Vineyards in Chile. I found this 100% Merlot varietal for under $6 and will be interested to see how it compares to the 2007 Walnut Crest Cabernet Sauvignon. I want to compliment Emiliana again for their tremendous commitment to the environment.

Color

This is a darker than average Merlot. Dark red and purple.

Aroma

Good aromatic nose full of dark fruits and pepper.

Flavor

Sweet fruit on the attack. Strawberry and red currant flavors turn into cherry on the mid-palate. The finish is hot and spicy. It is also notably dry. It should pair very well with pasta and tomato-based sauce.

Rating

This is not a bad wine; though, it is not a special wine either. It could make a good everyday bargain. I rate it 87 points.

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2006 Trader Joe’s Coastal Merlot

On October 27, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2006 Trader Joe’s Coastal Merlot from the central coast of California. Similarly to the 2006 Trader Joe’s Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine comes to Trader Joe’s from Castoro Cellars. I found it for under $5 and have enjoyed previous vintages. I am not sure if it is 100% Merlot or a blend. Anyone find out?

Color

The color is good with dark ruby red and purple.

Aroma

This wine is tight on the nose. There are minimal dark fruit aromas and little else.

Flavor

This is not a good tasting wine. It starts with a very small amount of fruit on the attack, then immediately kicks into some sour cherries and then finishes with bitter tannins. The finish is actually quite long. It also seems quite acidic on the finish. It probably tastes better with a strong flavored food, but definitely isn’t good on its own.

Rating

I recommend you avoid this wine and rate it 80 points. Too bad, because I found prior vintages to be enjoyable. I hope 2007 is a better year for them.

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2005 Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon

On October 25, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2005 Sebastiani Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon from California which I found for under $13. The 2001 vintage was one of the best wines I have ever had with an incredible velvety flavor. This Bordeaux blend is 84.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, 4.5% Merlot, 2.7% Petite Sirah, 2.2% Petite Verdot, and 1.4% Cabernet Franc. It is aged for 10 months in American Oak.

Color

This wine is a dark red color, not very black.

Aroma

This wine is quite aromatic. The oak/cedar box is present along with lots of dark fruit. I can smell some dark fruit and even black tea, but the oak is a bit too overpowering. I am disappointed by it.

Flavor

Dark fruit such as currant and blackberry are present on the attack. I get some plum in the mid-palate and the finish has some very nice tannins and spice. I really like the ending. It is long and shows pepper and even tobacco notes. Really nice. It will pair well with steak.

Rating

If you are comfortable with quite a bit of oakiness, then I definitely recommend you try this wine. It has quite a bit of complexity on the palate. I rate it at 89 points.

Have you tried any other Sebastiani Cabs?

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2006 Chateau Bois Redon Bordeaux Superieur

On October 25, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2006 Bordeaux Superieur by Chateau Bois Redon from the commune of Boisredon in France. This Bordeaux is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, common for a right bank Bordeaux. I found this wine for under $10 locally.

Color

The color is a medium purple red. I might even mistake it for a pinot noir. It’s a little concerning.

Aroma

The nose is tight. It shows some pepper and a little cherry aromas.

Flavor

There is a pretty intense sour cherry flavor at the start and definitely in the mid-palate. The finish is pretty weak with a tiny bit of pepper. The fruit is very lack luster and the tannins are definitely bitter. This wine is young and perhaps the tannins will improve over time, but I did let it breathe for a couple of hours before tasting it. The wine doesn’t last long on the palate and leaves a bitter dry mouth feel. It is a very light wine, so it might pair with pork, but I don’t recommend drinking it alone.

Rating

Even though it is an inexpensive Bordeaux, I wouldn’t recommend purchasing this wine. I rate it 80 points.

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2007 Gumdale Merlot

On October 23, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Gumdale Merlot by Wakley Vintners from Southeastern Australia. Merlot is a great varietal of grape that is used to make some of the world’s best wines; especially in the blends from Bordeaux. This value wine (under $7) is cleanly packaged and has a plastic cork. I dislike real cork, do you? Now if they could just start using screw tops that would be even better.

Color

This wine has a beautiful dark purple color to it. Very nice for a merlot. Very promising because it isn’t thin.

Aroma

It has a tight nose. There is some chocolate and tobacco scents present. There is a tiny bit of oak showing also.

Flavor

Great fruit on the attack. Plums, blackberries, and cherries are present. The mid palate also is dominated by the dark fruit flavors with a little sour cherries. The finish has some cracked pepper, but really isn’t a strong finish. Overall this is definitely a fruit bomb, but the acid level is high enough to balance it out and it doesn’t come across as being too sweet. For a merlot, it is a tad bit hot (13.5% alcohol) so definitely open it up early. No evidence of tannins, so drink now.

Rating

Overall I think this is a good wine for those who crave lots of fruit. I personally would have liked a merlot with more complex flavors and a smoother mouth feel. I rate it 87 points.

Have you tried the 2007 Gumdale Merlot?

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2008 Concha y Toro Frontera Merlot

On October 17, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting a very inexpensive Chilean wine, the 2008 Concha y Toro Frontera Merlot, which I’ve found at under $5. I’ve previously tasted the higher end 2007 Concha y Toro Casillero Del Diablo Carmenere. This Merlot comes from the Rapel Valley and is unfortunately packaged with a real cork. As with most of their choices, Cocha y Toro does a nice job of promoting the scenic environmental beauty of Chile.

Aroma

The nose is a little tight, but the terroir comes through with a nice odor of soil. It also smells a little bit like a harvest of vegetables such as celery. There is also a lot of dark fruit in it such as black currant and plum. To me, the nose is nice.

Flavor

The attack starts with just a quick taste of sour cherry which immediately sweetens up to more of a nice chocolate with blackberries on the mid-palate. It ends with a blast of pepper. I really like the mid-palate of this wine. It has a nice medium body and the sour cherries last for a long time. Not a lot of tannins so it will need to be consumed relatively young. I recommend this for tomato-based pastas and pizza.

Rating

I like this wine. Perhaps, because of the price I had low expectations, but it really is drinkable. Even though it is not complex, I recommend it if you are on a budget. I rate it 88 points.

Have you tried it? What is you impression compared to higher priced Merlots?

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