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$16.95
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WS 88
WE 88
United States
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Merlot
In stock, 12+ available
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List $20.00
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88 points Wine Spectator: "[$20 list] This solid, well-focused Merlot shows good complexity, with dried cherry and herb aromas and appealing red currant and spice flavors. Drink now through 2016. (11/15/12)"
88 points Wine & Spirits: "[$20 list] A simple, juicy merlot, this wine lasts on clean strawberry flavors. Its fine tannins give it a creamy feel. For roast beef. (Dec 2011)"
Producer notes: "The 2009 has aromas of black cherry, blackberry, oak, vanilla, plum and the slight eucalyptus typical of Alexander Valley. In the glass there are flavors of plum, vanilla, more cassis and red fruit, a touch of spice and mint. Overall the 2009 is elegant with good balance and a long aftertaste. Barrel aged 18 months in French and American oak, 30% new. 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc."
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$14.95
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United States
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Merlot
In stock, 12+ available
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List $25.00
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Producer notes: "[$25 list] Ripe black plum and red cherry aromas deepen in intensity with inviting notes of milk chocolate and warm spice. A palate rich with sweet dark berry fruit notes of black tea and spice balance a lightly creamy texture with soft, plush tannins and fine structure."
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$14.95
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W&S 91
WS 90
United States
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Merlot
In stock, 12+ available
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List $22.00
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91 points Wine & Spirits: "[$22 list] Built for the long haul, this rich red leads with suave oak scents. With air, the oak relents and a rich, dark cherry-skin fruit core emerges, accented by tobacco and tar, generous yet reined in by mineral tannins. Give it time to integrate, then serve with steak. (Jun 2012)"
90 points and 'Smart Buys,' Wine Spectator: "[$22 list] Lithe, with a transparency to the dark berry, cherry and tobacco flavors. The finish shows a hint of violet, lingering with supple texture. Drink now through 2016. (6/30/12)"
'Good Value,' Connoisseurs' Guide: "[$22 list] A textbook Merlot in a good many ways, this bottling from the Canoe Ridge Estate is a very supple, ripe-leaning wine that sports a nice sense of juicy young fruit. It is temperate in tannin and sufficiently soft at the edges to drink with steaks and chops in the immediate term, but its best lies a few years ahead and we recommend a short wait. (Sep 2012)"
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$24.95
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WS 91
WE 91
United States
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Merlot
In stock,
10
available
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91 points Wine Spectator: "Sleek and well-focused, offering appealing red currant and tomato leaf aromas, with complex cherry, cedar and espresso notes. Tannins slide in on the finish. Best from 2015 through 2018. (11/30/12)"
91 points Wine Enthusiast: "A lovely Merlot, this is pure, vibrant and elegant. It has classic cherry, red-currant and cedar flavors, and while there’s a sweetness at the core, the finish is thoroughly dry. Wonderful to drink now with steak or lamb. Alcohol 14.5%. (Oct 2012)"
Producer notes: "This wine displays all of the benefits of slow, even ripening during a mild growing season. Though there is fullness and a lush character to this Merlot, there is also restraint and elegance. Promising aromas of cherry, red plum, raspberry, and dried herbs lead to a clean fresh entry with impeccably balanced acidity supporting intense red fruit flavors of cranberry, plum and raspberry. Round, supple tannins provide an enticing framework for the flavors and contribute to a lingering finish. 84% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc. Barrel aged 15 months in 100% French oak barrels (25% new, 75% second vintage). Alcohol 14.5%."
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$10.95
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United States
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Merlot
In stock,
1
available
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List $13.00
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Wine Enthusiast: "[$13 list] A pretty good Merlot for the price. It's dry and velvety, with ripe flavors of cherries, raspberries and cola. Drink with anything calling for a medium-bodied red wine. (Aug 2011)"
Producer notes: "The majority of the grapes for our Merlot come from a 1,300 ft vineyard in the upper reaches of the Yokayo benchland of Mendocino County. This benchland is excellent for growing Merlot for its warm days and chilly nights, deep loamy well drained soil and sees no fog during the growing season. Compared to adjacent Napa and Sonoma Counties, the temperatures are cooler, creating a longer growing season, longer hang time and very concentrated berries. We believe in the 'less is more' philosophy when it comes to the influence of the winemaker on the wine -- better to let the fruit express itself. The key to this Merlot is balance. To get there, ripe fruit with the right acidity was fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel and new and used French barrels. Look for red and black cherries, dark plum, a touch of vanilla, and well-integrated soft tannins."
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$15.95
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WE 91
United States
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Merlot
In stock, 12+ available
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List $19.00
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91 points Wine Enthusiast: "Merlot hardly gets richer than this. Just explodes in the mouth with flavors of black cherry, blackberry and chocolate truffle flavors. As sweet as it seems, it’s actually dry, with a wonderful edge of acidity. Drink now. Alcohol 14.3%. (Jun 2012)" 80% Estate Spring Mountain District, 20% Napa Carneros.
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$24.95
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United States
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Merlot
In stock,
7
available
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List $30.00
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Producer notes: "[$30 list] The 2010 vintage Marilyn Merlot is the 26th annual production of this respected wine. This year’s release is a blend of 94% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes grown and fermented in the Napa Valley. The wine's color is vibrantly garnet and the complex aromas of blueberries, anise and toasty oak all work in harmony for a wine worthy of its legacy. Moderate alcohol, soft fruit flavors and a lingering finish makes this wine a great companion with foods of many cuisines. Vineyard locations for this wine are from our longtime grower associates in the Yountville and Oakville regions of the Napa Valley. Alcohol: 13.9%."
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$22.95
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United States
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Merlot
In stock,
3
available
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List $26.00
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Producer notes: "Born at our west-side ranch in the rugged Santa Lucia Mountains, this delightful wine offers a bounty of rich, ripe cherry and berry coupled with subtle oak overtones. Well balanced with soft tannins, bright fruit and natural acidity, this wine has a smooth mouth-feel and alluring aftertaste. Alcohol 15%."
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$14.95
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United States
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Merlot
In stock,
1
available
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List $20.00
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Producer notes: "The name Parcel 41 is derived from the original agriculture land assessor's plot number for our ranch in Napa Valley, California. Our limited production Merlot is enormously rich, ripe and concentrated showing layers of blackberry, currant and mocha.Merlot grapes are typically more difficult to grow than Cabernet Sauvignon, which is why the best Merlots are often more expensive. Therefore the goal with Parcel 41 was to make a Merlot that is supple and elegant, yet still has the structure, depth and richness you find in more expensive offerings. 94% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. 100% Napa Valley Barrel aged 16 months in 100% French oak (2 year old barrels). Alcohol: 14.2%."
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$17.95
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United States
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Merlot
In stock, 12+ available
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List $20.00
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Producer notes: "The name Parcel 41 is derived from the original agriculture land assessor's plot number for our ranch in Napa Valley, California. Our limited production Merlot is enormously rich, ripe and concentrated showing layers of blackberry, currant and mocha. Merlot grapes are typically more difficult to grow than Cabernet Sauvignon, which is why the best Merlots are often more expensive. Therefore, the goal with Parcel 41 was to make a Merlot that is supple and elegant, yet still has the structure, depth and richness you find in more expensive offerings. 96% Merlot, 4% Syrah. 100% Napa Valley (50% hillside, 50% valley floor fruit) Barrel aged 16 months in 100% French oak (2 year old barrels). Alcohol 14.5%."
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$15.95
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United States
-
Merlot
In stock,
9
available
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Producer notes: "Elegant aromas of boysenberry and black cherry join with nuances of vanilla and plum. These aromas lead to a soft and supple mouth-feel, rich with blackberry and toffee flavors. Hints of spice and cranberry are supported by moderate tannins for a smooth finish. Our favorite pairings for this wine include chicken cacciatore, Cornish game hen, and parmesan risotto. Alcohol 14.4%."
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$15.95
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United States
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Merlot
In stock, 12+ available
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$21.95
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United States
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Merlot
In stock, 12+ available
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List $30.00
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John runs a sleepy little one-man operation in the western St. Helena Benchlands. Just a stone's throw from Spottswoode, Ruston Vineyards stands alongside some very heavy hitters in the Napa Valley. Qualitatively, this wine is everything you've come to expect from Ruston's exacting standards. His Merlots are characteristically sleek, with red currant and plum notes, framed with fine tannins and refreshing acidity. It's pleasure in a glass - a great wine for quaffing with friends, or with a tender filet of beef. Production on this vintage was a miniscule 97 cases. We strongly recommend you buy this one while you can.
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$24.95
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WA 93
CG 93
WS 92
United States
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Merlot
In stock,
7
available
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93 points Antonio Galloni (Wine Advocate): "A delicious entry-level wine, the 2010 Merlot is rich, boisterous and loaded with fruit. Freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries, mint and spices all make an appearance in this flashy, exuberant red. The vibrancy of the vintage works to balance some of the wine’s natural overtness. Clean, saline notes add an attractive briskness to the finish. This is a gorgeous wine that makes a compelling case for Merlot-based wines in Napa Valley. The 2010 is 84% Merlot, 10% Cabernet and 6% Malbec, a variety that seems to add a little extra juiciness, always welcome in a wine meant to be enjoyed upon release. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. (Dec 2012)"
93 points Connoisseurs' Guide: "There is nothing about this very juicy, many-layered Merlot to suggest that the 2010 vintage posed real problems for many in achieving adequate ripeness, and, true to the Shafer style, it is a rich, fully-fleshed, deeply fruity wine with enormous savor and depth. Its central themes of ripe cherries merge with elements of caramel, vanilla and toasted brioche, and its generous flavors go on and on. In truth, there is plenty about this bottling that is sure to tempt early drinking, but it is far from fully evolved, and as Shafer Merlots and Cabernets have proved over the years, being wholly delicious when young in no way precludes being even better with age. (Mar 2013)"
92 points Wine Spectator: "Supple, elegant and beautifully focused, with aromas of red currant and toasty vanilla that lead to ripe but sleek and layered flavors of black cherry, cinnamon and black tea. Tannins sneak in on the finish. Drink now through 2017. (7/31/12)"
92 points California Grapevine: "Medium-dark ruby color with purplish tinges; attractive, forward, plummy, spicy, complex, ripe cherry, red currant, and blackberry fruit aroma that developed with airing in the glass; full body; big, rich, concentrated, plush, plummy, red and black fruit flavors with good depth and a velvety mouthfeel; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Very appealing to taste now, though also well balanced and firmly structured for another five years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended. 15.3% alcohol; blended with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Malbec; released November 2012. (Feb 2013)"
92 points Anthony Dias Blue (The Tasting Panel): "Dense, dark and ripe with lavish plum and cassis fruit; rich and meaty with smooth, velvety texture and lovely balance; long and deep. 84% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec. (Feb 2013)"
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$24.95
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WE 90
United States
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Merlot
In stock,
11
available
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List $28.00
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90 points Wine Enthusiast: "[$28 list] Does just what Merlot is supposed to, deliver a ripe, seductive red wine in a velvety texture. Feels so soft and drink-me-now in the mouth, with waves of blackberries, cherries, red currants, licorice and mocha. (Nov 2011)"
Producer notes: "An approachable, food friendly wine that appeals to both Merlot lovers and Cab fans alike. 81% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah."
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