Review: A Trio of Merlot, Summer 2024 Releases
By now, complaining that the film Sideways damaged Merlot’s reputation and sales is as superfluous and exhaustive an exercise for wine scribes as the film’s actual declarations. This will be my first and final allusion to the topic when discussing this pleasant and inoffensive varietal. Today, we have three sturdy Merlots suitable to uncork for your summer gatherings. So, without further ado: a trio of Merlots. Let’s go.
2022 Charles Krug Merlot – Expressive with notes of cranberry and hibiscus throughout, this St. Helena/Yountville blend touches on everything one would expect to enjoy in a Merlot: balanced with fruit and light baking spice on the palate, with a touch of vanilla and cherry on the medium finish. Well-structured with balanced acidity, it pairs well with a smartly curated charcuterie board A- / $30
2020 J. Bookwalter Readers Merlot – A blend of 75% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec, with that combined 25% of additional varietals delivering some major heft. You’d be forgiven for mistaking this for a lighter French Malbec with the combination of dark cherry and violet on the nose and big notes of blackberry, raspberry, and Lapsang black tea on the palate. Aging this for 20 months in French oak also helps deliver a big blast of spice on the palate to break up the darker fruit without becoming too obtrusive. A nice transitional Merlot for fans of Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon looking to return to the fold — or arrive for the first time. A- / $23
2019 Selby North Coast Merlot – Light and incredibly approachable, with raspberry on the nose and a deep note of vanilla emerging with time in glass. The body is surprisingly restrained, with raspberry and blueberry on the forefront eventually tempered by baking spice and a light touch of strawberry towards the finish. It is an interesting combination worth pairing with an easy weeknight dinner when complexity isn’t necessarily a necessity. B / $20
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