A terrific Merlot from Napa…No Way?!

Over the years I have become more and more aware of, and slightly cynical towards, Napa's propensity to overlook an exceptionally important varietal, Merlot. If you look at Napa's Merlot focus, there are only a few handfuls of wineries that take pride in producing outstanding Merlot. It has been some time since I have come across a truly exceptional bottle of Napa Merlot in the moderate to moderately-expensive price range (sometimes you have to bite the bullet and spend a little more then normal to get what you desire).

Back in the spring, while in Cleveland visiting family, my cousin Bob (from "A Cautionary Tale") graciously opened a number of bottles for me. During one of the evenings, he opened a bottle of Plumpjack Merlot. I remember it distinctly due to the name and surprising qualities it put forward. It was because of this experience that I jumped at the chance to include it on Junipers at the Wildflower Inn's wine list.

Last evening I had the chance to partake in another bottle of Plumpjack Merlot, this time with Jason Berkman, the Executive Chef of Legal Sea Foods in Burlington, MA. It again lived up to its reputation and delivered the best Merlot experience I have had in what seems like an eternity!

2006, Plumpjack, Merlot, Napa, California - $53
From the initial sniff, there was something unique going on in the glass. The aroma of black cherry is a typical characteristic of Merlot. However, this rich black cherry was very reminiscent of the nose of a terrific Zinfandel. The aroma is not where the similarities end. On the palate there was a nice harmony between the cherry and red currant that melded into a terrific Zinfandel-esque jamminess! This was followed by pleasant hints of spice leading to some muscular, yet ripe tannins. The finish was truly amazing, lingering for many minutes! This was everything that I love about Merlot.

To put it simply, this was a Barry Sanders type of wine: terrific balance, finesse, power, and grace. I guess that would be my unorthodox way of describing the 2006 Plumpjack Merlot.

Wine Spectator gave this a 91 pt rating which is very accurate. I upped them to a 92 due to the fact that this wine solidly realized its potential as great!

A terrific Merlot from Napa…No Way?!

Thanks for nothing 'Bama!

I have officially added Alabama to the list of states that I will not be visiting (along with Delaware and Michigan…Go Buckeyes!). I know Alabama is an odd state to despise out of the blue, but trust me it is not without reason.

This morning, I opened up WineSpectator online and was looking through the various articles. In Boston, the wine crooks who stole a $20,000 bottle of 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild were arrested and the wine was returned. That was followed by a nice story out of Detroit. We find out that Curtis Granderson, All-Star outfielder of the Detroit Tigers, used the allure of wine to raise thousands of dollars for his charity (odd, I guess something good can come out of Michigan). Both fantastic bits of news! Score two for wine!

Then Alabama had to come in and ruin it!

Being the ULTRA-conservative state that it is, the Alabama Alcohol Control Board decided to ban the wine produced by Cycles Gladiator. No, they did not ban the wine because it is cheap hooch. They did not ban it because in 2004 they produced a very weak rated 76 pt Merlot and then followed it up in 2005 with a gem that scored 68 pts from WS (which is one of the lowest ratings I have ever seen!). They did not ban it because once you start drinking it you wish you had not. No! They banned it because it has a replica of a painting depicting a naked woman flying next to a bicycle on the label and deemed it pornographic! Say what?! The last time I checked they have always used this label for all of their varietals. Silly prudish Alabamans!

So why am I mad?

I am mad because the article this morning speaks of increased sales of this junk! This simple act of banning Cycles Gladiator is the best promotion that they have ever received. The worst thing is that the publicity is completely undeserved. Why not ban Merry Edwards wines?! They, like Cycles Gladiator, have paintings of naked women/fairies on the label, plus you would be able to enjoy a terrific, very well-crafted wine while sticking it to the man.

All in all, this is just another reason to avoid Alabama like the plague, along with Cycles Gladiator Merlot!


To be fair to CG, they have improved their wines somewhat in the past couple years, but with a track record like that and all of the other options out there, I would avoid it.

Thanks for nothing 'Bama!

One to try and one to avoid like the plague

Over the course of the past year I began keeping tasting notes on some of great and awful wines that I have had. Consider this the first in a line of hopefully informative insights into what is good and what should apply for a government bailout.

Highly Recommended: 2005, Justin Vineyards Isosceles, Meritage, Paso Robles, California - $60-65

Justin Vineyards embodies what California represents in many ways. They are innovative, they are Earth-friendly, they are focused on healthy living, and they are quality wine. Justin is one of the cooler wine discoveries I have made. Currently they are going through the process of becoming certified biodynamic (using natural means to tend to the grapes on the vine). They definitely have the desire to take care of the Earth, but they also take care of their employees. They have an on-site gym and strongly encourage participation in athletic competitions and physical activity. Overall, I think this makes them very appealing as a company, but how is the wine?

The 2005 Justin Isosceles is my favorite wine of 2009 thus far! It is an amazingly complex blend, with aromas of ripe red currants and juicy dark berries that are mirrored on the palate. The palate begins with the hit of red current and then evolves into the dark berries. The berries get more and more complex and meaty as time goes on and creates a truly memorable finish.

Wine Spectator gave this bad boy a 92, but I think this is slightly lower then what it deserves. I score this a 94 verging on 95, and I am thinking there is possibly a 95 in there if cellared for another 2-5 years.

Avoid: 2004, Duckhorn, Merlot, Napa, California - $45-50

Duckhorn has a romanticized reputation like many fading Napa vineyards. Be leery if you see Duckhorn Merlot on a restaurant's wine list. It usually fetches around $100-120 (add $30-50 for Cabernet) and it is nowhere worth it! The people at Duckhorn need to go back to the drawing board, especially for a winery that prides itself on Merlot! Maybe some restructuring or new vine plantings are in order?

How bad was this wine?

The 2004 Duckhorn Merlot has probably been my least favorite moderately-expensive wine of 2009. It is not a horrible wine, but it is extremely mediocre. Now when you combine that with the price it becomes horrible! The nose is a little awkward. It has a very healthy dose of cigar, cedar and earth notes. The problem is, there is no berry anywhere to lift this up. Just strange. The palate is very thin with some berries developing over time, but unfortunately I didn't have all week to wait.

Wine Spectator gave this a 78 and I think that is actually pretty nice. I would have to give this a 76. A poor showing from a vineyard that does occasionally produce some pretty good, but over-priced, estate-grown Merlot and Cabernet.

Alternative: Since I ripped the Duckhorn Merlot, let me offer a couple to try in the same price range. A 2005 or 2006 Plumpjack Merlot from Napa (co-owned by San Fran Mayor Gavin Newsome) is a great alternative as is a mid-range St-Emilion (2005 if possible) like Chateau Pipeau.

Next time out, look past the names and try to find quality. If you are not sure, ask the waiter or wine steward, that's why they are there!

One to try and one to avoid like the plague