Merlots to Enjoy this Fall - Owen Bargreen
October brings Merlot month and cooler weather calls for silky Merlot. I have hand-selected some outstanding Merlots that will surely bring pleasure to your dinner table or fireside chat. Merlot is staging a solid comeback post-Sideways. It was 2004 and I was sitting at a great restaurant in Seattle when my father ordered a 2000 Leonetti Cellar Merlot. As a graduate student I was slowly advancing my wine education and I was struck by the pillowy texture of this incredible wine. I won’t soon forget that seminal moment of exploring top notch Merlot.
The 2018 Nine Hats Merlot is a killer value made by winemaker Gilles Nicault. Fresh sage and cocoa powder fill the nose with suggestions of baking spices and coffee grounds. The palate is soft and inviting with a silky texture. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next seven plus years. Drink 2022-2029 - 92, Owen Bargreen