Guys, this is not a political show. I am a guy sitting in my cellar, tasting wine. I do not taste and rate wines based on politics. Nor do I endorse a political party or movement by tasting a wine from a given country. Wine is made for sharing and helps find agreement where there was none before. At least, that is what I believe. I travel to places and meet people who have very different political views. But I can sit with most of them over a glass of wine and find common ground, no matter where I am. I did not select the wine that offends some viewers. I also did not know much about the story of Golan Heights before recording this video (excuse my ignorance). For anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the region, please read the following entry from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golan_Heights
I appreciate you stating that you are ignorant on this matter and should be excused for this misstep. However, being from the country that is the second biggest supplier of funds and weaponry as well as having provided unrestrained political coverage in every opportunity possible, it is hard to believe that you didn’t pick up anything about the genocidal campaign that has been waging on the Palestinians for the last 16 months. And then to link us to pages about the history of the Golan Heights is just another level of arrogance. Because it is up to you and others in position of “power” like you to educate yourself and to not normalize what clearly is a product of a colonial settler state that has forcibly removed it indigenous people from their land by ethnic cleansing or outright killing them. To say, “I’m a guy sitting in a cellar, tasting wine” is to say that you don’t care how the winery came about, how the wine is made and how many people have suffered from it. Everybody needs to have a red line. Yours should be wineries that were build on the graves of indigenous people!
@@bilowithers1878 Thank you for putting it into words, I agree completely. Konstantin: as a long time viewer of the channel it honestly disgusted me when the Israeli wine showed up in the video. No, just being a guy in a cellar tasting wine isn't an excuse, and I find it hard to imagine being able to find middle ground with a nation actively performing mass child murder, genocide and occupation of indigenous land. Remember that we also vote with our wallets, and your voice influences a lot of wallets. I'm glad that you're admitting to being ignorant, but I hope that after learning the background of the wine you will reupload the video without the Israeli wine.
@@karlinggard How did you feel about the entire video on Chinese wines - a nation that actually is carrying out a genocide against a Muslim minority, as opposed to one fighting a mass casualty but clearly non-genocidal war of self-defence?
Walla Walla winemaker here. Thank you for including a Washington state Merlot - and one that clearly showed so well. I always appreciate your videos so it’s great to see a neighbor represented. Charles actually moved his winery to an impressive urban facility in Seattle several years ago, but we still see him here in Walla Walla and the brand still has a tasting room here. Even though that wine is not from the Walla Walla AVA I hope people will seek out Walla Walla and other Washington state wines. There’s really something special going on here but we remain under the radar - especially us boutique producers. Cheers!
@@ryanwilday6518 I visited from UK - I was really impressed with wines coming from Washington States AVAs. Merlot / Cabinet Franc are outstanding. Riesling worth trying!
The exact thing I thought when I saw the film on its release. The entire thing is stupid but made for an entertaining moment. That’s all it was. Ever had a good/great Pomerol? Yes, so have most of us. A terrific grape.
in the book the wine he saves and drinks in the fast food restaurant is Chateau Latour 1982. They wouldn't give permission to use their wine so they went with Cheval Blanc instead. There is no evidence he doesn't know the wine's makeup, I'm certain the character does. This is not the kind of Merlot or Cab Franc he is criticising it is the over extracted American version. You can be certain he would love Petrus or Le Pin.
Bravo, @KonstantinBaumMasterofWine ! This is one of the most expert and in-depth tasting videos that I've seen from you. You showed your true MW character - very focused and professional.
Nice. I used to drink a lot of Melot, then moved on to Zinfandel, now mostly Pinot. That said, I have never let anyone influence what I am supposed to like. I will say that I have not been able to acquire a taste for white wine. I really love your videos and enjoy learning so much about wine. Thank you.
As a sommelier from Cahors in the SouthWest, Merlot has strong links to our Cahors wine, in our traditional blends. It soften the strong malbec tannins, and never fails to add almond, chocolate and mocha flavors to our aged wines. It deserves a great honor
Another great video! Thank you for delving into the dark and intense world of merlot. I will definitely be paying more attention to merlot in the future. Thanks.
A deleted scene in the movie was when he talked about his exes, favorite wine, Merlot, and why he has that bottle. It’s also the reason he doesn’t like drink Merlot anymore.
Note that Wahluke Slope AVA is actually outside the Walla Walla AVA (where K Vintners does their winemaking), in Yakima Valley. Agreed that there's a bunch of _great_ merlot in the state, glad that you got to try some!
Awesome to see a Washington wine get such a high rating! Washington produces some really excellent and underrated wines in a beautiful region of the state.
I usually don't comment on videos too much, but was so happy to see this one on what is my favorite varietal! While I'd tried wine in my 20s, I didn't really start drinking it until after my first home purchase at 30 where I got a few bottles as housewarming gifts. I kept to the very light/sweet wines mostly at first (white zinfandel, anyone? 😛😄), but one night I went out for dinner with some folks and the person ordering picked the wine... which happened to be a Kendall Jackson merlot (California for those who don't know). At that point I fell in love with the varietal and it got me into the more bold red wines that now comprise most of my collection. I actually had the Duckhorn Vineyards merlot a few weekends ago while out to dinner, and it is a nice merlot, but after some searching I landed on a place known as Pride Mountain Vineyards, which reside actually straddling both the Sonoma and Napa counties here in California. I'd been referred to them specifically for one known for making good merlots, and when I finally visited, well... I wasn't disappointed! I've been there for tastings several times now, and on all of them I've always heard someone in the group I was in state "I usually don't like merlots... but I like yours." One of the tastings actually allowed me to try a 2005 bottle, and it was amazing, and I bought it (just $84, a wonderful price) and have been saving it for this year to enjoy it when it's 20 years old! 🙂 So once again, thank you for covering this varietal and hopefully getting people excited about merlot again!
Glad to see you’re back!! In my limited experience the best wine I have ever had was the Castello di ama l’apparita 100% Merlot and I ain’t the slightest ashamed or embarrassed to say so. Drink what you like and enjoy the journey. I’m definitely seeking out this K Vintners and the Casalferro. Great video as always. Cheers!!
We had the joy of visiting Walla Walla Washington, from Australia, on a driving holiday. The town has a great name , sounding Australian Aboriginal. We were there right at the time of vintage in September 2012, the same vintage as the wine reviewed. I recall it was very warm at the time of vintage and there had been a long drought, as well bush fires all around the region. I’m not surprised that a big wine, with high alcohol, was produced from that vintage. We tried the grapes and they were very sweet and juicy. It certainly is a great thrill to visit wine regions throughout the world. Life is good.
Immediately after watching this, I searched and successfully acquired the same 98 pt Merlot - 2012 K Vintners Merlot - Northridge. I'm so excited to try it.
Very wonderful tasting! Exciting. I saw Sideways. I guess I didn’t realize it “canceled” merlot for some people. But…I still lived your tasting. Keep up the great work, Konstantin!
We moved from Washington State 6 years ago to Southern Oregon. We still love to visit Seattle for the numerous tasting rooms. That said down here in Southern Oregon we’re producing some pretty amazing wines.
@@jimbenham1638lol, we hear that quite a bit but we’re almost 5 hours south of the Willamette. Our latitude is closer to that of Tuscany. We’re in the Rogue Valley AVA. Cooler winters with warmer, drier summers. Plus we have nice, rich volcanic soil.
Interesting fact: most of the most iconic Brazilian wines are 100% Merlot or Merlot-dominant blends, and I am proud to say we have been producing for over 30 years now some trully world class bottles of this varietal. Unfortunatelly, not many people have ever tasted the real good stuff coming out of Brazil. I would go so far as to say that Brazil produces the best Merlots in South America (bold statement, I know), something that I am confident a person that actually knows the Brazilian wine scene and has tasted the best Merlots from our neighbors would agree with. I highly reccomend any of the iconic and complex Pizzato DNA 99 vintages for anyone who wants to be properly introduced to the great Brazilian Wines. I believe this could change in around 15 to 20 years, when we will be producing some of the best new world Syrahs in the mountains of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, new terroirs that have been using the winter harvest strategy to produce rich, elegant, concentrated and fresh expressions of Syrah for the past 10 years, with trully amazing results. My suggestion is the simply delicious Guaspari's "Vale da Pedra", from the countryside of São Paulo, which I think is the best pure expression of Syrah in the country.
I am really looking forward to more Brazilian wine makIng it's way to the US! Very intrigued to try some. Might have to wait until we kick our current dipshit evil leader out of the White House, though.
K Vintners is insane for the value. I'm a WA resident. I was doing a K Vintners tasting the other day at a local wine bar. They pulled out some 8 year old Barbera from Jack's Vineyard, in Walla Walla. It blew me away and I bought a bottle:). I will try that Northridge. I recently decided to return to WA roots and buy more Merlot. Let's bring it back!.
Thank you for re-establishing Merlot as an elite grape variety. Its velvetiness cannot be found in other varieties and it's so elegant when properly done. I would like your opinion on Masseto. Living in Switzerland, I sometimes drink Merlot from Ticino, which is good but in my opinion lacks body. My favourite Merlot-based wine so far was a Chateau Cadet-Bon 2014 from Saint Emilion, with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.
Montmorency cherry jui e ferments well producing a tart quality which subsides over a few months. The rebottle i liter plastic bottles with a bit of sugar and cider yeast to produce a very good sparkling cherry wine. Pomegranate juice also works nicely with a unique quality not encountered with grapes.
I haven't seen the movie in a while. But I was just reading a discussion about it recently, and I think Miles didn't want to drink Merlot because it reminded him of his ex-wife, as they used to drink Merlot together. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy that taste of Merlot. So I don't think it was an oversight by him, or the film markers, that he drinks the Merlot blend out of the plastic cup. Anyone who's seen the movie recently can correct me if I'm wrong.
I don't a favorite merlot, but, it was a merlot that was my Aha wine. A wine that tasted better than the typical fermented grapes I'd had to that point, which all tasted okay, but not great. That wine was a Sterling Three Palms merlot. We visited the winery and opted to pay extra to taste some of their librady wines. When we tried the Three Palms merlot, my wife and I were impressed. It was more than a bunch of sour grape juice. We bought a few, including one for our host.
I read a lot about Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot. Back in 2022 I visited Napa and did a tasting at Duckhorn. It was the best of all the offerings at the tasting. It was also the best Merlot I ever tasted. It’s pricy ($140.00usd) but worth it!
I find the Merlot coming from Bordeaux is exceptional. I'd like to give a special mention to Moulin D'Issan of Chateau D'Issan. It is 90% Merlot and 10% Cab Sav, retails for around 25 euros and beats many wines double or triple its price. In general the 2nd and 3rd wines of the major Bordeaux producers often offer great value.
Thanks Konstantin, it was worth the wait, another exciting episode! Sorry, I don't want to advertise, but the last reasonably priced Merlot that convinced me was Casa Emma 2019 Soloio, bought from Baum Selection.
The ‘Sideways Effect’ is one of those little a tragedies of literary education shortfalls meeting subtle wine knowledge requirements - with both in hand, the brilliance of this film can be unveiled. TL;DR: “I’m not drinking any fucking Merlot” actually means “I cannot handle any proximity to that wine that so profoundly reminds me of my wife/abandonment/failures/heartbreak.” I haven’t read through all the comments yet or watched the whole video to see if you mention this but while wine people love to point out the Cheval Blanc and Merlot connection, I’ve seldom seen people connect this to the literary intent of this symbol. This is a film about a man who is heartbroken and trying to move on from being left by the wife he still adores. He’s escaping into wine for its inebriating comforts, and wine's the perfect place for that because he can hide his hurt-fuelled substance abuse behind the cultural capital accruing to esoteric wine connoisseuring, if that’s a word 😂 Remember he is also failing in the other areas of his life. Failing as an author. Failing as a provider (He steals money from his own mother, as a grown ass man). He lacks the courage to be honest with the women they encounter. He lacks the courage to be honest about what he is feeling and what he wants. And thus all seems to hinge on his heartbreak, his wife leaving being the ultimate sign to himself of the ways in which he has failed and now he is in a full blown midlife crisis. Meanwhile Miles is having his depression and heartbreak rubbed in his face by his friend Jack (an equally intriguing character in his own midlife crisis) who is selfish and chronically unstilted but at least on the surface *does* have love, a fiance, wealth, etc. and yet he is flippant and takes these all for granted and wishes to be young again, his beauty fading. Miles has to watch him treat his fiance and marriage like disposables while playing house with this innocent woman that is good friends with the only woman since Miles’ wife that he has any feelings for. So how does this all relate to Merlot? Before going into the restaurant he goes on his famous rant. While in the restaurant he gets loaded and calls his wife and can’t focus on the woman right there, Maya, who he would like to be with if only he could move on from his divorce two years ago. Later he tells Maya about the 61 Cheval Blanc (a blend of Merlot and Cab Franc, another variety he shits on in the film) and how he was saving it for his and Victoria’s anniversary. And once that connection is established we can see that this is the Chekhovian gun on the mantle that will need to go off by the last act. The meaning has been loaded into the chamber. He does not hate Merlot, it is that Merlot reminds him of his wife. Indeed once the plot unravels and Maya and Stephanie see these two pathetic men for who they are, Miles attends the wedding and sees Victoria is with someone else and pregnant and it appears like it’s finally clicked for him, they are never getting back together. He goes home, gets the 61 Cheval Blanc, and we see him drink it unceremoniously from a fast food cup with a burger. It’s a genius rounding of the corner, a satisfying symbol of his moving on. And we then get to see him go after Maya. Whether they get together or not is less important than the fact that he has finally picked himself up, dusted himself off, and is ready to live again. As a lover of literature and a sommelier and an author myself, this is so beautifully done. The subtlety is immense. The old rule, show don’t tell, is on perfect display. And the choice of Merlot is perfect. Pinot is elusive and difficult. Merlot is like a bear hug. Merlot is idyllic and sanguine and even pollyannaish at times, its flavours so obviously delicious, it is a wine a child could love, and indeed it is often the first red wine people fall in love with. It was true for me (Chateau le Puy was the first red wine I truly adored). Its flavours are almost never challenging, just varying degrees of euphoric. It’s pop music. Delicious big dancy pop music. And his marriage was like that. He was happy. Things were simple. Miles’ critiques of the variety are themselves descriptions of his life: it is a vine that is happy anywhere, gives up its fruit easily, flourishes. When it all came crashing down, Pinot Noir with its mercurial flavours and infamous potential for upset and the difficulty and care and attention it requires in the vineyard, these are all representative of his new state of mind. But like Pinot, he knows that it is capable of greatness. But it needs to be sought out, needs devotion, needs tender care. He is looking for someone that will care for him this way, to bring the best fruit out of him, to redeem him despite his difficult nature. I don’t think the author could have chosen two better California-grown varieties to encrypt the themes of this film. It is sad to think that the world of every day wine drinkers turned its back on Merlot just because they didn’t want to look dumb or uncultured. Wine is so weeeird this way, people are so nervous they’re ‘doing it wrong’, people are rarely nervous about drinking stout instead of pale or scotch instead of cognac. Ironically, the only uncultured thing going on here is not understanding the symbolism: Miles loved Merlot deeply but can’t bring himself to drink it when its very flavour was charged with betrayal and abandonment and longing. In his diatribes against Merlot we see the deeply Freudian reaction-formation of his own self-deception, abandoning the variety the same way someone yells “go then! get! get out of here! I never wanted you to stay” to the person leaving them when they desperately want them to stay. Only a Great Variety like Merlot could make such an impact on a person’s medulla-oblongata-to-prefrontal-cortex meaning-cum-organoleptics super-highway. Having now typed this all out with my thumbs, I wonder if I should spruce it up and actually publish it somewhere because i feel like I go on this tiring tirade every time people are decrying the Sideways Effect. I feel like a real Miles myself, info-dumping on everyone the close reading of this truly exceptional screenplay. Please spread the word. The Merlot / Cheval Blanc device is not just an oversight or an inside joke or whatever, it is literary irony and symbolism at its best. Why would we punish Merlot for that? I would go so far as to guess the author chose Cheval Blanc because it is famously so high in Cab Franc (I think the 61 was like half and half) because Victoria is his Merlot and he is Cab Franc - spicy, edgy, dusky - benefitting immensely from the generosity and warmth of Merlot’s round, red, edenic fruit. Miles needed her and now he has to go it alone, like Pinot Noir.
Yet another great video. Although I'm trying a lot different grape varieties, I always return to Merlot based wines, mostly Saint-Emilion. Some wines that I like: Chateau Faugères - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé (70 % Merlot, 21 CS, 9% CF) - Tasted the 1994 in 2022 and still very good. Château Sansonnet - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (95% Merlot with CS and CF) - same producer as Moulin du Cadet Château Les Gravières and Château Lynsolence, both Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, 100 % Merlot and from the same producer Château Mangot - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé - The last years they use more CS since they use grapes from older CS vines because the production of the top cuvée Mangot Todeschini. Mangot 2022: Merlot 65%, Cabernet Franc 30%, Cabernet Sauvignon 5% Château Godeau - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru - Tasted the 1996 in 2023, still ok but more evolution than Ch Faugères.
On holiday in southern Mexico in 2023 and we found some very good local merlot; and yet outside of Mexico, I’d never seen Mexican wine…now that I’m home, I’ve found one specialty stockist in Sydney, so it’s about. They’re low to mid-4 vivino for $100, which is good
After Sideways, a counter-movie has been released, with the title “Merlove”. Quite fun to watch. I read the Sideways book first, some time before the movie came out. And I liked the book more than the movie. We have quite some decent Merlot in the south of Switzerland, in Ticino. Cheers, Ernst
Regarding merlot's ability to age, I put down a few bottles from Paloma and Pride Mountain Vineyards on release from the 1997, 1999, and 2001 vintages (Napa, Napa/Sonoma). I opened up the last bottles within the past couple years, and they were delicious! I've also had my share of mediocre Merlot, but not these.
Habe Ricasoli letzten Mai besucht - kann jedem empfehlen das Castello zu besuchen und anschließend unten ein kleines Wine Tasting zu machen. Extrem gute Weine zu sehr fairen Preisen. Der Casalferro war super, ebenso wie der Colledilà und der Brolio. Freut mich ungemein, dass du den Casalferro so gut fandest.
Really enjoyed your Merlot tasting! I had a Firestone Merlot years ago with Duck for dinner that was outstanding. Firestone is in Santa Barbara with is a great wine rejgion also. They have cool ocean breezes that flow inland over the vineyards from a gap in the mountain range. Will try to locate some of these Merlots. I am using the wine glasses you recommended years ago on your tastings. Keep up the interesting and educational videos.
For me here in the US, I was aware of the Sideways remarks but didn’t like Merlot much before that. Understand I didn’t hate it, just the US Merlots I’d had were fairly tasteless. But in the last 5 years I’ve run into a couple Merlots that I thought spectacular, one from the Finger Lakes of New York. The issue in the US may have been we just weren’t making great Merlots.
Again, my sincere condolences to you and all your family on the loss of your dad, Konstantin. Films notwithstanding, the dip in the popularity of Merlot in the 90s and after may be due in part to the decline in the value for money of some expressions, certainly here in UK, of the grape under advisement. Many new world Merlot or Merlot led blend wines held thier own at this time, leading to a surge in the popularity, for dinner parties, of wines like Isla Negra, which has in my view now tailed off a bit. In UK, the cheapest wine is £4.50, entry level drinkable & 6.00 and for the people celebrating thier wedding anniversary, there are wines in THIS TASTING which would not be unreasonable to expect to taste. Merlot is reliable in the lower price brackets and this it shares with Chardonnay on the white side. Many supermarkets will give you a drinkable Merlot, perhaps an Australian blend, own brand around the £6.00 mark. I was interested to note the presence, in the Italian dept, of strawberry notes coupled with pepper, as I have had Italian Merlot which seemed very complete or wide in structure, not too expensive, whilst being pure Merlot and not really requiring the presence of Cabernet.. I DO like (of necessity I'm afraid) a bargain. Great to see you back in the driving seat, and, as we say here in London, chin chin old chap. 🍷🍷✨🌟👍
Great tasting. I unabashedly love Merlot. It's my go-to grape. I've recently tasted a lot of South American Merlots, and had lots of fun with that. My favorite one was Garzón's 2017 Single Vineyard Merlot, and my description of it was very similar to your description of the Alto Adige wine. Then again, the 2020 vintage of this wine from Uruguay felt very different from the 2017 - and I feel like there's intention behind it. Well, it was the only South American Merlot that I thought was in the same level as my beloved bottles from Bordeaux and Tuscany.
The ’61 Cheval Blanc was a metaphor in the movie for Virginia Madsen born in 1961. A blend of cab franc which miles called average a grape variety and merlot, which he despises. Together they make a great wine!
Given that Riesling can taste wildly different, depending on how its made, I don't see that happening. Maybe we'll have "dry Riesling bashing" one day, but then people will buy the sweet and off-dry ones instead ; D
Thanks for the video. I have always enjoyed Merlot and am glad you found some good versions of it. I do have a question: how reliable is the alcohol content in a wine? What is the actual variance from what is stated to what is actually in the wine?
One US-Merlot I like for special occasions: Merlot Buccella Napa Valley. It is quite full-bodied and fruit-forward, but still silky and smooth, unfortunately it is also quite expensive (around $100 a bottle). I love a glass or two, one full bottle is almost too much.
An excellent presentation on many levels. I vinified merlot when I worked in a winery so I never developed a bias against it. I did put a Pomerol back on the shelf in a store yesterday for showing 15% abv. I hear what you're saying about St. Emillion. Just drank a very ripe example still complex but very new world.
The first “good” wine I ever tasted was a Duckhorn Merlot. I was struck by the silky mouth feel and rich flavors. But at that time, I couldn’t spend 50 bucks or so for a bottle. Many years of mediocre 10 buck bottles 😢
Great video as always, but sad to see that no new wave bordeaux was featured. I just absolutely adore those destemmed/ short skin contact/ no wood/ 13apv wines like les vacances de monsenieur merlot from chateau peybonnehomme
Merlot I like for that cherry taste. I had not so much Merlot wines at all, but 4 of them were very very nice: 1) Canadian (!!!) Pillitteri Estates Cabernet-Merlot (Meritage) (not actually mono-Merlot but anyway) 2014. It is so mature, bright, full of aromas and taste! Very very nice and price is affordable 2) There was actually from Russian Myskhako winery wine (Myskhako is big one in Russia, one of their Top wineries) - rare Grand Reserve Merlot 2013. It was a limited issue, and it was great. Powerful and tasty. 3) From huge US winery - Wente Vineyards Sandstone Merlot 2020 (from Central Coast of California) - aromatic, tasty, with a lot of berries, cherries. It could be better, but aftertaste was pretty short. 4) Also Swiss Roccolo Merlot 2016 from Ticino was also a nice example - quite berry, easy drinking and balanced.
I can see Merlot strong in Italy yet. Before moving to Italy, I hadn't tasted Alto Adige wines, and now it's one of my favorite regions in Italy (Friuli is another surprise too). And about the summer in Italy... I prefer to escape to Brazil or Portugal than stay in Italy during July and August.
I adore Sansonnet and Soutard -Cadet. I've been buying them for years, so it did not surprise me that the Moulin showed well. K Vintners wines always punch above their weight.
After my grandfather passed away we found a ton of wine he made in the mid 70s/early 80s alot of them i could read his handwriting but some were dandelion and Hawaiian punch im not much of wine condosour but they are pretty good i was just wondering how safe it is to drink ive had some over the years and never got sick or anything just curious what to look out for if there is anything to be worried about
One of my Austrian employers was told by his doctor that he should only drink Merlot. I have no idea what the scientific/medical basis is is for that, but there is Merlot in some of my favourite wines. None of the wines reviewed in this excellent video are available in the UK (where I live) according to the Winesearcher links provided. Another Brexit triumph.
Thanks! See if your team can find some Canadian Merlot to try - I'd suggest CheckMate from the Okanogan (100% Merlot - they only do Merlot & Chardonnay).
Only in few places,, pure merlot can make a world class wine.. not to mention super expensive wine, but wine like redigaffi, duckhorn merlot also fantastic
I drink what I like, what tastes good to me. Doesn't matter what country, what region, which producer or what grape variety(ies). The previous weekend I drank a Chateau d'Aiguilhe 2016 (Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, 90% merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc) and it was very enjoyable: strong and ripe, with a great bouquet and wonderful taste with some developed characters but far from "over the hill", still with ripe but grippy tannins, full bodied with a long lasting aftertaste. I think this wine is a steal and the entrecote seemed to like it too.
Love merlot, and give thanks to “Sideways” for keeping prices down. Love Freemark Abbey, PlumpJack and Duckhorn California merlots, and Pollak merlot from Virginia. Can’t bring myself to spring for Petrus or Cheval Blanc, never tried them.
The only thing that’s ever made me wonder whether Merlot might not be not so good was the brief fad of making white Merlot, like white Zinfandel only using Merlot instead.
I was expecting you to open a Masseto for the closing notes :P , but wow, the K Merlot was indeed a pleasant surprise. Is this available in Europe? Ricasoli's Casalferro 2015 did not impress me a few years ago, it seems they have upped their game lately. I always loved Right Bank Merlot and Supertuscan Merlot. I loved the 2021 Mazzei Siepi Toscana IGT but that is a 50%Merlot -50% SanGiovese. The cherry on top of my list has probably been the 2012 Querciabella Palafreno Toscana IGT 100% Merlot.
Nice was thinking about getting the Château Moulin du Cadet, i was wondering because you didnt dacant any of the wines, do you rate the wine like they are right out of the bottle or on how you feel how they might develop? :)
Surprisingly bright and crunchy and complex Merlot from Eagles' Nest in Constantia S. Africa and Frog's Leap in Sonoma California. Excellent comparative tasting!
I put my reds at 15 degrees, I like the evolution in the glas plus I drink them quite slow. As for Merlot usually I like the ones from Italy and have also had some nice fruit forward ones from Germany.
I never decant my wines - I find part of the fun of drinking wine is tasting it develop in the glass over time. Don't listen to a movie - drink ^&$* Merlot. Merlot is great. Cab Franc is even better. I love them both.
Guys, this is not a political show. I am a guy sitting in my cellar, tasting wine. I do not taste and rate wines based on politics. Nor do I endorse a political party or movement by tasting a wine from a given country.
Wine is made for sharing and helps find agreement where there was none before. At least, that is what I believe. I travel to places and meet people who have very different political views. But I can sit with most of them over a glass of wine and find common ground, no matter where I am.
I did not select the wine that offends some viewers. I also did not know much about the story of Golan Heights before recording this video (excuse my ignorance).
For anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the region, please read the following entry from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golan_Heights
I appreciate you stating that you are ignorant on this matter and should be excused for this misstep. However, being from the country that is the second biggest supplier of funds and weaponry as well as having provided unrestrained political coverage in every opportunity possible, it is hard to believe that you didn’t pick up anything about the genocidal campaign that has been waging on the Palestinians for the last 16 months. And then to link us to pages about the history of the Golan Heights is just another level of arrogance. Because it is up to you and others in position of “power” like you to educate yourself and to not normalize what clearly is a product of a colonial settler state that has forcibly removed it indigenous people from their land by ethnic cleansing or outright killing them. To say, “I’m a guy sitting in a cellar, tasting wine” is to say that you don’t care how the winery came about, how the wine is made and how many people have suffered from it. Everybody needs to have a red line. Yours should be wineries that were build on the graves of indigenous people!
Cheers!
@@bilowithers1878 Thank you for putting it into words, I agree completely.
Konstantin: as a long time viewer of the channel it honestly disgusted me when the Israeli wine showed up in the video. No, just being a guy in a cellar tasting wine isn't an excuse, and I find it hard to imagine being able to find middle ground with a nation actively performing mass child murder, genocide and occupation of indigenous land.
Remember that we also vote with our wallets, and your voice influences a lot of wallets.
I'm glad that you're admitting to being ignorant, but I hope that after learning the background of the wine you will reupload the video without the Israeli wine.
@@karlinggard How did you feel about the entire video on Chinese wines - a nation that actually is carrying out a genocide against a Muslim minority, as opposed to one fighting a mass casualty but clearly non-genocidal war of self-defence?
@@tomrichards7334I hope you’re not getting paid for hasbara that bad.
Walla Walla winemaker here. Thank you for including a Washington state Merlot - and one that clearly showed so well. I always appreciate your videos so it’s great to see a neighbor represented. Charles actually moved his winery to an impressive urban facility in Seattle several years ago, but we still see him here in Walla Walla and the brand still has a tasting room here. Even though that wine is not from the Walla Walla AVA I hope people will seek out Walla Walla and other Washington state wines. There’s really something special going on here but we remain under the radar - especially us boutique producers. Cheers!
Wahluke Slope merlot is potentially the best in the world
This summer when I'm back out there from the West, I'll have to stop by :)
@@ryanwilday6518 I visited from UK - I was really impressed with wines coming from Washington States AVAs. Merlot / Cabinet Franc are outstanding. Riesling worth trying!
I'm so glad you pointed out the fact that that character's favorite prized wine in that movie is mostly Merlot based! A lot of people miss that!
Yeah, because the character doesn't actually hate merlot. He hates his ex-wife, and his ex-wife loves merlot.
@@gab.lab.martinsseriously. I thought this was the whole point of the movie.
The exact thing I thought when I saw the film on its release. The entire thing is stupid but made for an entertaining moment. That’s all it was. Ever had a good/great Pomerol? Yes, so have most of us. A terrific grape.
in the book the wine he saves and drinks in the fast food restaurant is Chateau Latour 1982. They wouldn't give permission to use their wine so they went with Cheval Blanc instead. There is no evidence he doesn't know the wine's makeup, I'm certain the character does. This is not the kind of Merlot or Cab Franc he is criticising it is the over extracted
American version. You can be certain he would love Petrus or Le Pin.
Bravo, @KonstantinBaumMasterofWine ! This is one of the most expert and in-depth tasting videos that I've seen from you. You showed your true MW character - very focused and professional.
Nice. I used to drink a lot of Melot, then moved on to Zinfandel, now mostly Pinot. That said, I have never let anyone influence what I am supposed to like. I will say that I have not been able to acquire a taste for white wine. I really love your videos and enjoy learning so much about wine. Thank you.
So you like chocolate, but not peanut butter? That is a shame. Silver lining, there is a whole world waiting to be discovered, when you're ready.
As a sommelier from Cahors in the SouthWest, Merlot has strong links to our Cahors wine, in our traditional blends. It soften the strong malbec tannins, and never fails to add almond, chocolate and mocha flavors to our aged wines. It deserves a great honor
Le Cèdre 😍
Fantastic video! Please continue to inspire us with your wonderful content. As for Merlot, I've already placed my order! Thanks for the advice!
Another great video! Thank you for delving into the dark and intense world of merlot. I will definitely be paying more attention to merlot in the future. Thanks.
A deleted scene in the movie was when he talked about his exes, favorite wine, Merlot, and why he has that bottle.
It’s also the reason he doesn’t like drink Merlot anymore.
Note that Wahluke Slope AVA is actually outside the Walla Walla AVA (where K Vintners does their winemaking), in Yakima Valley. Agreed that there's a bunch of _great_ merlot in the state, glad that you got to try some!
Petrus, Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Masseto. All wines with significant amounts of Merlot, quite pricey and renowned.
Yeah, and the wine Miles coveted was Cheval Blanc.
Petrus is 100% merlot, as is le Pin, which, like Petrus, retails in the thousands of dollars a bottle.
@@williamgechtman9287Masseto too
Awesome to see a Washington wine get such a high rating! Washington produces some really excellent and underrated wines in a beautiful region of the state.
I usually don't comment on videos too much, but was so happy to see this one on what is my favorite varietal! While I'd tried wine in my 20s, I didn't really start drinking it until after my first home purchase at 30 where I got a few bottles as housewarming gifts. I kept to the very light/sweet wines mostly at first (white zinfandel, anyone? 😛😄), but one night I went out for dinner with some folks and the person ordering picked the wine... which happened to be a Kendall Jackson merlot (California for those who don't know). At that point I fell in love with the varietal and it got me into the more bold red wines that now comprise most of my collection.
I actually had the Duckhorn Vineyards merlot a few weekends ago while out to dinner, and it is a nice merlot, but after some searching I landed on a place known as Pride Mountain Vineyards, which reside actually straddling both the Sonoma and Napa counties here in California. I'd been referred to them specifically for one known for making good merlots, and when I finally visited, well... I wasn't disappointed! I've been there for tastings several times now, and on all of them I've always heard someone in the group I was in state "I usually don't like merlots... but I like yours." One of the tastings actually allowed me to try a 2005 bottle, and it was amazing, and I bought it (just $84, a wonderful price) and have been saving it for this year to enjoy it when it's 20 years old! 🙂 So once again, thank you for covering this varietal and hopefully getting people excited about merlot again!
Glad to see you’re back!! In my limited experience the best wine I have ever had was the Castello di ama l’apparita 100% Merlot and I ain’t the slightest ashamed or embarrassed to say so. Drink what you like and enjoy the journey. I’m definitely seeking out this K Vintners and the Casalferro. Great video as always. Cheers!!
We had the joy of visiting Walla Walla Washington, from Australia, on a driving holiday. The town has a great name , sounding Australian Aboriginal. We were there right at the time of vintage in September 2012, the same vintage as the wine reviewed. I recall it was very warm at the time of vintage and there had been a long drought, as well bush fires all around the region. I’m not surprised that a big wine, with high alcohol, was produced from that vintage. We tried the grapes and they were very sweet and juicy. It certainly is a great thrill to visit wine regions throughout the world. Life is good.
Immediately after watching this, I searched and successfully acquired the same 98 pt Merlot - 2012 K Vintners Merlot - Northridge. I'm so excited to try it.
I love Merlot. In a blend, single variety, but that has to be the first time I’ve heard grapefruit as a descriptor, how cool is that! Thank you.
Very wonderful tasting! Exciting. I saw Sideways. I guess I didn’t realize it “canceled” merlot for some people. But…I still lived your tasting. Keep up the great work, Konstantin!
We moved from Washington State 6 years ago to Southern Oregon. We still love to visit Seattle for the numerous tasting rooms. That said down here in Southern Oregon we’re producing some pretty amazing wines.
@@robertjames-life4768 I just brought a drouhin Dundee hills. Pinot today. Luv oregan pinots
@@jimbenham1638lol, we hear that quite a bit but we’re almost 5 hours south of the Willamette. Our latitude is closer to that of Tuscany. We’re in the Rogue Valley AVA. Cooler winters with warmer, drier summers. Plus we have nice, rich volcanic soil.
Interesting fact: most of the most iconic Brazilian wines are 100% Merlot or Merlot-dominant blends, and I am proud to say we have been producing for over 30 years now some trully world class bottles of this varietal. Unfortunatelly, not many people have ever tasted the real good stuff coming out of Brazil. I would go so far as to say that Brazil produces the best Merlots in South America (bold statement, I know), something that I am confident a person that actually knows the Brazilian wine scene and has tasted the best Merlots from our neighbors would agree with. I highly reccomend any of the iconic and complex Pizzato DNA 99 vintages for anyone who wants to be properly introduced to the great Brazilian Wines. I believe this could change in around 15 to 20 years, when we will be producing some of the best new world Syrahs in the mountains of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, new terroirs that have been using the winter harvest strategy to produce rich, elegant, concentrated and fresh expressions of Syrah for the past 10 years, with trully amazing results. My suggestion is the simply delicious Guaspari's "Vale da Pedra", from the countryside of São Paulo, which I think is the best pure expression of Syrah in the country.
I am really looking forward to more Brazilian wine makIng it's way to the US! Very intrigued to try some. Might have to wait until we kick our current dipshit evil leader out of the White House, though.
Bacana, Felipe! Tem algum vinho de MG que você acha muito bom?
K Vintners is insane for the value. I'm a WA resident. I was doing a K Vintners tasting the other day at a local wine bar. They pulled out some 8 year old Barbera from Jack's Vineyard, in Walla Walla. It blew me away and I bought a bottle:). I will try that Northridge. I recently decided to return to WA roots and buy more Merlot. Let's bring it back!.
Thanks for this fun video! Missed your videos though understand that life throws us a lot of things. Time to drink some effing merlot!!
I just love you, the video just pops when I'm drinking, eating or both!
“Are you chewing gum??”
Ha! One of many great moments in the film. I've watched it maybe 20 times and probably will watch it another 20.
Love me some Merlot! 🍷
Thank you for re-establishing Merlot as an elite grape variety. Its velvetiness cannot be found in other varieties and it's so elegant when properly done. I would like your opinion on Masseto. Living in Switzerland, I sometimes drink Merlot from Ticino, which is good but in my opinion lacks body. My favourite Merlot-based wine so far was a Chateau Cadet-Bon 2014 from Saint Emilion, with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.
A lot of lousy Merlot has been made (an easy grape?), but then I’ve had many lousy Pinot too. A good Merlot is very good.
Montmorency cherry jui e ferments well producing a tart quality which subsides over a few months. The rebottle i liter plastic bottles with a bit of sugar and cider yeast to produce a very good sparkling cherry wine. Pomegranate juice also works nicely with a unique quality not encountered with grapes.
I love my Pomerol!
I haven't seen the movie in a while. But I was just reading a discussion about it recently, and I think Miles didn't want to drink Merlot because it reminded him of his ex-wife, as they used to drink Merlot together. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy that taste of Merlot. So I don't think it was an oversight by him, or the film markers, that he drinks the Merlot blend out of the plastic cup. Anyone who's seen the movie recently can correct me if I'm wrong.
You are correct.
I don't a favorite merlot, but, it was a merlot that was my Aha wine. A wine that tasted better than the typical fermented grapes I'd had to that point, which all tasted okay, but not great.
That wine was a Sterling Three Palms merlot. We visited the winery and opted to pay extra to taste some of their librady wines. When we tried the Three Palms merlot, my wife and I were impressed. It was more than a bunch of sour grape juice. We bought a few, including one for our host.
I read a lot about Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot. Back in 2022 I visited Napa and did a tasting at Duckhorn. It was the best of all the offerings at the tasting. It was also the best Merlot I ever tasted. It’s pricy ($140.00usd) but worth it!
I find the Merlot coming from Bordeaux is exceptional. I'd like to give a special mention to Moulin D'Issan of Chateau D'Issan. It is 90% Merlot and 10% Cab Sav, retails for around 25 euros and beats many wines double or triple its price. In general the 2nd and 3rd wines of the major Bordeaux producers often offer great value.
When I hear people disparaging Merlot or Chardonnay, I think of Chablis and Pomerol, and my middle finger goes up in joy.
Thanks Konstantin, it was worth the wait, another exciting episode! Sorry, I don't want to advertise, but the last reasonably priced Merlot that convinced me was Casa Emma 2019 Soloio, bought from Baum Selection.
The ‘Sideways Effect’ is one of those little a tragedies of literary education shortfalls meeting subtle wine knowledge requirements - with both in hand, the brilliance of this film can be unveiled.
TL;DR: “I’m not drinking any fucking Merlot” actually means “I cannot handle any proximity to that wine that so profoundly reminds me of my wife/abandonment/failures/heartbreak.”
I haven’t read through all the comments yet or watched the whole video to see if you mention this but while wine people love to point out the Cheval Blanc and Merlot connection, I’ve seldom seen people connect this to the literary intent of this symbol.
This is a film about a man who is heartbroken and trying to move on from being left by the wife he still adores. He’s escaping into wine for its inebriating comforts, and wine's the perfect place for that because he can hide his hurt-fuelled substance abuse behind the cultural capital accruing to esoteric wine connoisseuring, if that’s a word 😂 Remember he is also failing in the other areas of his life. Failing as an author. Failing as a provider (He steals money from his own mother, as a grown ass man). He lacks the courage to be honest with the women they encounter. He lacks the courage to be honest about what he is feeling and what he wants. And thus all seems to hinge on his heartbreak, his wife leaving being the ultimate sign to himself of the ways in which he has failed and now he is in a full blown midlife crisis.
Meanwhile Miles is having his depression and heartbreak rubbed in his face by his friend Jack (an equally intriguing character in his own midlife crisis) who is selfish and chronically unstilted but at least on the surface *does* have love, a fiance, wealth, etc. and yet he is flippant and takes these all for granted and wishes to be young again, his beauty fading. Miles has to watch him treat his fiance and marriage like disposables while playing house with this innocent woman that is good friends with the only woman since Miles’ wife that he has any feelings for. So how does this all relate to Merlot? Before going into the restaurant he goes on his famous rant. While in the restaurant he gets loaded and calls his wife and can’t focus on the woman right there, Maya, who he would like to be with if only he could move on from his divorce two years ago. Later he tells Maya about the 61 Cheval Blanc (a blend of Merlot and Cab Franc, another variety he shits on in the film) and how he was saving it for his and Victoria’s anniversary. And once that connection is established we can see that this is the Chekhovian gun on the mantle that will need to go off by the last act. The meaning has been loaded into the chamber. He does not hate Merlot, it is that Merlot reminds him of his wife.
Indeed once the plot unravels and Maya and Stephanie see these two pathetic men for who they are, Miles attends the wedding and sees Victoria is with someone else and pregnant and it appears like it’s finally clicked for him, they are never getting back together. He goes home, gets the 61 Cheval Blanc, and we see him drink it unceremoniously from a fast food cup with a burger. It’s a genius rounding of the corner, a satisfying symbol of his moving on. And we then get to see him go after Maya. Whether they get together or not is less important than the fact that he has finally picked himself up, dusted himself off, and is ready to live again.
As a lover of literature and a sommelier and an author myself, this is so beautifully done. The subtlety is immense. The old rule, show don’t tell, is on perfect display. And the choice of Merlot is perfect. Pinot is elusive and difficult. Merlot is like a bear hug. Merlot is idyllic and sanguine and even pollyannaish at times, its flavours so obviously delicious, it is a wine a child could love, and indeed it is often the first red wine people fall in love with. It was true for me (Chateau le Puy was the first red wine I truly adored). Its flavours are almost never challenging, just varying degrees of euphoric. It’s pop music. Delicious big dancy pop music. And his marriage was like that. He was happy. Things were simple. Miles’ critiques of the variety are themselves descriptions of his life: it is a vine that is happy anywhere, gives up its fruit easily, flourishes. When it all came crashing down, Pinot Noir with its mercurial flavours and infamous potential for upset and the difficulty and care and attention it requires in the vineyard, these are all representative of his new state of mind. But like Pinot, he knows that it is capable of greatness. But it needs to be sought out, needs devotion, needs tender care. He is looking for someone that will care for him this way, to bring the best fruit out of him, to redeem him despite his difficult nature. I don’t think the author could have chosen two better California-grown varieties to encrypt the themes of this film.
It is sad to think that the world of every day wine drinkers turned its back on Merlot just because they didn’t want to look dumb or uncultured. Wine is so weeeird this way, people are so nervous they’re ‘doing it wrong’, people are rarely nervous about drinking stout instead of pale or scotch instead of cognac. Ironically, the only uncultured thing going on here is not understanding the symbolism: Miles loved Merlot deeply but can’t bring himself to drink it when its very flavour was charged with betrayal and abandonment and longing. In his diatribes against Merlot we see the deeply Freudian reaction-formation of his own self-deception, abandoning the variety the same way someone yells “go then! get! get out of here! I never wanted you to stay” to the person leaving them when they desperately want them to stay. Only a Great Variety like Merlot could make such an impact on a person’s medulla-oblongata-to-prefrontal-cortex meaning-cum-organoleptics super-highway.
Having now typed this all out with my thumbs, I wonder if I should spruce it up and actually publish it somewhere because i feel like I go on this tiring tirade every time people are decrying the Sideways Effect. I feel like a real Miles myself, info-dumping on everyone the close reading of this truly exceptional screenplay. Please spread the word. The Merlot / Cheval Blanc device is not just an oversight or an inside joke or whatever, it is literary irony and symbolism at its best. Why would we punish Merlot for that? I would go so far as to guess the author chose Cheval Blanc because it is famously so high in Cab Franc (I think the 61 was like half and half) because Victoria is his Merlot and he is Cab Franc - spicy, edgy, dusky - benefitting immensely from the generosity and warmth of Merlot’s round, red, edenic fruit. Miles needed her and now he has to go it alone, like Pinot Noir.
It would be nice for a video of Argentine Wine, tasting Chardonnay, Torrontés, Pinot Noir, Bonarda, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.
Yet another great video. Although I'm trying a lot different grape varieties, I always return to Merlot based wines, mostly Saint-Emilion. Some wines that I like:
Chateau Faugères - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé (70 % Merlot, 21 CS, 9% CF) - Tasted the 1994 in 2022 and still very good.
Château Sansonnet - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (95% Merlot with CS and CF) - same producer as Moulin du Cadet
Château Les Gravières and Château Lynsolence, both Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, 100 % Merlot and from the same producer
Château Mangot - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé - The last years they use more CS since they use grapes from older CS vines because the production of the top cuvée Mangot Todeschini.
Mangot 2022: Merlot 65%, Cabernet Franc 30%, Cabernet Sauvignon 5%
Château Godeau - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru - Tasted the 1996 in 2023, still ok but more evolution than Ch Faugères.
I adore Sansonnet and Soutard -Cadet. I've been buying them for years, so it did not surprise me that the Moulin showed well.
Super enjoyable channel Konstantin.
On holiday in southern Mexico in 2023 and we found some very good local merlot; and yet outside of Mexico, I’d never seen Mexican wine…now that I’m home, I’ve found one specialty stockist in Sydney, so it’s about. They’re low to mid-4 vivino for $100, which is good
After Sideways, a counter-movie has been released, with the title “Merlove”. Quite fun to watch. I read the Sideways book first, some time before the movie came out. And I liked the book more than the movie. We have quite some decent Merlot in the south of Switzerland, in Ticino. Cheers, Ernst
It's now a trilogy of three Sideways books - there were ideas to film the rest but nothing properly happened.
@ Cool, thanks! Will get and read the other two!
Regarding merlot's ability to age, I put down a few bottles from Paloma and Pride Mountain Vineyards on release from the 1997, 1999, and 2001 vintages (Napa, Napa/Sonoma). I opened up the last bottles within the past couple years, and they were delicious! I've also had my share of mediocre Merlot, but not these.
People are mad - Drink what you like, not what is fancy.
Please taste more Canadian wines! Merlot does insanely well in the Okanagan!! Cheers 🎉
Habe Ricasoli letzten Mai besucht - kann jedem empfehlen das Castello zu besuchen und anschließend unten ein kleines Wine Tasting zu machen. Extrem gute Weine zu sehr fairen Preisen. Der Casalferro war super, ebenso wie der Colledilà und der Brolio. Freut mich ungemein, dass du den Casalferro so gut fandest.
Really enjoyed your Merlot tasting! I had a Firestone Merlot years ago with Duck for dinner that was outstanding. Firestone is in Santa Barbara with is a great wine rejgion also. They have cool ocean breezes that flow inland over the vineyards from a gap in the mountain range. Will try to locate some of these Merlots. I am using the wine glasses you recommended years ago on your tastings. Keep up the interesting and educational videos.
I love Merlot, im into Pomerol and Saint Emilion. My number one is Cheval Blanc, epic wine.
For me here in the US, I was aware of the Sideways remarks but didn’t like Merlot much before that. Understand I didn’t hate it, just the US Merlots I’d had were fairly tasteless.
But in the last 5 years I’ve run into a couple Merlots that I thought spectacular, one from the Finger Lakes of New York.
The issue in the US may have been we just weren’t making great Merlots.
I rarely drink 100% Merlot. But quite a few wines from St.Emilion and Pomerol which are mostly a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc and sometimes Cab. Sauv.
Again, my sincere condolences to you and all your family on the loss of your dad, Konstantin.
Films notwithstanding, the dip in the popularity of Merlot in the 90s and after may be due in part to the decline in the value for money of some expressions, certainly here in UK, of the grape under advisement. Many new world Merlot or Merlot led blend wines held thier own at this time, leading to a surge in the popularity, for dinner parties, of wines like Isla Negra, which has in my view now tailed off a bit. In UK, the cheapest wine is £4.50, entry level drinkable & 6.00 and for the people celebrating thier wedding anniversary, there are wines in THIS TASTING which would not be unreasonable to expect to taste. Merlot is reliable in the lower price brackets and this it shares with Chardonnay on the white side.
Many supermarkets will give you a drinkable Merlot, perhaps an Australian blend, own brand around the £6.00 mark.
I was interested to note the presence, in the Italian dept, of strawberry notes coupled with pepper, as I have had Italian Merlot which seemed very complete or wide in structure, not too expensive, whilst being pure Merlot and not really requiring the presence of Cabernet.. I DO like (of necessity I'm afraid) a bargain.
Great to see you back in the driving seat, and, as we say here in London, chin chin old chap. 🍷🍷✨🌟👍
❤
Great tasting. I unabashedly love Merlot. It's my go-to grape.
I've recently tasted a lot of South American Merlots, and had lots of fun with that. My favorite one was Garzón's 2017 Single Vineyard Merlot, and my description of it was very similar to your description of the Alto Adige wine. Then again, the 2020 vintage of this wine from Uruguay felt very different from the 2017 - and I feel like there's intention behind it.
Well, it was the only South American Merlot that I thought was in the same level as my beloved bottles from Bordeaux and Tuscany.
I drank a very elegant Napa merlot a few weeks ago, perfect with steak.
The ’61 Cheval Blanc was a metaphor in the movie for Virginia Madsen born in 1961. A blend of cab franc which miles called average a grape variety and merlot, which he despises. Together they make a great wine!
Yes like him and Virginia would make a great baby
I look forward to the era of widespread Riesling bashing.
I find dry Riesling to be the most consistent white wines. Just my opinion.
Given that Riesling can taste wildly different, depending on how its made, I don't see that happening. Maybe we'll have "dry Riesling bashing" one day, but then people will buy the sweet and off-dry ones instead ; D
Thanks for the video. I have always enjoyed Merlot and am glad you found some good versions of it. I do have a question: how reliable is the alcohol content in a wine? What is the actual variance from what is stated to what is actually in the wine?
Welcome back
One US-Merlot I like for special occasions: Merlot Buccella Napa Valley. It is quite full-bodied and fruit-forward, but still silky and smooth, unfortunately it is also quite expensive (around $100 a bottle). I love a glass or two, one full bottle is almost too much.
Favourite Merlot (well, mostly Merlot), is Chateau Le Puy Emilien. Recently had the 2020 and it has a long life ahead of it.
An excellent presentation on many levels. I vinified merlot when I worked in a winery so I never developed a bias against it. I did put a Pomerol back on the shelf in a store yesterday for showing 15% abv. I hear what you're saying about St. Emillion. Just drank a very ripe example still complex but very new world.
That's wild how that scene had such an effect on the grape.
I tried 2018 Moss Wood Merlot Ribbon Vale a couple weeks ago and it was really spectacular. Hickinbotham Revivalist Merlot 2016 is also amazing.
The first “good” wine I ever tasted was a Duckhorn Merlot. I was struck by the silky mouth feel and rich flavors. But at that time, I couldn’t spend 50 bucks or so for a bottle. Many years of mediocre 10 buck bottles 😢
Great video as always, but sad to see that no new wave bordeaux was featured. I just absolutely adore those destemmed/ short skin contact/ no wood/ 13apv wines like les vacances de monsenieur merlot from chateau peybonnehomme
Merlot I like for that cherry taste. I had not so much Merlot wines at all, but 4 of them were very very nice:
1) Canadian (!!!) Pillitteri Estates Cabernet-Merlot (Meritage) (not actually mono-Merlot but anyway) 2014. It is so mature, bright, full of aromas and taste! Very very nice and price is affordable
2) There was actually from Russian Myskhako winery wine (Myskhako is big one in Russia, one of their Top wineries) - rare Grand Reserve Merlot 2013. It was a limited issue, and it was great. Powerful and tasty.
3) From huge US winery - Wente Vineyards Sandstone Merlot 2020 (from Central Coast of California) - aromatic, tasty, with a lot of berries, cherries. It could be better, but aftertaste was pretty short.
4) Also Swiss Roccolo Merlot 2016 from Ticino was also a nice example - quite berry, easy drinking and balanced.
I like Merlot in a blend, not as much by itself.
Casalferro 2019 is excelente 👏👏👏 I visited The winery last year and tasted The wine... really excelente 👏👏
Who the heck decides what wine NOT to drink based upon a fictional character's opinion in a movie? Drink what you like....
Amen!
Americans
most people are sheep easily influenced. didnt you learn that during the plandemic?
It is crazy how many people think that movies and especially so called “reality tv” is real.
Fictional characters have gotten me to try certain foods and drinks but not to avoid them, as far as I can remember.
Loved Sideways but yeah the ‘fk Merlot’ line never made sense given his pride in owning a bottle of Chateau Cheval Blanc! Made me laugh.
I will definitely try more Merlot after watching this video!
My favourite Merlot are Il Blu from Brancaia, La Ricolma from San Giusto a Rentennano and Carpe Vesperum from La Madonnina
I quit because I was not going to risk being ridiculed for drinking a wine that has been so publicly berated. I had an image to protect.
I can see Merlot strong in Italy yet. Before moving to Italy, I hadn't tasted Alto Adige wines, and now it's one of my favorite regions in Italy (Friuli is another surprise too).
And about the summer in Italy... I prefer to escape to Brazil or Portugal than stay in Italy during July and August.
if anyone has ever had a wine from pomerol they would know that merlot can be outstanding.
I adore Sansonnet and Soutard -Cadet. I've been buying them for years, so it did not surprise me that the Moulin showed well. K Vintners wines always punch above their weight.
Wine fashion is one of my biggest bugbears. A great wine is still great no matter what grape variety it is made from.
Great video!
Thanks!
Well, that was fun! Cheers!
At some point, can we have a cellar tour ? 🙏
Ich liebe sideways. Ich kann den Film immer wieder schauen :)
Hello Konstantinos; please give us a Bordeaux hidden gems episode; showing us how Bordeaux can be great value for money. Thank you
Sorry about miss-spelling your name. Really sorry.
Now you have to taste a '61 Cheval Blanc!
After my grandfather passed away we found a ton of wine he made in the mid 70s/early 80s alot of them i could read his handwriting but some were dandelion and Hawaiian punch im not much of wine condosour but they are pretty good i was just wondering how safe it is to drink ive had some over the years and never got sick or anything just curious what to look out for if there is anything to be worried about
One of my Austrian employers was told by his doctor that he should only drink Merlot. I have no idea what the scientific/medical basis is is for that, but there is Merlot in some of my favourite wines. None of the wines reviewed in this excellent video are available in the UK (where I live) according to the Winesearcher links provided. Another Brexit triumph.
Thanks! See if your team can find some Canadian Merlot to try - I'd suggest CheckMate from the Okanogan (100% Merlot - they only do Merlot & Chardonnay).
Only in few places,, pure merlot can make a world class wine.. not to mention super expensive wine, but wine like redigaffi, duckhorn merlot also fantastic
It took me a number of years before I got the Sideways inside joke......Miles hates merlot, but drinks the 61 Cheval Blanc(mostly merlot) 😏
James Bond met Vesper Lind in a memorable scene on a train in Casino Royale over dinner with a bottle of Chateaux Angelus on the foreground.
I drink what I like, what tastes good to me.
Doesn't matter what country, what region, which producer or what grape variety(ies).
The previous weekend I drank a Chateau d'Aiguilhe 2016 (Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, 90% merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc) and it was very enjoyable: strong and ripe, with a great bouquet and wonderful taste with some developed characters but far from "over the hill", still with ripe but grippy tannins, full bodied with a long lasting aftertaste.
I think this wine is a steal and the entrecote seemed to like it too.
I have a bottle from that very same vintage. How would you score it?
Love merlot, and give thanks to “Sideways” for keeping prices down. Love Freemark Abbey, PlumpJack and Duckhorn California merlots, and Pollak merlot from Virginia. Can’t bring myself to spring for Petrus or Cheval Blanc, never tried them.
The only thing that’s ever made me wonder whether Merlot might not be not so good was the brief fad of making white Merlot, like white Zinfandel only using Merlot instead.
I was expecting you to open a Masseto for the closing notes :P , but wow, the K Merlot was indeed a pleasant surprise. Is this available in Europe?
Ricasoli's Casalferro 2015 did not impress me a few years ago, it seems they have upped their game lately.
I always loved Right Bank Merlot and Supertuscan Merlot.
I loved the 2021 Mazzei Siepi Toscana IGT but that is a 50%Merlot -50% SanGiovese.
The cherry on top of my list has probably been the 2012 Querciabella Palafreno Toscana IGT 100% Merlot.
Nice was thinking about getting the Château Moulin du Cadet, i was wondering because you didnt dacant any of the wines, do you rate the wine like they are right out of the bottle or on how you feel how they might develop? :)
Every time I am in the States I buy Duckhorn Merlot for "Easy drinking" red wine. Delivers.
Are those the riesling performance riedel glasses?
Surprisingly bright and crunchy and complex Merlot from Eagles' Nest in Constantia S. Africa and Frog's Leap in Sonoma California. Excellent comparative tasting!
I put my reds at 15 degrees, I like the evolution in the glas plus I drink them quite slow. As for Merlot usually I like the ones from Italy and have also had some nice fruit forward ones from Germany.
Difficult to find links to wines
I never decant my wines - I find part of the fun of drinking wine is tasting it develop in the glass over time. Don't listen to a movie - drink ^&$* Merlot. Merlot is great. Cab Franc is even better. I love them both.
Single varietal merlot wines is an area I haven’t explorer yet
Excited to try some
You should!
@@KonstantinBaumMasterofWineI certainly will!
Cool to see the Washington wine! By the way, Wahluke Slope and Walla Walla are over 100 miles away from each other.
What wine glass did you use here? Not in the description.