DawsonTimes.com

The problem with Merlot is that there is a huge variety of styles to choose from. The great thing about Merlot is that there are many real good bottles of wine in that huge variety. They range all the way from the heavy robust style with lots of oak, that reminds you of Cabernet Sauvignon, to the big fruit and soft finish which almost reminds you of a really good Grand Cru Beajolais. Part of my job is to know which style to reccomend to which customer.

Recently I had a customer describe the Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot as a heavy and robust version of Merlot, and as I did not remember it that way from the last vintage I had tasted, I decided to sample the 2004 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Merlot, and see what I thought. Remember, we don't all recognize the same tastes in a bottle of wine, so it is just an opinion, one being no more valid than another, although over the years I have sampled thousands of bottles of wine.
 
The tasting notes from the winery proclaim, "This is our serious yet approachable Merlot." I could not agree more. I found this wine to be right in between robust and soft, meaning this is a good solid bottle of Merlot which should please a wide range of palates. To paraphrase Goldilocks, it is neither too hard nor too soft, but rather, just right! It has a wonderful nose of black cherries, with big flavors of the fruit coupled with rich red berries, trailing off into a mellow, but toasty finish with mild and pleasant tannins.

We enjoyed this one with some big thick pork loin chops from the grill, and it was very tasty! This Merlot will also pair well with anything from beef to pasta. It pleases a variety of palates and a variety of foods.

WORLD BEVERAGE 400
6190 Highway 400
Cumming, GA 30040
(678) 513-6284
www.worldbeverage400.com

Site Classifieds: dining, wine