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Top 10 List how we choose |
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Northstar Winery
Northstar is located in Washington State, which is the USA's
second biggest wine producing area. Northstar produces a
Walla Walla merlot. The robust red wine The wine has a deep red
grape flavor. The 2007 vintage is described as having hints of
chocolate, vanilla, coconut and dried fruit. It is suggested as a
good dinner wine. Northstar suggests blending their merlot with
cabernet Sauvignon for a deep flavor with an underlying note of
fruity sweetness. |
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Paradigm Winery
Paradigm Winery sits in Napa Valley. The vineyard is 29 years old.
Three blocks of the vineyard are devoted to growing merlot grapes.
In addition to merlot, the vineyard also produces the following
wines: cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, cabernet franc and rose.
The merlot has an oak accent. The 2007 blend is still readily
available as of 2011. The 2007 vintage has undertones of black plum
and cherry. |
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Duckhorn Vineyards
This vineyard is located in the famous Napa Valley of California,
well known for its flavorful grapes and numerous vineyards. Duckhorn
focuses on
merlot wines and has perfected several blends that consistently
hit the mark with wine connoisseurs. You can purchase a handful of
varieties on their website at any given time, giving the option of
different vintage wines. The fruity flavor of the 2006 merlot has
hints of raspberries, black cherry and red currant. |
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Amuse Bouche
Wine Enthusiast gave Amuse Bouche's 2008 merlot 95 points
out of 100. The wine is a dry, red wine with the taste of
blackberries, cherries, herbs and olives. Amuse Bouche is in Napa
Valley. The wine bottles themselves are true works of art and
feature creations from artist John Schwartz. The 2009 merlot from
Amuse Bouche has hints of red licorice, coffee notes and the taste
of dark chocolate. Each vintage has a slightly different taste, so
check the website for current offerings and a complete description
of the wine's taste and the artwork featured on the bottle. |
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Pepper Bridge
Pepper Bridge Winery is located in
Walla Walla, Washington. Pepper Bridge's 2007 merlot has a hint
of raspberry, currants and Italian plums. You'll also get a glimpse
of cinnamon. The dark, rich soil of Washington state gives this
winery's merlots a deep, robust flavor. The winery considers this to
be a classic merlot. Different years feature different features, so
you may want to locate a 2005 as well as that vintage had a lot of
similarities to the 2007 yield. |
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Ravens Wood
Ravens Wood winery is located in Sonoma Valley, California.
However, this winery acquires grapes from various places, going to
where they grow best and sometimes changing the blends of grapes.
They are known for their bold, unusual wines and are working with
Tim McGraw and Chef Tim Love to create meal and wine pairings diners
love. Use their
online wine finder to locate a merlot for your wine rack. The
2006 Sonoma County merlot has plum and cherry undertones, while the
2007 Vintners merlot features spice and black olive notes. |
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Albini
The Albini Family Winery is located in Windsor, California. The
Russian River Valley merlot is handmade. The winery only produces
about 500 cases of their wines each year and ship all over the
country. Although each vintage of merlot will be a bit different, as
of 2011, the website features the 2008 Russian River Valley merlot.
It is described as a full-bodied wine. It has a touch of cherry,
raspberry and cola flavor. Wines are aged in French and American Oak
barrels. |
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Provenance
Provenance Winery resides in Rutherford, California in Napa
Valley. Although Provenance is a fairly new winery, they merged with
the historic Chateau Beaucanon Winery in 2002. Provenance is made up
of several different vineyards. Several different vintages of
merlot are listed on their website. You'll find blends from the
different vineyards Provenance has acquired, including Las Amigas,
Mount Veder Paras and Three Palms. |
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Clos Pegase
Clos Pegase is a winery in Calistoga, California. Calistoga is
right in the heart of Napa Valley. The winery produces merlots using
an older process called extended maceration, which allows the wines
to mature at a younger age. Their
Napa Valley merlot boasts the flavor of vanilla, licorice and
even a hint of toastiness. It smells of deep, rich blackberry syrup
and fruit. The wine has a finishing taste of dark chocolate. |
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Joseph Phelps
Joseph Phelps is another California winery located in Napa Valley.
29 of the 34 vintages that Joseph Phelps offers have received a
rating of 90 or more points. This is a family run vineyard. Their
2001 Napa Valley merlot received 93 points from Wine and Spirits
Magazine. Their
2006 merlot has also received high marks and has a hint of red
plum, blackberry and anise. You'll also smell a hint of cedar. |
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