Kuleto Estate India Ink Napa Valley Red Blend 2015, California

Dark purple in color with a purplish rim.

Fruity nose of sweet cherries, dried fruits, coffee, vanilla, wood, plums, metals, milk chocolates, tobacco and black pepper.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with plums, cherries, currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs, spices, dark chocolates, vinaigrette, bitter greens, graphite and peppercorn.

Medium finish with full tannins and tangy cranberries.

This Napa Petite Sirah /Malbec blend is very enjoyable. Nicely balanced with a great mouthfeel. Shows nice complexity too.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up. Will be better in a year or two, but already enjoyable even by itself.

A blend of 60% Petite Sirah, 20% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 5% Zinfandel and 3% Syrah.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$25.

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Calluna Vineyards C.V.C 2014 Chalk Hill, California

It’s time for #MerlotThursday. Here is a nice one from Sonoma County.

Dark ruby in color with a short purplish rim.

On the nose, blueberries, earth, chocolates, light oak, vanilla, spices, licorice, dark coffee, pencil lead and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs, soft and smooth.

Dry on the palate with currants, cherries, sweet raspberries, tobacco, spices, wood, earth, beef jerky, herbs, light vinaigrette, chocolates, dark coffee and peppercorn.

Medium finish with fine green tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a nice Merlot based Bordeaux Blend from Chalk Hill, Sonoma County. Nicely balanced with a soft and elegant mouthfeel.

Very enjoyable by itself or with food. Fruit forward with some earth notes. Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up.

I paired it with cheeses and crackers.

A blend of 47% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec and 8% Petit verdot.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$33.

Mark Ryan Winery The Dissident 2012 Columbia Valley, Washington State

For International Merlot day I’m going with a Bordeaux blend from Columbia Valley.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Soft nose of blueberries, plums, wood, licorice, oak, earth, light vegetables, pencil lead, vinaigrette, forest floor, tobacco leaf, spices, graphite, bitter herbs, black tea and black pepper.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, green herbs, spices, dark chocolates, coffee, vegetables, tobacco leaf and peppercorn.

Medium finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a nice surprise. A great Bordeaux Blend from Washington State. Well balanced and earthy with a nice mouthfeel and a tangy ending, that I really liked.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up (90 minutes).

Might have been better a year or two ago, even though, this was a great vintage and it’s showing great complexity.

Thank you Scott for sharing.

I paired it with cheeses, meats and light appetizers.

A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 12% Malbec, 11% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.
A production of 95 barrels.

14.9% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$35.

Kirkland Signature Series Napa Valley Red Blend 2015, California

Time for MerlotThursday!

Dark ruby in color with a wide brick rim.

Fruity nose of blueberries, cherries, sweet raspberries, tobacco, spices, wood, cloves, cola and black pepper.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with cherries, sweet strawberries, raspberries, light wood, earth, spices, chocolates, tobacco, coke, peppercorn and leather.

Short finish with fine tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a nice Merlot based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Nice, simple and a little unbalanced.
Good right out of the bottle and good for parties. Better with food.

A little disappointing, but very drinkable nonetheless. Nothing special here, but might be better in a year from now.

I paired it with cheeses, olives and nuts.

A blend of 67% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

86 points.

$12.

Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón Malbec Reserva 2014 Mendoza, Argentina

Deep purple in color with a short purple/ reddish rim.

Fruity on the nose with blackberries, sweet plums, cherries, black currants, oak, cola, tobacco, licorice, vanilla, leather, pencil lead, chocolates, coffee, spices, vinaigrette, beef jerky and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, black currants, raspberries, earth, light vegetables, dark chocolates, graphite, bitter herbs, earth, spices, black olives, tobacco leaf and peppercorn.

Medium on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a nice Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. Not fully balanced, but showing nice complexity and mouthfeel.

Good by itself and better with food. Spicy with a tangy finish. Much softer as a 4 year old than before.

Needs 3 hours to open up properly, and remove some of the acidity.

Aged for 15 months in Oak barrels.

I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$22.

Columbia Winery Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Washington State

Dark ruby in color with a wide purplish rim.

On the nose, blueberries, black currants, oak, licorice, vanilla, spices, dark coffee, pencil lead, earth, leather, bell pepper, celery, herbs, river rocks and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, light vanilla, vegetables, tobacco leaf, earth, herbs, spices and peppercorn.

Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a nice Cabernet from Washington State. Not fully balanced with nice complexity and mouthfeel.

Needs 30 minutes to open up properly. Peaking now, and will not last too long. A good food wine too.

I paired it with cheeses and crackers.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 5% Syrah, 3% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

13.7% alcohol by volume.

87 Points.

$15.

Hess Select Treo Winemaker’s Blend 2014, California

Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, blueberries, cherries, licorice, oak, vanilla, spices, chocolates, mocha, tobacco, earth and black pepper.

Medium to full bodied with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, spices, vanilla, wood, coffee, chocolates, tobacco, beef jerky and peppercorn.

Medium plus in finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a nice California Red Blend. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Showing mild complexity and a nice mouthfeel.

Tastes like a typical California Red Blend. This 4 year old is still drinking nicely, but won’t last for long. Wine Enthusiasts 84 points.

A blend of mainly Petite Sirah with Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot and a hint of Malbec.

I paired it with a lamb burger and sweet potatoe fries. (cheat day 😊)

13.5% alcohol by volume.

87 Points.

$17.