04/28/06 New Favorite Wine

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and as many of you know my new favorite wine is usually the wine that is in my glass at the time. You see I just don't waste my time drinking wine that I don't like. Today I thought I would share some of my recommendations for Merlot since I chastised you all for giving it up just because you got sucked in to believing everything that you heard in the Sideways. Merlot is a softer grape than say Cabernet Sauvignon and is very often used in a blend - to do just that - soften up a Cabernet Sauvignon. Now I live in Washington state where I along with many others feel as though Merlot is a grape that Washington does a particularly good job with. One of my all time favorites is made by Apex Cellars out of Sunnyside Washington. Another is from Columbia Crest out of Paterson Washington and if you can get any be sure to taste Chinook Merlot you will be impressed. Every once in a while I stumble across a good California Merlot at a reasonable price like the 2002 Merlot from the Beringer Founders' Estate series. It is low priced and very easy to drink. Or try the 2002 Franciscan Oakville Estate Merlot. Any of the wines can be easily found by visiting the winery website. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at Vine to Wine dot net and thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.