Will be spending a few days with wine a making friend in Pomerol.
Bring them American Merlots chosen by my wine merchant but there are usually disappointing, and blown away by their wine. The wines he chooses are often fruit bombs for which they have no interest.
Any suggestions on a wine they would find interesting?
Andrew Will Champoux. Preferably aged.
Have you tried hunting down some Havens Bourriquot from when Michael Havens still made it? Some vintages it was more Cab Franc than Merlot, if memory serves, but definitely a wine inspired by the right bank.
I’d pick Ridge Estate Merlot or Robert Keenan Merlot.
Calluna Aux Raynauds.
Skip American and try Tuscan Merlot…I really like Castello di Bossi ‘Girolamo’.
If it has to be American…maybe Paloma or Ridge with some age (pre 2003).
I wouldn’t try. I’d find a good, balanced California cabernet, pinot, syrah or zin. I think they’d find those more pleasurable and interesting.
Mayacamas Merlot with 10+ years age.
Kapcsandy Roberta’s Reserve ?
I’m sure he’d be okay with Masseto!
Bring a zin…a Ridge zin for example. Winery folks in France love zin…they get very little of it, and they have no personal definition of what’s right/wrong. And if you bring a delicious/balanced zin, like Ridge/Bedrock/manyOthers, it’s all the better. The last time I was in Burgundy, zin was the bit hit with the winemakers.
I would go for a Pride Vintner Select - 2012 would be a good one now.
I have a friend who was visiting Priorat in the late 90s and carried a '91 Lytton Springs with him to a tasting there. He claims they all went wild for it and wanted to keep the empty bottle.
+1
If you aren’t wedded to Merlot, bring Ridge Montebello, Chateau Montelena, Stony Hill Cabernet and or Mayacamas Cabernet. IMHO, California is much better Cabs, than for Merlot, at least based on what I have tasted.
This is a pretty interesting idea. The wine is a sort of homage to Cheval Blanc in the blend, though it doesn’t really taste like CB. The mid-90’s wines have been very good over the past several years and there’s a 97 on WS.
A variation on this theme from a single producer - Matthaisson. They make a very well behaved Zinfandel from Jake Bilbro’s great Limerick Lane Vineyard in the RRV, as well as one of California’s best Merlots from Red Hen Vineyard (Oak Knoll District, Napa).
If you can find a well-stored bottle and want something with age, 1992 or 1994 Beringer Bancroft Ranch Howell Mtn Merlot.
Most of the Beringer Bancroft Merlot from that era should be good candidates to impress the Libournaise.
Northstar up in the PNW also made some good ones, but don’t have any specific vintage recommendations.