Best Merlot Vineyards

[rick_m]

Pride
Paloma
Switchback Ridge
Old Pahlmeyer 90’s
Old Berringer Howell Mt 90’s
Lewis Cellars

[Vince_L1]

FWIW

The 17 Most Important California Vineyards All Wine Lovers Need to Know

Red Hen is #6

[mstockley]

Best Merlot I ever had was a 97 Beringer Bancroft Ranch a couple of years ago.

This. Wine served at our wedding head table unfortunately way to young.

[Jin_L]

switchback

[David_B]

Another vote for Keenan. Their Mailbox vineyard is a nice step up from the regular bottling.

[Mike_Reff]

No love for Haven’s? Not sure anyone can even secure this wine anymore?

[Drew_Goin]

The Sandlands Coombsville Merlot was from the “Michael Black Vineyard”. I doubt it’s stylistically in the same vein as some of the plush, round reds of the 1990s, but it might be worth a buy in the future…


from “TN: 2017 Sandlands Merlot (USA, California, Napa Valley, Coombsville)” Wine Berserkers thread
July 11, 2020

…This wine comes from the Michael Black vineyard in Coombsville. Made famous in the 1990’s by Paul Hobbs. It was one of the early Bordeaux plantings in Coombsville (1985). Before then common belief was that Coombsville was too cold to grow Bordeaux varieties. Farella was the first to disprove this theory planting small bits of Merlot and Cabernet in 1979. The vineyard sits on a rock outcropping on the corner of First Ave and North Ave. Michael Black was a Renaissance man/ viticulturist and the selection of Merlot is known as the Michael Black clone. The vineyard yields tiny berries and rarely gets 2 tons to the acre. The wine was aged in 2 barrels- both French one a once used and the other twice used. I opened one of these the other night, I am really happy with the wine the wine is showing and I believe it will continue to mature for the next 10 plus years. I will be making this wine again in 2020. Thanks again for the note.
Tegan

Oh, and +1 on the Ehlers Estate Merlot!

[Jim_F]

No love for Haven’s? Not sure anyone can even secure this wine anymore?

Look up Cave Dog. That is Michael Havens, and he sold at Wineberserker Day this year. Not sure if he is offering a merlot, but his blend is terrific, just as it was back in the Haven’s days.

[Ed_Steinway]

Mike Reff wrote:
No love for Haven’s? Not sure anyone can even secure this wine anymore?

I just saw some Havens Merlot discounted at Costco when I was there this past weekend. I don’t remember the vintage and think it was around $15. I will buy one if it is still there this weekend.

Ed

[John_Glas]

I’m surprised no one has mentioned Ridge yet.

I like Ridge!

[John_Glas]

Leonetti from Washington State is as good as any (Walla Walla).

[Mike_Reff]

No love for Haven’s? Not sure anyone can even secure this wine anymore?

Look up Cave Dog. That is Michael Havens, and he sold at Wineberserker Day this year. Not sure if he is offering a merlot, but his blend is terrific, just as it was back in the Haven’s days.

Jim,
thanks for the tip, might have to check this out, as well as the Godello

[Andrew_Demaree]

Good call on Leonetti. Terrific Merlot, although it needs time to show all its got.

[John_Glas]

Good call on Leonetti. Terrific Merlot, although it needs time to show all its got.

Wish I could afford more of it!

[Joel_Pulver]

Paloma, Pride, Switchback Ridge

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[Josh_Grossman]

Thanks all, ended up buying a mixed case with many of the suggestions here; all 2018. Should be a fun tasting in a few years.

[Victor_Hong]

Interesting question.I am not sure how my personal experiences will stack up, but some of the best domestic merlots I have had based on my CT scores have been from Sangiacomo Vineyards in Sonoma. I also had a Winebid find from Liparita Howell Mountain, no clue on the vineyard. The Liparita was probably my best Merlot ever. It was a ‘91 from a mag.

Not one Merlot disappointment from this defunct estate, across its pre-1997 vintages.

[ericskitei]

Paloma, Pride and Duckhorn are solid. Obviously priced considerably higher and a dominant merlot but not 100%, but SE (Second) Flight is damn tasty as well and much more approachable young than it’s big Cabernet brother.

[Kris_Patten]

Well Washington has some excellent vineyards…Northridge, Southridge, Dionysus, Tapteil, and Champoux.

In CA a big fan of Banrcroft as mentioned prior.

[John_Glas]

Well Washington has some excellent vineyards…Northridge, Southridge, Dionysus, Tapteil, and Champoux.

In CA a big fan of Banrcroft as mentioned prior.

For the money my bet is in Washington!