Merlot-

Merlot wears many hats, and it’s all thanks to terroir, the trio of climate and soil, geography and topography, and the winemaker’s choices. A sunny, sandy hillside might yield a juicy, red-berry-forward Merlot that’s bright and playful—perfect for a sunny afternoon. Cooler river valleys and clay soils can produce a darker, more structured Merlot, layered with plum, blackberry, and hints of earth—bold enough to linger on the palate. And then there’s the winemaking touch: how long it sees oak, how it’s handled in fermentation, whether it’s blended or left pure—all shaping the personality of the bottle. This weekend at City Vino, we’ll explore Merlot in all its forms, from the flirty and light to the brooding and deep, letting terroir tell its story in every sip.
Airfield Estates Merlot Yakima Valley Washington 2022 100% Merlot. Expressive aromas of dark cherry juice, black cassis, blackberry, marionberry, and plum, layered with violets, clove, juniper, toasted oak, smoked caramel, roasted date, and dark espresso. The palate delivers concentrated primary flavors of red and black cherry, blueberry, licorice, and plum jam, followed by secondary notes of vanilla bean, caramel, baker’s chocolate, and pipe tobacco, with subtle tertiary hints of cedar and pepper.
Ancient Peaks Winery Merlot Paso Robles California 2022 85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Zinfandel. Opens with dusty aromas of boysenberry, black cherry, vanilla and toasted oak. A soft, rounded texture delivers mouth-filling flavors of blueberry, blackberry, cinnamon, dark chocolate and cola. Velvety tannins are finely integrated into a rich, chewy finish.
Schild Estate Merlot Barossa Valley Australia 2017 100% Merlot. Brooding aromas of violets, red rose petals, blueberry, blackberry, mulberry, plum, toasted oak, and vanilla. The palate delivers sour red cherry, lingonberry, black plum, dried blackberry, mushroom, earthy tones, cocoa, black cherry cordial, and a hint of walnut. This Merlot is dry, with medium acidity and soft, well-integrated tannins, balanced by juicy sour-cherry fruit that swirls into a cherry-ball, hard-candy note on the finish.
Keermont Merlot Stellenbosch South Africa 2020 90% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec. Soft aromas of violets, blossoms, black plum, blueberry, Dustin es, and mulberry, with a touch of dried herbs, cigar box, vanilla, and cloves. Further explored on the palate are blackberry, black pepper, bread dough and cedar.