Tom and Melody's wine blog » Merlot

Sonoma Vineyards Merlot (2007)

Tom & Melody — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 23:36:06 +0000

This is a stormy, steamy Friday night. We are under a tornado warning and a severe thunderstorm warning. We’ve definitely had the severe storm but I think we have been spared the tornado. We are listening to Michael Crawford crooning and the thunder and rain pelting on the windows. Cozy, cozy, cozy!

We are looking forward to a stay-at-home weekend, although our get-a-ways have been stupendous. . .this weekend will be catch up on our tasks weekend.

Johnny, Melody, David

I have posted a picture from last weekend’s class reunion in Northern Michigan. Such fun!

So, in spite of the heat today, I am roasting a stuffed chicken with potatoes for our dinner. I selected this California Merlot. Although I don’t consider myself a Merlot fan, it works well with certain meals and this is one of them. The wine is soft, somewhat fleshy and feels round on the palate. Lots of fruit, too. In the words of my brother-in-law. . .this drinks good.

By the way, in the picture. . .Johnny and I attended a 2-room schoolhouse and sat at a round table with the rest of our kindergarten class! Every grade had a row. . .one room had kindergarten through 3rd grades (one row per grade) and the other room had 4th through 7th grade. Our teacher was Mrs. Goodrich.A stellar educator! I think the other room’s teach was Mrs. Bowen. How many of you attended a red-brick, 2-room school?

Sterling Vintner’s Collection Meritage (2007)

Tom & Melody — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:31:44 +0000

We are enjoying a lovely, July evening. Strangely, the sun is shining brightly, but it is raining. We are very happy to have the rain because we needed it badly. But it is odd to have the rain while the sky is seemingly clear.

Nonetheless, here we are enjoying the soft rain, windows open with a gentle breeze. I took advantage of the cooler evening to put a chicken casserole in the oven (a basic chicken and rice combo).

While completing our weekly “Wall Street Journal” crossword puzzle, we are enjoying this Sonoma, California blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The nose is subtle and takes awhile to reveal itself but with some decanting it offers chocolate and blackberries. The taste is a deliciously complex mix of fruit, spice, flowers and chocolate. Very yummy. This wine was $13.99 but on sale for 9.99, which is an excellent value. Had I paid the full price, I would have been satisfied but at this price it is a real find.

Chateau Labourdette (2006)

Tom & Melody — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:36:54 +0000

I am having a glass of this French Bordeaux (Chateau Labourdette) that we opened last night. It’s Tuesday evening. I don’t want to sound like a broken record so I won’t tell you how exhausting my work day was!

It’s a delightful June summer night in Michigan. The sun is shining, everything is uber-green, the flowers are in bloom and the birds are chirping and the frogs are croaking.

This Bordeaux is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet; I recognize the sharp taste and the structured tannins of the Cabernet. At the same time, I detect the mellowness of the Merlot. Together, they create a lovely purple color and a nose of plums and tobacco. The taste is plummy with a touch of pepper and spearmint.

The Full Fifteen (2009)

Tom & Melody — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 23:32:51 +0000

A beautiful Michigan April evening and we are relaxing after both having busy days at our jobs. Everything is green and blooming here in Southeastern Michigan. I don’t think the grass could be any greener. No wonder we Michiganders are so happy when spring arrives!

So, I am back from a one-night business trip and relishing being back home. I stopped at Whole Foods on the way home and picked up two “ultimate” burgers, which are hamburger patties made with spices and steak sauce . . ..something I could/should have done on my own, but they just looked so good! We are not grilling. Instead, I heated up my trusty cast iron skillet, put kosher salt in the pan and then browned the burgers and turned down the heat. These will turn out juicy and delicious. We can’t grill right now because we are in the process of re-doing our patio. . .but that’s another story.

This wine just arrived in our wine club shipment. I chose it only because it was at the top of the box (and I guess I was eager to open a bottle). This is an Australian fruit bomb and quite good! Lots of blackberries, plums and spice. The finish is smooth. . .almost melt-in-your-mouthish — like m & ms!

I would recommend this wine especially to new wine drinkers who say that they don’t like dry wine but they also don’t like wine that is too sweet. In fact, I think my friend and colleague Streets might like this one. . .I’ll have to mention it to him. Well, time to flip the burgers. Cheers and happy Tuesday!

Château Greysac Médoc (2005)

Tom & Melody — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:40:16 +0000

It is a Thursday evening and we are relaxing after a very busy day for both of us. I chose this Château Greysac Médoc 2005 from our dwindling supply. . .the bad news is that our supply is dwindling. . .the good news is that we always save the best for last so the wines that are left are the more expensive wines. And what am I to do? Of course I have to open an expensive bottle of wine!

This wine is wonderful. As soon as I opened it, I knew we were in for a treat. There is a combination of cloves and blackberries on the nose. The taste is full of cherries and the texture is creamy. A very charming and drinkable wine!

I purchased this wine at A&L Wine Castle in Ann Arbor. Regularly it cost $23.99 and I bought it on sale for $15.99. Worth every penny. . .Cheers!

Tom: A delicious, big red. Blackberries, some spice, and a bit of sweetness. Surprisingly big fruit in the nose. A very nice wine, and a bit upscale for us…

Chateau Les Tuileries (2008)

Tom & Melody — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:53:32 +0000

We are having some extreme weather tonight in Michigan. The wind is steady at 40 mph with gusts up to 60 (if the weather reports are accurate, and by the sounds outside, I believe it). I had to really grasp the steering wheel on my drive home tonight from work. My car was getting blown around. Also, the temperature is in the 20′s but the wind chill is below zero. So, winter has arrived with a vengeance. I am so grateful to be home and out of weather. I can’t imagine what a homeless person does on a night like tonight.

So, it is Wednesday night and we are glad to be home with power. I imagine there are many people who have lost power by now. I have a casserole in the oven. This casserole is a new recipe I am trying with ground beef, noodles, mushrooms, onions, cottage cheese & sour cream, broth (the noodles were added without being cooked, hence the broth to make sure the noodles get cooked to “tender perfection”). . .a comforting and filling dinner, I hope, for a very cold night. I am also baking an acorn squash and I am going to make a green salad.

Oh dear. I hear sirens. How many mothers out there cringe when they hear a siren? I still do. . .I always think about my two sons and wonder where they are and if they are safe.

Getting back to the purpose of this blog entry — the wine. It’s good. It’s earthy and fruity (but emphasis on the earthy).This is exactly what I would expect from a French Bordeaux blend.No complaints here!

Sterling Vintner’s Collection Meritage (2007)

Tom & Melody — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:43:31 +0000

It’s Monday night and very dark. . .we have our Christmas tree lights on and the house is cozy. Trigger is snuggling with me and we are reading the newspaper. Tom poured me a glass of this California blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The nose is a rich black cherry and a bouquet of roses. The taste is delicious. . .chocolate, raspberries and pepper. The tannins are just right: Firm but mellowing as the wine breathes.

For dinner, I prepared a casserole. . .but I wrapped it in foil and put it in the refrigerator for another night (I have a busy week ahead). For tonight. we are going to have leftover steak & broccoli stir fry with brown rice and the most delicious cole slaw. (Although this cole slaw recipe is very simple, it is the best I have ever had.) Want the rec ipe? Just let me know!

I am enjoying this glass of wine very much. I would not hesitate to buy this again (it was on sale for $8.99).

Randall Harris Merlot (2006)

Tom & Melody — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:01:42 +0000

I recently ordered and received a 12-bottle case of red wine from a company that was advertising by email recently. The case of wine included 2 bottles of this Merlot. Now, I am not a huge fan of Merlot because I generally find it to be too soft; I prefer the bigger taste in a Cabernet, Malbec or Carmenere. However, this Merlot is not bad. The nose is nice with cherries and pepper. There is a strong raspberry on the palate — a bit too overwhelming for my personal taste — but I can imagine that many wine drinkers would find this very appealing and luscious. The finish is pleasant with spice and fruit.

For dinner, I have made (what else?) turkey soup! The highlight of this soup will be the very rich and savory broth, which came from yesterday’s all-day-simmering of the turkey carcass and vegetables. I added a small bag of cubed potatoes (which I got from our organic food co-op and needed to use) along with some corn and other vegetables. It is a very simple soup but I think it will be nourishing and delicious.

Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet (2006)

Tom & Melody — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 23:22:07 +0000

Tom purchased this Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet 2006, a Washington State blend, at our local grocery store. We selected it tonight because we are having roast chicken for dinner. This wine is quite a value — it was $7.95 but on sale for $5.50. The nose is blackberries and raspberries. A fruit-forward quaff, it feels malleable in the mouth with a gentle, yet fruity, finish. This is certainly a great bottle of wine at a very low price.

It is a beautiful July Sunday evening and we go back to work tomorrow. Having spent the last three days/evenings teaching, I wanted a good home-cooked meal so I went to our local butcher and bought a fresh whole chicken. I am roasting that along with potatoes and carrots. I will make a salad, too.

De Loach Merlot (2006)

Tom & Melody — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:04:24 +0000

Tom chose this California DeLoach Merlot for our Friday night quaff. . .it is a beautiful April evening in Michigan. Everyone is outside, joyously skipping, running, walking dogs, or whatever they can think of to do outside.

I jokingly “poo-poo’d” this wine when Tom suggested it; I generally find Merlots a bit too soft and mellow for my taste, but this is a big Merlot. The nose is sweet vanilla while the taste is cherries and oak. Grippy tannins complement the long finish.

We are having the rest of the bean soup that I made this weekend, along with whole wheat bread and cheese. I need to eat well tonight to prepare for my long run tomorrow. Cheers!