"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Reddish in color with medium plus intensity and a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose of red fruits with light cedar, earth, tobacco leaf, black pepper, herbs and black tea.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, plums, light oak, spices, chocolates, licorice, tobacco leaf, herbs and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Merlot from Napa Valley. Fruity and rich. Complex and entertaining.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes of airtime.

This Single Vineyard Merlot is elegant and nicely balanced. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

I had different vintages of this wine and it is very consistent.

Easy drinking and good by itself as a sipping wine.

100% Merlot grapes were aged in French oak barrels. A tiny production of only 300 bottles.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$100. — a day ago

"Odedi"

9.1

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, licorice, chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, earth and black tea.

Nice length on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 10 year old Merlot from Saint Emilion still feels young. Drinking very nicely now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

This second wine is good right out of the bottle, and much better after a couple of hours of airtime.

Wine Spectator 91 points. Wine Advocate 92 points.

A nice sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 22 months in all new French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50. — 22 days ago

"Odedi"

9.0

Chateau Tour Saint Joseph Cru Bourgeois Haut Médoc 2012, Bordeaux, France

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Beautiful nose of black currants, plums, rhubarb, cooked cherries, light wood, spices, dark chocolates, black pepper and licorice.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cherries, oak, spices, chocolates, tobacco leaf, coffee, licorice, peppercorn, earth and herbs.

Short finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.

This 13 year old Merlot based blend from Bordeaux is still drinking nicely, although will not last long. Easy drinking and complex.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 30 minutes of airtime. I really enjoyed the nose once it opened up.

A good food wine that paired nicely with the charcuterie board.

A blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$25 (current vintage). — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

There are always exceptions to the rule! Usually known as a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend, but this vintage is Merlot based.

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Strong nose of black currants, blackberries, plums, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, black pepper and tobacco leaf.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with blueberries, blackberries, black currants, cherries, light oak, spices, chocolates, herbs, coffee, licorice, tobacco leaf, peppercorn, earth and black tea.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Merlot based blend from Bordeaux. Elegant and nicely balanced. Complex and engaging. Rich and powerful, but not extracted.

This 8 year old First Growth Bordeaux is starting to drink nicely, but feels very young and closed. Needs 5 years in the bottle to mature properly, but already very complex and delicious by itself. Will continue to age nicely in the 25 years.

Showing good structure and quality, fruit-forward, elegant, and soft. Evolved beautifully in the glass, and gained depth and complexity as it opened up.

I had its brother/cousin, château Mission Haut-Brion, recently and it is not as earthy as the Mission was.

Tasting these kind of wines at this early stage, is always hard, but someone's got to do it.

A great sipping wine, that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (70% new) French oak barrels for 18 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$550. — 8 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity and mouthfeel.

Showing black fruits with cedar, chocolates, coffee, light earth, herbs, tobacco and black pepper.

This is a delicious Merlot from Saint Emilion. Complex and nicely balanced. Rich and spicy.

Still young, and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly, but already drinking beautifully.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. A great vintage that is very giving at the moment.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.

A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 22 months in new French oak barrels.

15% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$50. — a month ago

"Odedi"

9.0

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark purple in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, blackberries, sweet cherries, light cedar, earth, herbs, light vegetables and chocolates.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, spices, chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, licorice, pencil lead and earth.

Medium finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a tasty Merlot based blend from Margaux. Elegant, complex and nicely balanced.

This second wine from Château Lascombes is rich and fruit forward. Feels like a Right Bank Bordeaux with a touch of New World.

I had the 2018 not too long ago and this one is drinking much better now. Would be nice to revisit it in a couple of years.

Easy drinking and good by itself or with food.

A blend of 68% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 16 months in used French oak barrels.

14% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$40. — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Deep purple in color with a reddish rim.

Beautiful nose of black plums, black cherries, red currants, light cedar, coffee, light earth, herbs, light vegetables and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Very dry on the palate with black plums, black currants, coffee, oak, light cloves, earth, tobacco leaf, bitter herbs, peppercorn, light licorice and green tea.

Tangy finish with fine grain tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Merlot from Napa valley. Showing nice complexity with an elegant mouthfeel.

Needed 2 hours in a decanter to open up.

This 8-year-old Merlot is still drinking beautifully. Lost some of its fruits, and it is very dry now.

Drinking at its peak, and will not get any better from here. Really loved the nose at this point.

Good by itself or with food. Will pair nicely with barbecue meats or burgers. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.

14.4% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65. — 15 days ago

"Odedi"

9.0

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Purple in color with medium intensity.

Fruity nose of red fruits with light chocolate notes.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing raspberries, cherries, spices, peppercorn, chocolates, earth and light vegetables.

Tangy finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 7 year old Merlot from Walla Walla Valley is drinking very nicely now. Rich, but not extracted. Spicy and entertaining.

This Single Vineyard Merlot is easy drinking and good by itself or with food.

Aged in (20% new) French oak barrels for 18 months. A small production of only 300 cases.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$45. — a month ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Inky in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose with cooked plums, cedar, chocolates, black pepper, spices, light earth and tobacco leaf.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black plums, currants, cedar, licorice, cola, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, spices, light cinnamon and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Single Vineyard Merlot from Napa valley. Elegant and nicely balanced. Fruit forward, rich and complex.

This 7 year old Merlot is drinking beautifully now and will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

The nose feels very fresh and complex. Showing a touch of Right Bank Bordeaux feel, which makes it more interesting.

Needed an hour in the decanter to open up properly and balance itself out.

Good by itself as a sipping wine and good with food. Will pair nicely with lamb chops or grilled meats.

100% Merlot grapes were aged in French oak barrels. A tiny production of only 300 bottles.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$100. — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.0

Chateau La Fleur Ferrand Cuvée Réservée Pomerol 2017, Bordeaux, France

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose of red fruits with light wood, spices, coffee, earth, dark chocolates and tobacco.

Medium plus in body and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, cherries, spices, light oak, licorice, chocolates, coffee, light earth and herbs.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 8 year old Merlot from Pomerol is showing a very fresh nose, but starting to show age on the palate. Might be just this specific bottle, though.

Rich and fruit forward. Complex and interesting. Plush and creamy.

Good by itself as a sipping wine and would pair nicely with food too.

100% Merlot grapes were aged for 12 months in (100% new) French Oak barrels.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$95. — 2 months ago