With Apologies to Paul Giamatti, these Merlots are not going Sideways.

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Added: Sat Apr 5th 11:21am
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It's the regular suspects at the Thursday Tasting Group, and we're tasting Merlots.

We know the rap...Merlot has become a bad word in the wine business. A novice entry level wine. Over-produced. Wimpy. Red Wine for girls. The Apple-tini of the Napa Valley set. These have become fables now. Sometimes legend. When one of my favorite actors, Paul Giamatti, trashes the wine in the movie 'Sideways', it drops like an atom bomb on the Merlot producers around the world.You know the line...He's in the California Wine Country yelling at Tom Haden Church 'I'm not drinking any F'n Merlot!' as they go into a restaurant. Ouch. After that movie, Pinot Noir became the Holy Grail for California wine, and Merlot was reduced to a bad cliche at winebars and wine shops around the country.

Reality is that Merlot is pretty tasty. A little more fruit and a little less tannin than Cabernet, we tasted over 36 in our panel last Thursday in two different price levels. We came out of it with more than a little  respect with this formidable wine that, we should remember, is the same grape that produces great Bordeaux in St. Emilion and Pomerol as well as some of the best wines in California.

Below are 6 great bottles that your local wine shop should have...none of them mind blowing expensive...but some are mind blowing good! Try one of them at dinner with any braised beef, roast lamb or even chicken. Goat cheese and tomatoes on flat pizzas would be a huge hit.  Most  of these Merlots are in the same price range as we were tasting them at levels based on costs.

Paso Creek Winery Merlot (Paso Robles) 06...rich, almost spicy, with coffee and plum flavors. Best wine in this price range at the tasting. $15

Kenwood ' Yalumpa' Merlot (Sonoma) 05...silky, soft tannins with deep berry and chocolate flavors . Close second. Tasty wine. $15

Sonoma Vineyards Merlot (Sonoma) 05...a bit lighter style, but great fruit and underpinnings of oak flavors. Great for the more berry less tannin group.  $15

Canoe Ridge Merlot ( Columbia Valley) 04...Brawny, higher acid and tannin to tame the deep blue fruit and mocha flavors. Big wine.  Age worthy. $20

Truchard Merlot ( Napa) 04...huge flavors of coffee, black plum with softer tannins and balanced oak from the barrel.  My favorite wine at the tasting.  $25

Napa Cellars Merlot ( Napa) 05...integrated flavors of chocolate and berry with a long finish. This was the groups' fave. $18

That's all for now. See you next time!