Chateau Vieux Taillefer, Saint Emilion Grande Cru 2006 - $19

David: A lovely dark crimson color with hints of orange around the edge. A nice nose has red and black currant with iron and some bready raspberry tart. Full bodied with moderate acidity. The wine has dense fruit which is delightful to swirl. Big but soft tannins. Finishes long with some berry flavor. Very pleasant.
Score: 4.1/5

Chateau Picau-Perna Bordeaux 2005 - $17

70% merlot. Rest cab.

David: Opaque purple. Nose of sweet blueberries, violets, herbs. Medium to full bodied. Low acidity. Very tasty blueberry fruit though not incredibly complex. Big powerful tannins remain rounded. Nice gentle finish. A very enjoyable wine.
Score: 4.1/5

Markham Merlot Napa 2006 - $16

David: Dark purply red. Nose is a little strange. Smells almost like a white wine. Peaches, carrot and root beer are evident. Nose was a little more relaxed on the second day with roses and cedar. Full bodied and yummy. Spicy and concentrated plum and raisin. Strong tannins. Good structure. Plummy tasting finish. Liked this better on the second day. Probably better to decant for several hours.
Score: 4.2/5

Chateau La Croix Mouton Bordeaux Superieur 2008 - $15

A blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc

David: Medium depth ruby color. Nose of red currant, a little raspberry. Not much else. Steely acidity. Medium bodied. Fresh red fruit is subdued. The wine tastes a little like the Loire cab franc we had recently; that is, a little under-ripe. I thought it was merlot and cab franc but would have guess more cab franc. Dry, a little bitter and austere. But the wine is pretty well balanced. Good tannins and a decent finish. Just a little boring. Not my favorite style of red.
Score: 3.7/5

Trinchero Merlot 2007 - $26

Got this Napa merlot half off on the sale rack at Meijer.

David: Purple red in color. This merlot is very similar to the previous $9 merlot from Bordeaux. Nose of red currant, herbs, vanilla, rubbery earthiness. Full bodied, red currant fruit, median acidity. Fruit bomby. Silky texture, soft but powerful tannins. Decent finish. A tasty though fairly ordinary merlot. Not that much better than the previous $9 wine. Easily worth the discount price but not the full one which is typical of Napa wines.
Score: 3.9/5

Nelm's Road Merlot 2007 - $21

David: Dark crimson in color. Big nose of rich, ripe red cherry, berries, vanilla. Fox fur, maybe shoe polish. Big opulent fruit on the palate. Moderate acidity. Strong tannins. Some spice. Good structure and complexity. Lots of sediment. Solid finish with some heat.
Score 4.1/5

De Bortoli Merlot 2006 - $6

David:
Light purple in color. Pinot-like, cherry nose. High acidity and tart cherry define this wine. Good and cheap, food wine. Not complex but has sufficient structure to keep it interesting. Soft tannins. Some spice. Some cola on the finish.
Score: 3.8/5

Jessica:
Juicy and sweet. A touch of vanilla. Palatable, rounded and balanced.
Score: 3.9

Gallo Family Merlot - $2

David: Bought this airplane sized bottle at CVS. Just wanted to try some cheap wine. Color is purple. Nose (probably its best feature) has black cherry and smoke and maybe a bitt of strawberry. Presages a little sweetness. The first thing noticed on the palate is the low acidity, dulled fruit and overall lack of character. Comes off as flabby and bland. Somewhat of a grape fruit punch taste, a little sweet. However there is no harshness, or other unpleasant flavors. Tannins are barely there and the finish is not long. Overall, the wine has no complexity or structure though it is not terrible. Better for cooking than drinking.
Score 2.2/5

Freemark Abbey Merlot 2006 - $25

From Napa Valley. 84% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petite Sirah.
Jessica:

Score: ?/5

Marquis Philips Merlot 2008 - $13

David: An Australian Merlot from the Marquis Philips which is the same winery that produced the shiraz that we tried the other day. The color is purple. The nose indicates raspberries and plums which is consistent with the taste. Well balanced. Firm tannins with just a bit of spice and blackberry liquor. The flavor reminds me very much of the Yalumba Shiraz Viognier that we had two weeks ago which is also from Australia. I wonder which flavor that is exactly, viognier perhaps?
Score: 3.8/5

Jessica: Dark fruits, almost syrupy blueberry and blackberries come across. The color is a deep purple and the nose is reflective of the dark fruits. I enjoyed the full bouquet and body of this wine. Long finish; tannins not overpowering.
Score: 4.1/5

Domaine de la Janasse Bussiere - 2007 - $15

Domaine de la Janasse Vin de Pays de la Principauté d'Orange Terre de Bussière

David: A Vin de Pays is the term for a French country wine, with less exacting standards than wines designated with Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC). Still, some of these can be great wine values. This one is a great example. The wine is 65% merlot and 35% Syrah grapes. The color is a beautiful, rich dark red with hints of purple. The wine opens up well with decanting. Nose indicates dark fruit with spice box, tobacco and a scent of (as Parker points out) camphor. Full bodied and rich. Beautifully layered with black cherry, currants, plum with well integrated tannins turning the tongue to sandpaper but without bitterness. Fruit is well balanced with spice and these flavors blend together in a long pleasant finish.
Score: 4.6/5

Jessica: This was a delicious wine. I immediately detected smokey tones and sweet fruits--likely cherry--on tongue. Sloshing it around the mouth was fun b/c while the tannins were present, they created a mouth-tingling puckery sensation that was not overly dry or bitter. I also detected the spices in this wine and would say overall this wine achieved a brilliant state of balance. Yum!
4.6/5