The release of wines in Vintages (once every two weeks) on Saturday features Merlots from several countries, and there are some good values you might have a look at.
I often think of Merlot as a red Chardonnay in the sense that it's very popular as an easy-drinking wine. But unlike Chardonnay, which has its detractors and the supposed ABC (anything but Chardonnay) movement, Merlot isn't widely scorned (although the reference in the movie Sideways was unflattering).
And there's no hint of an ABM movement, possibly because the military got there first with anti-ballistic missiles -- surely overkill if you don't care for a particular grape variety.
And it can't just be because Merlot happens to compose almost 100 per cent of the world's most famous wine, Chateau Petrus. And because there are stunning (and often expensive, though not as stratospheric as Petrus) 100 per cent Chardonnays made throughout Burgundy.
Let's start with some French Merlots coming out on Saturday. Two from the 2003 vintage, which was very hot, offer intense fruit flavours.
First there's Christian Moueix Merlot from Bordeaux ($14.95, LCBO No. 961227) which is well-structured and goes really well with grilled lamb chops. From the south of France, try Domaine des Aspes Merlot ($15.95, 951665), which is richer, with ripe dark fruit and berry flavours, and works really well with grilled red meat from your first spring barbecue.
A younger French Merlot is Domaine de Berlande Merlot 2005 ($13.95, 027979), from southwestern France.
It's juicy and full of fruit and you can pair it with burgers or spicy meat dishes like barbecued ribs.
There's a very good Merlot from Argentina, too: Weinert Merlot 2002 ($15.95, 656371).
It's distinctly New World in style, with intense fruit flavours, and there's a lot of complexity there as well. It's very good with any rich red meat dish.
As delicious as it is, there are lives beyond Merlot, and some very good buys in Saturday's offerings.
Take a look at Echeverria Carmenere 2005 ($12.95, 009084), Chile's signature grape variety. This one is really good value, and you get a red with plush spicy fruit, lots of complexity, excellent balance, and a really attractive, tangy texture.
Again, it needs food with a lot of flavour: perhaps well-seasoned red meat or spicy and hearty vegetarian dishes (with Portobello mushrooms).
Finally, among the good values you'll find the attractive Bajoz Tinto Crianza 2003 from the Toro region of Spain ($15.95, 930438). Toro was all the rage a few years ago and it continues to turn out great wines like this from that hot vintage in an already hot country.
The selling point for me, as far as this one's concerned, is that it's very well-balanced toward food, and I'd recommend it for meats cooked with tomatoes, like a beef or lamb stew.
As usual, this release from Vintages offers a wide range of wines from many countries and in a variety of colours and styles. It's a great way of varying your general list diet.
And if you want free advance advice on upcoming Vintages releases, subscribe to the newsletter that Vic Harradine and I put out at www.winecurrent.com.
Four well-priced wines, above, this week, all on the LCBO general list.