Here's a Merlot that is wonderfully complex, with an intriguing mix of black plum, black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, eucalyptus and espresso. It should soften with time.

Rich and tealeaf - sweet and round. Good sweetness and a bit of freshness...

delicious wine, as well as a good value.

Plum, cherry flavors with hints of chocolate and mint. Well balanced and richly textured.

intense with concentrated fruit, a good core of acid and very firm tannins.

Red wines from Mendocino County generally are sleek and supple, but this one comes from fruit grown high on a mountain, giving it rugged tannins.

well-structured wine with bright black-cherry flavors accented with savory notes of olive and anise.

Here's a Merlot that is wonderfully complex, with an intriguing mix of black plum, black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, eucalyptus and espresso. It should soften with time.

Made from grapes grown in Sonoma County's cool Bennett Valley, this merlot is much more accessible than the Grizz Ridge, with lush plummy fruit and well-modulated oak.

A muscular blend of fruit from three counties; shows more depth than most California efforts.

offers attractive currant and mocha-infused fruit. Drink this medium-bodied Merlot over the the next 4-5 years.

sweet oak and mint aromas, voluptuous.

dry, medium-bodied, medium tannin, high acidity. A study in black cherries, berries, and plums, with a dark mineral underside.

Rich black cherry flavors and a healthy dose of chocolate dominate this full-bodied merlot from one of California's largest wine producers. The wine fits neatly into Merlot's flavor profile and even without a lot of distinction represents a well-structured, food-friendly reserve merlot at a reasonable price.

A polished wine, Kendall-Jackson's 2001 Vintner's Reserve Merlot is unusually complex for California merlot, which all too often are one-dimensional and jammy. Its ripe plum-like flavors intermingled with earthy spiciness make it an excellent choice for a holiday roast.

Exceptionally popular, perhaps due to its supple, sweet fruit and generous vanilla component.

Aromas, flavors of cherry, currant, cedar, fennel. Toasty oak. Medium-bodied. Integrated tannins. Good structure.

Some maturity. Cherry/plum fruit. Quite deep and firm. Light plum and cherry overtones on mid palate. Fat and full. 5-10 years.

Merlot comes across with plenty of life and more complexity than found in earlier years. The juice was cold soaked and the wine macerated on the skins after fermentation. It was aged for 17 months in small oak with 12% new barrels. Pretty in the glass, it shows assertive cherry and blackberry fruit, along with notes of cedar and spice. Medium-bodied, the flavours echo the aroma but are carried by cassis and definite soft tannins. Unlike so many cookie cutter, overly juicy Merlots in this price range, this one can be enjoyed now, or cellared for 3-4 years.

very clean and decently balanced wine

Deep ruby with purple rim. Moderately full-bodied. Balanced acidity. Highly extracted. Quite tannic. Smoke, black fruit. Powerful oak and tannins dominate the fruit in this intense, mouthdrying style.