This coming Saturday, October 13th, Reyes Winery is hosting a Merlot Vertical. You will get to pair our award-winning Merlot with a tasty treat along with education about Merlot and our wines. I will be pouring from the 2009 vintage through the 2012, plus the newly released 2013, the unreleased 2015 and finishing with the 2015 Rose of Merlot.
The 2009 vintage has sold out of the tasting room, but I saved 2 cases for this special day. It has won a gold medal at the 2011 Long Beach Grand Cru Wine Competition, a Silver medal at the 2011 Los Angeles International Wine Competition and received 86 points from the Wine Enthusiast Magazine (03/2018 Edition). Blueberries, Cocoa and a hint of mint round out the flavors of this fruit-forward exceptional varietal. It pairs with a Porterhouse steak with a wild mushroom demi-glace sauce, mushroom brie, or blueberry cheesecake.
Each wine can pair with a cheese, a savory dish and a dessert. The 2010 vintage has amazing notes of black cherries, blueberries and cinnamon. Pumpkin spice pairs perfectly with this smooth estate Merlot. Also, I will be featuring a very small batch of “unfiltered” 2011 Renaissance by Reyes Merlot. It matches with espresso dishes like coffee crusted tri tip or a scrumptious mocha Merlot cake with an espresso mascarpone frosting.
The 2012 and 2013 vintages are a bit more tannic than the previous years. Water wasn’t as abundant; therefore, the wine is a bit bolder. 2015 Merlot has already won a gold medal and 91 points in the 2018 Toast of the Coast Competition. This estate Merlot has bold aromas of plum, blackberry and notes of toasted oak, followed by juicy flavors of Satsuma plums with a hint of spice rounding out the finish. Supple, velvety tannins and lush fruit make this wine an ideal match for grilled pork chops, Port Salut cheese or roasted plums and vanilla ice cream.
Lastly, to finish the vertical tasting, I will be pouring the 2016 Merlot of Rose. It has received 83 points – Wine Enthusiast Magazine (12/2017 Edition). This special wine is a skin-contact Rose Merlot and Viognier. It has light tannins and medium acidity. It’s bursting with young vibrant fruit. It has notes of blueberries, anise, peach and orange peel, which compliment a slight sweetness for perfect balance. Upside peach cake and brie cheese with a blueberry honey drizzle make a great accompaniment.
All Wines get a holiday … and Merlot gets a month! Come celebrate Merlot Month with our Merlot Vertical! Social media has a hashtag for it, #MerlotMe. Join the movement and drink lots of Reyes Winery Merlot. Take a photo of you, your wine and your wine glass; #MerlotMe and #ReyesWinery.
