New World merlots

[Jenise]

John, I have to admit that I can't remember having had any New Zealand merlots--even there--but I've heard good things. A question about your New World skepticsm, though, have not any merlots from South Africa or Washington state impressed you?

We missed you at Bill's tonight, Jenise!

I have enjoyed several WA merlots, and fewer South African merlots, although my main experience was during a whirlwind, 3 day visit there a couple of years ago, so my experience is rather limited.

I usually enjoy blended merlots more than straight varietals, although of course there are always exceptions.

What WA merlots would you recommend?

[Jenise]

John, I've had a number of excellent WA merlots. Some have required a bit of oak tolerance, but reports are that the state style is trending away from that. I've liked Andrew Will, L'Ecole 41 and Donadei perhaps best of all, and have been very impressed with a few from the 94 and 95 vintages that have aged very well. But overall I'm more impressed with a number of the South Africans I've had, in large part no doubt because stylistically they're more like old world wines. It was in fact South African merlots that cured me of my ambivalence to that grape--drinking merlot in California had had the opposite effect on me.

And yes, really sorry to have missed yesterday, but I definitely had to be here. Just one of those things.

[James Roscoe]

The best New worl merlots I've had generally have come from Washington. I wish I could remember the producers. I wonder why that is?