Sip and be Merry

Since I began working at Merryvale Vineyards back in April, I have had little time to go wine tasting and therefore no new wineries to write about. After logging long hours at my desk as the Wine Club Manager, the only wines that I was drinking were the ones in the club shipments I was responsible for coordinating. Not that this is a bad thing; Merryvale produces a number of delicious and noteworthy wines.

In the almost five months I was employed at Merryvale, I immersed myself in Merryvale's diverse wine portfolio, including the 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (rich and velvety), the 2006 Napa Valley Merlot (tight and concentrated--needs more time), the 2007 Oak Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon (solid), the 2007 Cab Franc (too dry and earthy for my likes), the 2007 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay (tropical fruit flavors and subtle oak), the 2009 Juliana's Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (refreshing and fruity), and of course the legendary Profile, Merryvale's signature Bordeaux-style wine. The 2006 Profile is a beautiful blend with big tannins and a long shelf life. Although the 2007 Profile got 92 points from James Laube, it tastes under-developed and too jammy to drink right now.

I've never been much of a red Burgundy fan, but my favorite Merryvale wine is the $35 a bottle 2008 Carneros Pinot Noir. It's a light red hue in the glass, with aromas of sweet red berries, rose petal, and earth. Brandied cherry dances along the tongue, followed by mid-palate notes of herbs and spice. The finish is long and dry.

Being of light body and rich flavors, this wine is a terrific pairing with anything from pizza to paella. It also goes very well with dark chocolate.