Finding the right Merlot

[cellarmate]

Three of my current favorites at the price point and drinkable straight up, or with a slice of cheese are the:
California 1997 Abbeville Merlot which has a BD91 score and is $10.99 in my area. I really enjoy the Australian 1997 Wyndham Merlot in the groceries here on sale for $9.49. From Washington state and a little more robust is the 1997 Columbia Crest Merlot at $10.99. As I write this it occurs to me that 97 was a good year and or leaving it back for a couple of years makes merlot even softer if less sprightly. None of these are sweet in any way but the Wyndham particularly is not harsh on first tasting without food. You can also move way down in price and find sweeter if less complex wines in jugs. As much as I like to explore the complicated tastes of good wine I also have great memories of one evening in a hot tub with the only wine available in a remote Virginia town called "Old Mr. Mack" not sure it was fermented but it tasted like grape juice and almost certainly had a substantial amount of alcohol or some other
psychotropic substance. I remember most of the evening anyway. "It's all good if its good for you" Enjoy