2000 Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot

[megawill]

I think like many, Merlot was my first introduction to Red Wine. Merlot was never intimidating and approachable. But as the varietal became more popular and as I started branching out to French Cotes du Rhone, Spanish, Italian and Australian Reds, I began to throw up my nose at Merlot.

Today, while shopping for a couple of bottles I spotted this bottle for $6.99 at my Co-op where I buy a good share of my wine and I remembered that my wife and I used to enjoy a Columbia Crest Merlot at a local resturant when we first started ordering wine with our meals. I remembered that Columbia Crest was always a safe & dependable bet, within our price.

We drank the bottle this evening with braised chicken breast seasoned with cinnamon and cumin along with sauteed onion, mushrooms and red pepper, in a little peanut oil and then topped with 5 cheese marinara sauce and served over sphagetti noodles and a nice mediterrean hard crusted bread.

What a nice surprise this was. Fruit forward, berry/cherry and a touch of vanilla and spice (nutmeg?) at the end...not a particularly sophisticated finish but it is what it is...an what a bargain it is for $7! Just checked over at Wine Spec and they have it rated as an 86 and a best buy. I'd give it at least that maybe even a point or two higher. And with 175K cases made it should be readily available...

Could this be the bottle that begins me on a journey of discovering merlot all over again?

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megawill

[This message has been edited by megawill (edited 02-21-2004).]