Merlove visits Gainey Vineyard in Santa Ynez

Merlove recently took a brief visit to Southern California. We visited March 24th, 25th, & 26th . We stayed in the charming, storybook town of Solvang. We felt as if we entered into the world of Hansel and Gretel. There were bakeries and sweet shops everywhere you looked. Many of the locals wear traditional Norwegian, Danish, or Swedish garb while they work in Solvang’s restaurants and bric-a-brac retail shops. This tiny Scandinavian town is located very close to Santa Ynez were we filmed at Gainey Vineyard.

Gainey Vineyard invited us to meet with their Winemaker Kirby Anderson and Wine Consultant Jon Engelskirger. These two guys were an amazing wealth of knowledge on Merlot wine. Not only were they extremely informative, they were also very friendly and had a great sense of humor. They even took us out into their vineyards to show us some of their new vines and talk more about Merlot. Gainey has won many awards on their Merlot wines. Check out their website http://www.gaineyvineyard.com/

We were grateful to have such a great interview. It appears that some of these last interviews will have some of the best contributions to Merlove. We are very happy for this and excited to see how everything will eventually play out on the big screen.

When in Southern California we made sure that we went to the beach everyday to walk along the shoreline. We really couldn’t have asked for better weather. This short trip was beautiful and amazing. Smelling the sea water was refreshing. Feeling the salt water flow on our feet as we walked was invigorating. It was nice to step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We constantly enjoy doing something new and we recommend it to all.

On the drive home, Rudy even got some great shots of vineyards growing directly beside patches of lettuce in Soledad. Interesting indeed! Is this one reason Merlot has received such a bad wrap? .....hmmm…..Merlot growing where lettuce once grew…..maybe they should have stuck with lettuce? Later, we will further dig into this matter. Look for the footage in the documentary.

Sincerely,
Marisol Ramirez

Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot

On Sunday, March 16th at 10am we decided to partake in Duckhorn’s Merlot exclusive tour and tasting. We were kindly hosted by Duckhorn's Wine Educator Abigail Thompson. She gave us a brief background of Duckhorn’s history. We were then shown their winemaking machinery and barrel room. Afterwards we were seated in special room with the group at a long table. At the table we each had a small plate of artisan cheeses to pair with several of their Merlot wines. We felt privy to compare all of these wines. Each one was very distinctive in style. Merlot wines sampled that day include their Howell Mountain Merlot, Estate Merlot, Three Palms Vineyard Merlot, Rector Creek "Block 8" Merlot, and Napa Valley Merlot. I listed them in order of my personal favorites. We found that the majority of their Merlot wines are produced with great structure, complexity, and aging potential. We were generally impressed, especially with such a wide range of different styles. Across the board it was a rainbow of Merlot, each enjoyed for a different reason. We also can't wait to visit again, but next time we plan to sample their Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

We recommend any true lover of Merlot to do the Duckhorn Sunday Merlot tour and tasting. This is a great tour for both novices and connoisseurs.

Sincerely,
Marisol Ramirez

2004 Merlot, Bartholomew Park Winery

Hello Merlovers,

We wanted to let everyone know that we enjoyed a fabulous 2004 Merlot produced by Bartholomew Park Winery in Sonoma. This little sister winery owned by the Bundschu family specializes in hand-made, micro-lot, single vineyard wines. This particular Merlot that we found so spectacular was derived from their 9-acre Desnudos Vineyard located at 700 feet in the Mayacamas Mountains. It was unbelievably only a 392 case production.

We actually tasted this great Merlot in Bart Park's tasting room before we left to France. We bought a bottle and shared it with friends Sunday night, April 5th. There were 9 of us total who decided to have salad, pizza, and pasta at Pizza Azzurro in downtown Napa. We also shared a bottle that was gifted to me by Mark Albrecht. It was the 2005 Educated Guess, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Not a Merlot, but still enjoyable. Remember we love all varietals. Chef Eric Maczko (my sister Melisa's boyfriend) gracefully completed our night with the 2004 Pine Ridge, Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon.

Keep trying new wines. Enjoy them with friends or family and be enriched with lasting memories.

Best as always.

Yours truly,
Marisol Ramirez