Please recommend a good Merlot in the under $30 range.

Cafe Society
1

It’s for a relative’s Christmas gift and I know he likes Merlot (red, not the newish white Merlot). I know next to nothing of wine so I never know if I’m getting the Big Lots Vineyards brand or good stuff; any vineyards you would recommend?

2

You have a lot of great choices at that price point.

Try some of these.

3

Most of these should be easy to find:

Napa -
Clos du Val

Sonoma -
Matanzas Creek

Bordeaux -
Larmonde (St. Emilion)

Haut Maillet (Pomerol)

New Zealand -
Craggy Range

Chile -
Montes Alpha

4

Fifteen bottles of 2 buck Chuck/10 of 3 buck.

5

I haven’t had a California Merlot I didn’t like. Am I easy or lucky?

6

I’m not much for merlots, but my dad fancies the Rombauer merlot, and I like most of their stuff. 2004 Rombauer Merlot retails about $28.

7

There’s plenty of great CA Merlot. In the $30 price range, it should all be pretty tasty. But there are definitely some dogs out there.

I’m more familiar with Napa and Sonoma, but there is some good Merlot coming out of Paso Robles and the southern part of the state as well.

A few more:

Napa - Vine Cliff Winery
Sonoma - Chateau St. Jean
Paso Robles - Cinnabar

WA state - Chateau St. Michelle

All good bargains, really good wines, and should be easily available.

8

**psycat90 ** has some good choices and Santa Rosa is so close to Wine Country that I suspect it is based on experience!

I would add a couple:

  • St. Francis
  • DeLoach (although I prefer their Zin…)
9

I am not terribly partial to Merlots but I found one called Fat Bastard that is pretty good. Not too woody, not too earthy, just right.

10

Moved from IMHO to CS.