2002 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Sonoma)

All I can say is that it sometimes pays off to check out WineBid.com for the listing of wines without bids. This was a steal for $20. A hard to find wine that I’ve been wanting to try for a while.

It has a ruby red color that thins out some towards the edges. Definite raspberry and a slight hint of blueberry with a little bit of a smoky essence. Medium bodied with a soft smooth texture leading to a medium long finish.

This wine is a nice “breath of fresh air” from some of the bigger and more extracted Central Coast pinots I’m more familiar with such as Sea Smoke and Loring. Some with more experience than I might also call this “burgundian.” My next step is to try to sample more if Merry Edwards wines to see if this is her overall style. If yes, I might find myself moving in another direction with pinot as I expand my palate.

2004 Sea Smoke Southing (Santa Barbara-CA)

Ruby red color that thins out some on the edges. Strong aromas of blueberries and blackberries with some notes of licorice and even mint that emerges later. Firm structure and rich texture with a long finish that carries the fruit along.

Sea Smoke is a hard wine to find. I got these particular bottles from a wine store down in Tribeca for $55 a bottle but I can’t remember the name of the store for the lift of me. Because of the relatively short supply and the almost cultish high demand, online prices range from $50 to $100 for the Southing bottling. $50….yes. $100….no. It’s good and really is worth trying at some point if you like full bodied and lush California Pinots but it doesn’t really pay off at the higher end of the price spectrum. Also keep in mind that this wine’s release price is $50.

2003 Mont Gras Syrah “Limited Edition” (Chile)

Definitely a “Big Bold Red” as it’s labeled by the Wine.com club. Inky black color. Loads of oak on the nose but its not really there for masking any imperfections I could tell of. Notes of black cherry and hints of blueberry along with some kirsch. Dry texture and soft tanning lead to a medium long finish.

A good wine for the price of $23 from Wine.com although it can be founds for as little as $16 on the internet which I would consider a great QPR find.