"From Merlot to the King"!

The goals of the Total Locals Club are two-fold: first, to give you a chance to enjoy wines from all of our artisan wineries on a regular basis, and second, to offer themes and varietal flights within each shipment.

For this shipment, we offer wines of three varietals, from four of our wineries, spanning a variety of approaches to Bordeaux-style wines here in Sonoma County. In our Tasting Room, we sometimes encounter reluctance to taste Merlot wines. Perhaps many of us have tired of the bewildering array of mild-mannered Merlots on the market today. However, once we explore richer, more interesting Merlots like the ones we have in our room, they are often favored wines. And we think you will find they lead wonderfully toward the King of Grapes, the Cabernet wines in the collection that follows.

Native to Bordeaux, Merlot is one of the world's great wines. Along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, these varietals are grown in this famous region of France. Bordeaux wines traditionally are focused on Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, blended with Cabernet Franc and/or Merlot. The flavors resulting from the range of different districts, terroirs or growing locations, and sub-climates that the area offers result in some of the worlds best wines.

The success of the characteristic blending is best observed as you compare the intensity and location of the tasting curve of Merlot compared to that of Cabernet on the palate. Merlot hits at the front of the palate and gradually fades over mid and after-palate. CS and CF are mid and after-palate grape varieties. Careful blending will subsequently give you a wine that has the length of palate that overspans the tasting curves of these varieties, a performance for which the big guns are famous.

Because it ripens earlier than Cabernet, Merlot is often used to add body and richness to Bordeaux blends. Chateau Petrus, from the Pomerol District of Bordeaux and the world's most expensive wine, is made from 100% Merlot grapes. Merlot may generally be thought of as a richer, softer version of Cabernet Sauvignon. The structure makes Merlot appealing to drink years before most Cabernets.

It is interesting to compare and contrast the different outcomes of matching these varietals with the unique micro-climates of Sonoma County.

Now for the wines . and enjoy!

Forth Vineyards 2001 Merlot, Dry Creek Valley ($15 / $12). Alcohol 14.5%, only 85 cases were produced.

The fruit for this wine came from the Torres Merlot Vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley. Rich flavors of pomegranate and plum, toasted oak and silky tannins come together to create a voluptuous mouthfeel. An excellent value in an easy-drinking, interesting Dry Creek Merlot.

Eric Ross 1999 Merlot, Russian River Valley ($19 / 15.20). Alcohol 13.1%, 460 cases produced. Silver Medal at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair.

When typically jaded wine merchants try this wine for the first time, the response is "Wow! Definitely not your average Merlot". Dry farming makes for small berries, a plumper fruit fostering a nice, firm acidity. The result: an amazing bouquet of fresh crushed raspberries, peppered with earthy undertones that hits the nose in a great way. It's a handsome compliment for a rich starter course, as well as grilled tuna or a good rib eye as the main.

Hawley Wines 1998 Merlot, Dry Creek ($23 / $18.40). Alcohol 13.9%, 1550 cases produced.

This wine was made from 100% mountain grown fruit (89% Hawley Vineyard Merlot grapes and 11% Wolcott Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon). Hawley Vineyard is located on Bradford Mountain, overlooking the Dry Creek Valley from the west, Wolcott Vineyard is located in the hills on the east side of the valley.

The Hawley Merlot offers an interesting progression towards the Cabernets that follow in this collection, thanks to the blending of Cabernet with Merlot. Notice the flavors and tannins that come with the addition of the Cabernet. Pomerol district wines often feature this kind of blending.and in this case put them in a great flavor position to program ahead of a good Cab in a meal.

The 1998 growing season was unusually cool, delaying harvest by nearly a month until mid-October. The flowering of the grapes took nearly six weeks and might have lead to uneven maturity at harvest had the green fruit in the clusters not been meticulously removed. The resulting light crop had long hang time and produced a rich, concentrated wine with intense fruit flavors, very deep color, and a fine round tannin structure.

Hawley Wines 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley ($28 / $22.40). Alcohol 13.9%. Varietal Content: Cabernet Sauvignon 84%, Merlot 16%.

On the heels of winning Gold Medal at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair for the 2000 vintage (quickly sold out), we are able to offer the new release of the 2001. Produced with grapes from three small hillside vineyards, the combination of intensely flavored, mountain grown fruit, gentle winemaking techniques, and extensive aging in the finest French Chateau barrels has resulted in this richly flavored, velvety full-bodied wine brimming with flavors of blackberries, cherries and vanilla.

Martin Family Winery 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($44 / $35.20). Alcohol 14.1%. 335 cases. Varietal Content: Cabernet Sauvignon 83%, Merlot 12%, Cabernet Franc 5%. Rating of 91, Wine & Spirits Magazine 12/02. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes are from Howell Mountain, Napa. Merlot Grapes are from Oakville, Napa.

Dark red in color, the 1999 Cabernet is ready to go, redolent with aromas and flavors of blackberry, cherry, vanilla, and fresh oak. Aged well for 23 months in French oak. This fat, well-balanced wine has a thick textured palate that echoes fresh fruit flavors. A firm acidity provides for a long lasting finish.

And now for something completely different!

Eric Ross 2001 Old Vine Carignane, Lodi ($15, 12). Alcohol 13.8%. 275 cases. Grapes for this wine come from a 9 acre vineyard next to the Mokolumme River in Lodi that were planted over 100 years ago.

A consistent favorite here in our tasting room, the 2001 Old Vine Carignane, a Rhone varietal, is similar to a Syrah in smell, with wonderful fruit that carries through the palate. You may taste blueberries and ripe fruit in the nose, with a softness in the mouth that lends itself to grilled meats. Smooth, clean, a great lighter-style red varietal, here with a surprisingly rich nature.

This Carignane has great appeal for the dog days of summer, making it a nice contrast to the other wines in this collection. Great with barbeque, even Mexican food. Easy to drink, and also with excellent appeal to our white wine drinking friends, no sharp tannins or angular characteristics to upset the palate.

Total for this magnificent wine collection is $115.20 with Total Locals subscription membership; or $136.80 for a direct purchase, after our 5% ½-case discount, plus any shipping charges.

------Your Friends at Locals Tasting Room