Markham Merlot

Early on in my career, I was introduced to Markham Merlot.  I was told it was the very favorite of our CEO; so, I thought, it must have been good. Many years have passed, and my wine journey has taken different roads; yet there is always a place for modestly priced wine that is good.  This is one of them.  

Markham is one of the oldest wineries in the Napa Valley that makes Merlot.  It’s the 4th oldest continuously operating winery in Napa County.  The vineyards were bought and brought into production in 1972.  Today, the vineyards for Markham total 350 acres, which allows for a large production and a wide choice of grapes for blending.

I stopped in this past week to taste their most accessible wines (wines that are readily available in stores) with my focus on their flagship – the Merlot.  Markham offers a wide portfolio including Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.  While all the wines were approachable, the star of the tasting was, of course, the 2015 Merlot.  It offered up plum and black cherry fruit with hints of chocolate and spice.  It is well worth the investment.

Here are some places where you can find this wine, along with prices from their websites: 

• BevMo – $26.99

• Total Wine – $16.97

• Wine.com – $19.99

Wine Spectator awarded the 2015 Merlot 88 points.  The characterization they give for wines in the 85-89 point range is “Very good: a wine with special qualities.”

In my book, that is a decent showing for this value wine, and I totally agree with the score.  This is an easy drinking wine that is gentle on your pocket book.

Enjoy!