Seidelberg Merlot, 2003, $7!?

Don't be afraid of the bargain bin, you'll find some true diamonds in the rough. My local wine store must have bought WAY too much of this vintage and they were dumping it for pennies on the dollar. Their loss, our gain...

I've never had much luck finding a South African red I like, but the Seidelberg Merlot really surprised me! I was immediately met on the palate with smoke, then smoked bacon and ripe berries. It was thoroughly enjoyable and a unique departure from my recent tipples. Drink the Seidelberg 2003 Merlot now, it should pair nicely with your next BBQ or cheese plate.

Cheers!

Armador Merlot, Chile 2005, $8!

I love Merlot! There was a period several years ago when Merlot was almost a dirty word to the wine elite. Merlot had gotten SO popular many people refused to drink this beautiful varietal. White Zinfandel maybe, but Merlot?? The sentiment was even highlighted in the 2004 hit movie "Sideways". Here's a quote from the movie:

Jack: If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot.

Miles Raymond: No, if anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!

If you're a Merlot lover like myself but don't like paying too much, you'll love this Chilean beauty. At only $8 a bottle it's an absolute steal. Exhibiting eucalyptus notes and a hint of cinnamon it's a very easy tipple.

Cheers!

Pillar Box Red 2006, $8.50-$10.00

Have you ever been stuck on a train or plane next to a person that insisted on talking to you, despite the fact your nose is in a book and you have earphones on? At first you're a little annoyed but after a while you discover the conversation isn't that bad? That's how I started my tasting of the Pillar Box. It was gawdy, obvious and I thought I had the wine all figured out. Boy did I jump to conclusions on this one! After letting the wine breath for another hour it really started to form some character. At a heady 15% alcohol it went down very smoothly too. In the end I didn't mind spending the rest of my evening with this wine and neither with you, especially at $8.50 a bottle. Cheers!

Robert Parker, 91 points: "The 2006 Pillar Box Red is 50% Shiraz, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Merlot aged in a mix of used French and American oak. Purple-colored, it offers an enticing, fruity nose including aromas of cassis, black cherry, black raspberry, and blueberry. Full-bodied, ripe, and layered with flavor, this wine totally over-delivers on my hedonist’s meter. Drink this awesome value over the next 2-3 years. Pillar Box has a powerful pedigree; fruit sourced from Henry’s Drive and winemaking consultation from the renowned Chris Ringland."