American - Red: Merlot

The 2004 vintage has intense fruit flavors and aromas with great balance in acid and sugar. You will find that this Merlot has a subtle but full nose of fruit and oak. This wine is great with any roasted meat or vegetable dish. Try it with barbecued steaks smoked with wine soaked oak staves for a real treat!

A rich, soft Merlot, full of flavor and very approachable. Fresh, spicy aromas of berry and clove are followed by luscious flavors of dark cherry, accentuated by the soft vanilla character of the oak. Full-bodied with nicely balanced acidity, a velvety mouthfeel and medium-long finish, Chalone's Monterey Merlot is a complex, full-flavored wine. Enjoyable with a wide variety of fare, this Merlot is especially delicious with lamb chops, game birds, and wild mushroom risotto. While ready to drink upon release, this Merlot will age well for several years.

Rich and smooth, ripe blackberry with a hint of cherry serve up a mouthful of enjoyment that lingers and lingers with a long lasting finish. 192 Cases

Ripe berry, plum and bing cherry highlight a hint of cedar and vanilla. Soft tannins and subtle oak flavors balance the fruit while adding complexity. Medium bodied with a full, lingering finish. 89.5% Merlot, 10.5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

This robust Merlot is accented with aromas of spice, licorice and mint. Its bold mouthfeel is rounded by complex tannins, toast and oak. Serve with beef, lasagna and heavy meat sauces. Enjoy now through 2013.

The 2003 Napa Valley Merlot is typical of the balanced, complex wines Flora Springs has produced over the last several years. There is a pronounced oak characteristic in the wine as well as tannins that are green tea-like and smooth. Full fruit characteristics of strawberry and cherry with a hint of raspberry and spiciness make this wine a favorite for any occasion.

The wine exhibits deeply colored garnet hues. Black cherry, mocha, olive with a hint of cedar on the nose. A big, bright burst of fruit up front, followed by Merlot's characteristic. Serve a fresh fettuccine with a rich tomato sauce, or perhaps with a classic meatloaf and roasted vegetables.

Soft, supple, and complex. Pretty and seductive with a decidedly spicy nose of black cherry, cassis and cedar. Very ripe and round. Mouth-filling flavors of plums, cherries and wild red berries dominate from start to finish. A wonderful wine for game fowl such as pheasant or duck.

Aromas of hazelnut, laurel and ripe black plums give way in the mouth to flavors of plum, blackberry and a hint of oak spice. The wine is medium to heavy in body, with substantial tannins that will allow for further aging and added complexity over time. This is a substantial wine that will pair well with roasted meats

Smooth tannins with sweet toasty aromatics of new French oak and ripe Merlot fruit. This wine shows balance and grace characteristic of its noble heritage. This wine is approachable, and will compliment many types of cuisine.

A three bottle vertical - 2001, 2002, 2003. Hard to find vintages, each with it's own beautiful image of Marilyn Monroe. Comes packaged in a wooden crate. Makes a great gift for the collector.

The small addition of Cabernet gives the wine a more complex vinous aroma and a richer texture on the palate. The portrait featured on the 2001 Marilyn Merlot label is a sumptuous match for the 17th vintage. This photograph taken by Sam Shaw offers a tender, yet playful, view of Marilyn.

2002 Napa Valley Merlot -- 18th Vintage. The 2002 vintage Marilyn Merlot is a blend of 91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. A significant addition of Cabernet adds greater complexity to the aromas and flavors of the predominately Merlot based wine. This portrait of Marilyn wearing an Easter hat was in a group of photographs discovered in an abandoned brownstone in New York in the 1970's. The photographer is believed to be Carl Perutz.

2003 Napa Valley Merlot -- 19th Vintage. The 2003 vintage Marilyn Merlot is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. A substantial addition of Cabernet adds greater complexity to the nose and more structure to the mouth. The fruity aromas with and ripe and soft flavors. Sam Shaw, Marilyn's favorite photographer and a lifelong confidant, shot this photograph of Marilyn. When asked about Sam Shaw, Marilyn said, "he always makes me look my best."

Marilyn Wines celebrates two decades of winemaking history with the release of the twentieth vintage of Marilyn Merlot. Sam Shaw took the photo of Marilyn used on the label for the 2004 vintage, and it celebrates the many sides of this 1950s glamour goddess and immortal legend. The 2004 vintage Marilyn Merlot is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet adds structure and character. The fruit flavors are soft and ripe.