F**king Merlot

So I went down to O'Briens with the full intention of buying the Clos Du Val Zinfandel which I reckoned was around €22, but I was sidetracked by their 2006 Merlot (gasp!) instead. It was reduced from €22-95 to €16-95, and I can't resist a bargain. If you follow the link you'll see that Tomás Clancy raved about it in the SBP.

I can honestly say this is the first time I have bought a non-St Emilion Merlot in living memory. For a variety of reasons, (mostly because the lion's share of non-St Emilion Merlot is cheap piss from South America(controversial!)), I have been very much in the "No, if anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any f**king Merlot!"* camp, so I hope I will be pleasantly surprised. I picked it up to go with a couple of Angus Rib-eyes from the meat shop in the village. Plus - any wine with naked chicks on the label gets my vote...

Also, as I watched the match in BE's house today (c'mon Ireland!) I realised I'd forgotten to report on the Crozes Hermitage and other wines that I'd received that night,

Seigneur D'Albret Medoc 2006 - We liked this, a decent Bordeaux at (I assume) a reasonable price.

Paul Jaboulet "Les Jalets" Crozes Hermitage 2006 - We liked this too - big fruity flavours but old world and balanced with it.

Next up - Merlot Report.

*interestingly - his prize wine in the movie is Chateau Cheval Blanc 1961 from St Emilion, but in this case the wine is on average 57% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot with trace amounts of Cab Sav & Malbec. So no great Gotcha! here.