It’s Tuesday afternoon, at just about 3PM. I’ve finished up my work for the day, and was thinking about what I should or could be doing for the hour or so before I start cooking dinner. Ah – I have more Harry & David Vineyard wines to review!!! We are getting close to the holidays, and we need to get through these to let all of you Harry & David gift givers some insight into these wines! Today, I’m going with the 2020 Merlot. I’m not a huge Merlot drinker, but I’m going to keep my mind open for this Merlot review.
Merlot Review Highlights
- Subtle dark fruits on the nose, supplemented by pencil shavings and vanilla, with cedar really coming through after the wine breathes a decent bit.
- Pleasant acidity matches well with the subtle fruits, with the tannin providing a nice lingering soft finish.
- This is a decent showing for a merlot – nothing phenomenal by any means, but a very approachable and drinkable red wine, that will pair well with standard Bordeaux foods. Think red meats and sharp cheeses, mushroom or tomato based sauces.
The Merlot Review Details
Uncork & Pour
I opened this bottle the way I open every bottle (unless the cork rips apart like really cheap TP), with my trusty Rogar Champion Wine Opener. It opened like butter, which is not always a good thing. However, looking at the cork gave me comfort that it wasn’t corked. It made me wonder what Harry & David would do if I called them to complain of a corked bottle.
Once in the glass, it looked, well, like a Merlot. Nothing too surprising, but a nice dark purple that is opaque to the light, turning a lighter red at the meniscus. Yes, I looked up that word, and that is the term for the curved surface formed by a liquid when it touched another material. You can actually learn something here! I placed it aside for a half hour to let it breathe a bit.
The Merlot Nose
Much like most merlots, that can be overproduced, there is very subtle fruit flavors in the glass. Despite my incessant swirling, there’s not too much coming to the forefront from a fruit perspective. Subtle notes of black cherry, curant, and blackberry do come through after a few extra sniffs. Pencil shavings and vanilla add to the nose pleasantly, giving the wine a bit more depth. Overall, I’m intrigued at this point, and feel like my review of this merlot is trending positive. There is some complexity here, and I am looking forward to the first sip.
Update – after letting the wine sit for a couple of hours while I made dinner, I revisited the nose, and the cedar was jumping out of the glass. I’d recommend letting this breathe for at least an hour, or better yet, decant it to make all these flavors come out.
On the Palate
Once in my mouth, the first thing I notice is the striking and cleansing acidity. I feel it completely underneath my tongue, surprising me pleasantly. The fruit is still a little light, and there aren’t a whole lot of secondary or tertiary flavors, but it’s balanced. The tannin provides a nice dryness, and the subtle flavor lingers for what seems like 30 seconds or more, providing a welcome finish.
Overall
I find myself nodding – surprised by how I feel about this Merlot. It’s actually rather good. It’s not going to blow anyone away by any means. It is a merlot after all. However, for a merlot, it’s very good. It’s approachable, will be very food friendly, and I found myself wanting to take another sip relatively soon after the last one. Well done here!
You could do far worse than sending this merlot to a friend or family member as part of a lovely fruit basket!
Food Pairings for this Merlot
This merlot would go well with most smoked red meats – the pencil shavings will complement the smokiness of the meat. Beef, pork, and lamb would all do well alongside the Harry & David Vineyards 2020 Oregon Merlot. If you haven’t, you could try my Traeger Smoked Steak! You could also pair this with italian dishes, as this wine is rather subtle. The acidity in this merlot will complement tomato based dishes.
Alternative Harry & David Vineyards Merlot Reviews
Not too many here – but Vivino always provides some insight into all wines. Just be careful for the new ads!
Desire to Try This Yourself?
You can get this directly on the Harry & David website. Here’s a link to it, although you have to buy a collection of 4 wines. But I’ve got you covered, as I’m reviewing each of the wines in the collection by the end of October 2024! Woohoo!
Other Masshole Harry & David Vineyard Reviews
Here are some more reviews I’ve done of Harry & David Vineyard wines recently. Overall, it’s a mixed bag, but this Merlot deserved a stellar review!
