As hard as it may be for some to believe, Merlot is a much-loved grape. The Sideways effect on Merlot at this point feels almost as distant as the 60 Minutes effect on red wine in general almost three decades ago. Kids born the year that the movie Sideways hit the indie screens (2004) will be legal drinkers in the USA in just four years. They and many other young sippers don't care that Merlot was sidelined - by a small portion of the drinking population - for a fairly short while. They are going to drink what they like, just like many other drinkers have been all along. Besides the varietal expression below, Merlot's incredible popularity means that it stars and plays supporting roles in the wildly popular blends pervasive in today's market. 

To paraphrase one PR specialist's hilarious and spot-on assessment, "Merlot always overdelivers...even if your nerdy somm friend thinks that everyone at the table wants to drink that [insert a waaaay off-the-beaten-path winemaking country] skin contact pét-nat s/he brought". 

The true sign of a good bottle is polishing it off quicker than you expected. Merlot isn't the globe's 2nd most-planted black grape variety, according to the OIV (or translated, the International Organization of Vine and Merlot) because it doesn't sell. Merlot is resilient because it is loved.

92
Mt. Brave 2016 Merlot Mt. Veeder 15.1% $80
Inky dark in color with a nose smellng of dark chocolate and eucalyptus, this is an incredibly polished yet very, very powerful Napa Valley wine. Chalky but fine tannins focus the palate, but it's the pleasant acidic lift on the back palate that gives this wine drinkability. Concentrated and bold yet suave, this will be one to swoon for at a steakhouse table. It wouldn't hurt to give it a bit more bottle age, even though it is going-on five years old. Mulberries and black plums line the lingering, slightly warm finish.
Drink: 2022-26 

90
Castello del Terriccio 2017 Tassinaia 14.5% $45
Smelling of red plums, pomegranate seeds, boysenberries, tobacco leaf and new leather, this youthful wine hailing from Tuscany’s Maremma makes a showy start. Impressively, the acidity sends a cascade of refreshment onto the palate, despite the noticeable but not overly pronounced high alcohol. Also surprising is that these are very tight and even slightly stringy tannins for Merlot; however, the overall palate feel is fairly cohesive for a rich, red wine. There is a light bacon and smoke note on the palate that lasts into the medium, if rather dry, finish. It wouldn't hurt to give this another year to see if it settles down a bit. There is plenty of sashay in the glass now!
Drink: 2022-25 

87
Ettore Wines 2018 Merlot Zero Mendocino 12.5% $45
I immediately suspected that this highly fruit-forward wine might not be sulphured. It shows a slightly edgy volatility that hovers between attractive and unusual. And, it is odd for a 12.5% abv wine that is fresh in character like this wine to have volatile acidity unless it is not sulphured. Anyway, I went on to taste. 

The palate is packed with pretty floral tones supported by mulberry, Damson plum and strawberry fruit. This is a rather gluggable red with mild tannins and integrated but discreet acidity. If a good value - that is relative to each individual's pocket but I would have hoped this was sub-$20, this could have wide appeal, especially given its many certifications. Otherwise, it's honestly a slightly awkward wine with modest Merlot character.
Drink: 2021-23 

After I finished my note, I looked at the label again and noticed the "Organic Wine" classification. In the US, wines can only be labeled "Organic Wine" rather than "Wine Made from Organically Grown Grapes" if no sulphur is added during the production process. The US classification is much stricter than the seemingly similar European one.

So, that resolved the volatile note. Then, I saw a "purovino" designation with a Registered Trademark symbol. Never having heard of it, I looked it up and quickly dismissed it. The purovino website makes incorrect and dubiously worded claims about sulphur and its effects on wine production and people. It also talks about hyperoxygenation and ozone use, as if these were new techniques to winemaking. They are not; they are actually widespread. There are references to proprietary techniques, but the claims even at surface level do not hold.