Vampire vineyards merlot wine

Vampire Vineyards 2005 Merlot $10

When the night is dark but the moon's full and strange creatures roam the streets it must be Halloween! Here's The Wine Experience with a wine of the week to greet the night, Vampire Vineyards Merlot.

What better than a deep, ruby red that just oozes luscious and warm flavor as it crosses your lips than this timely treat from Paso Robles.

Vampire Vineyards Merlot is no Halloween trick either but a down to earth serious Merlot. It's long on black cherry and blueberry flavor with the ghostly presence of toasty oak, and packed with the added punch of Cabernet and Zinfandel blended in.

You don't need Halloween as the excuse to enjoy Vampire Merlot. For ten bucks a bottle its great any day you're ready for a sip... or a bite. And you don't have to wait for sundown either.

Vampire Vineyards Merlot from Paso Robles is a wine of the week you can sink your teeth into!

Get ready to howl then...

Pop the Cork™.

Wine on the Radio - October 26, 2007

Vampire Vineyards - Paso Robles, California

Vampire Merlot was harvested from cool-climate, coastal vineyards at the southern end of the Central Coast's Paso Robles viticultural district. At this site, sunny summer days are tempered by daily afternoon fog rolling in off the nearby Morro Bay and Pacific Ocean.

Picked at peak ripeness, our Merlot is fermented on the skins for two weeks, with three-times-daily pumpovers, the traditional method of extraction which brings rich color and supple tannins to the new wine. Aged with a combination of both French and American oak, our Merlot develops graceful fruit flavors in the cellar, complemented by subtle shadings of vanilla and toast from the oak.

At the completion of the aging process, this Merlot was carefully blended with 8% Cabernet Sauvignon for added depth and structure, as well as 8% Zinfandel, which adds a spicy note on the palate. Approachable now, Vampire Merlot is perfectly balanced for additional bottle aging.

Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks:

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently. A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list. Well, don't stop buying it because of that. In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts...first, prices are approximate. They'll vary. Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly! Now, all that said, here is a summary of links to our suggestions. Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

Read the fine print . . .

Wine consumption can have positive physical benefits or cause possible physical harm . . . the medical community is divided in some areas. If you have any doubt, check with your doctor before consuming wine or any other alcoholic drink.

Our information is well researched. Recommendations are based on our opinions at the time of publication. At the same time, recommendations change. Also, there may be significant variance in taste depending on storage, shipping, and other factors.

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