This Wednesday WBW celebrates its 4th birthday and befittingly the founder of WBW (Lenn Thompson) has selected the topic for this month, Back to your roots. For #48 Lenn wanted us take a trip down memory lane and find the wine that started our journey into the wine world, re-taste it and of course right about it, then and now.
I had a hard time with this one, first because I forgot about it (not the first time) and second because I really can’t pinpoint my “Ah Ha” moment with wine to a single bottle. So I veered off topic slightly here, but my magic bottle is more like a magic experience. I had heard of this magic thing called “wine tasting”, where you could visit a winery, taste their wines, talk about them with the winemaker perhaps and see exactly where the grapes came from that provided the juice for your glass of wine. I was in disbelief but soon found out that this was in actuality happening all over the state and all over the world. So with my in-laws and my wife we proceeded West to the Monticello region of Virginia to partake in some wine tasting.
On that day we visited one of the largest and probably the most celebrated winery in Virginia, Barboursville Vineyards. It opened my eyes completely to the scene of “wine enthusing” and I have been hooked ever since. An addict for information, I was amazed at all that I could learn about who, what, when and where when it came to what I was drinking.
So at the time I didn’t take notes, so I don’t have anything to compare notes to, but I did drink a Merlot while I was there, and I luckily happened to have a bottle in my cellar from a visit a few months ago. If I did have notes, I am sure they would have been something like this: “um, it’s red, tastes pretty good, I like it” or something to that effect. Haha
My notes on the current 2006 Barboursville Merlot
Color – Garnet
Nose – Blackberry, cherry, vanilla, leather, tomato paste
Taste – Blueberry, cherry cola, kale, black peppercorn
Mouthfeel – medium body, decent amount of acidity, smooth tannins
Finish – Medium to long in length with thyme and cherry tomato and clove flavors lingering on the palate
This was a great Merlot in a world that has been harsh to the varietal lately. Barboursville produces a very approachable version, that is definitely ready to drink now but could hang around for a few more years if you can resist temptation. Fruit forward but not in your face, with good vegetal and herb notes providing complexity and depth not often found in a Merlot costing $14.99 from Virginia.
So Happy Birthday WBW!!
Cheers!
Anything Wine 
cute post! “um, it’s red, tastes pretty good, I like it” is exactly how i take wine notes. sometimes i can even remember the name of the winery!
Good work, John. As a kid, my family and I passed right through the heart of VA wine country on our way to see family further south. But I’ve never had the opportunity to stop for a winery visit.
BTW, I think the absence of those vegetal and herbal notes, which are natural to Merlot but get pushed out when over-ripeness is sought, is one of the reasons that the death knell seems to have sounded for new world Merlot. Without those traits, the wines too often lack character. Good to hear that you found them present in your wine.
Hey, John
We’ve had the 06 Merlot from Barboursville, and I agree with you—a very enjoyable Merlot and you can’t beat the price. Paul brought a bottle to a family gathering this summer, and it was a hit.