Merlot is a great way to be introduced to wines, but unless you have experience with wines, I wouldn’t recommend spending more than $25 on a bottle of Merlot. If you have drank alot of wine, then investing in a nice French traditional style Merlot could be a great option, as would a winery called Twomey. But, these do not come cheap and if you’ve never had a Merlot, then there’s no reason to waste money on a pricey one.

If you want a simple, middle of the road tasty Merlot, there are tons of them out there. Most Merlots are currently less complex than cabs and are easier on a beginner’s palate. I always recommend Merlots to people who want to start into red wine but don’t want to spend a ton of money at first. A nice Chilean one could be a fabulous choice that won’t break the bank. Concha y Toro and Vina Montes are fairly available and good quality. Both are around or under $20.

Expert: Jane Nickles
Bio: Jane Nickles is the author of “Wine Speak 101″, and wine writer for “The Texas Wine and Food Gourmet”, and “Eat and Drink Magazine”.
Filmmaker: MAKE | MEDIA

Duration : 0:2:40

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