Price: $8
Maker: Bogle Vineyards, Graton, California
Varietal: Merlot
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Bogle Merlot 2004 offers more evidence that Bogle Vineyards knows how to make wines that are tasty but inexpensive. This Merlot has a pleasant aroma of berries, oak, and a hint of butterscotch. On the palate, it is smooth and well balanced, starting with cherry and blackberry notes, leading into an oaky finish with nippy tannins. All in all, Bogle Merlot 2004 is a very nice value at a sub-$10 price tag.
Earlier this year, we tasted Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel 2004 and liked it a lot, too. We gave that wine a rare (for us) 9 rating, not bad for a $10 wine. Actually, we’d consider the 2004 Merlot to be on the high side of our 8.5 rating.
We can’t praise the Bogle website quite as much – it features broken images and links that go nowhere.
If you can still find the 2004 Bogle Merlot on your wine shop shelf, by all means grab a bottle and see if you agree.