Uploaded to Flickr by Seattle Bon Vivant on 13 Jun '06
When is a Merlot a Syrah? When is a bottle a case? When it is this baby, baby! Hyatt Vineyards 2000 Merlot. Not a wimpy Merlot by any means. A Yakima Valley wine that is not only dirt cheap and v. good -but that tastes meaty and peppery, almost like a Syrah (with great legs, says my friend Peter).
As much as I love a good value wine, I don't usually drink "Three Buck Chuck", but this Hyatt is a tastyand rock bottom priced quaffer. At only $2.99 a bottle (Trader Joe's used to sell it for $4.99) if you don't buy a case ($35.88) I'll come to your house and beat you over the head with a wet noodle.
Fabulous with hearty pastas with red sauces (we had it with spaghetti with garlic, chicken, mushrooms, onion, peppers and garlic spears), red meat, burgers, venison and grilled lamb chops.
Grab it while they have it and drink over the summer with friends and family. Buy it to give away to friends and they'll love you for it. Or you could always squirrel it away for the winter because this wine cellars for 2-5 years.
In the Seattle area, it might be absolutely gone by now at TJ's. Some stores might still have some. But I had to put this out there just in case.
And what if you do not find the 2000, you say? Well, as good as this wine is, I bet any later vintages are as good or better (even if it costs a few dollars more), since this is a Merlot grown in Washington, and we all know by now how good out Merlot really is.
So seek this one out, pronto! And don't say I did not warn you. ;-)