1992 Markham Merlot

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 93 points

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  10/20/2009 - Napa144 wrote: 93 Points

  Most of us are looking for $100 wines for $50 (or in the mid-90s, $25 bottles for $50.) I was very lucky. A friend who was worked in marketing for a very good Napa Winery told me to try Markham - that I would probably subsequently try and buy all I could find. He was right. Markham, from the early 80s until about the mid-90s was the archetype of the underpriced "secret." Many years their Cabernet was as good as, for example, Mondavi Reserve, at half the price - and I think Mondavi Cab Reserve is often a good "band-for-the-buck" wine. But where Markham really shined was with Merlot. A couple of weeks ago I tasted this wine blind and picked it first, as did three of seven others in my little tasting group who showed up that night. The competition was mixed, but someone brought a 97 Pahlmeyer Merlot. I've never tasted a Petris, but someone mentioned that it is 100% Merlot. Obviously, made properly, Merlot can produce world-class Bordeaux. About 8 or 10 years ago I learner that Bob Foley was the winemaker at Markam from the later 70s until the mid-90s. At one point I had 9 or 10 cases of early 80s to mid-90s. If I had had the money, I'd have gotten more. I've only recently started publishing tasting notes, so I'll make this one more general, to cover many of the times I've tasted Markham Merlot and made no comment. I don't think I've ever tasted one that I would rate beow 90. Foley left Markham about 1995 or so. I've tasted Markham Cabs and Merlot that are younger were made after he left on three or four occasions, and they provide good value. They are inexpensive - $25-$30 a bottle, and for that, you appear to get a $25-$30 bottle.

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