The 2021 Swanson Vineyards Merlot Napa Valley ($25) packs a lot into the bottle. It's everything that's good about Napa Valley red wines - classic deep, dark fruit framed by soft, dusty tannins, and lacy acidity - without the downsides that often ride shotgun with many Napa reds - overbearing barreling, high alcohol, off-putting concentration, and insane prices. It served as the perfect companion to a grilled ribeye slathered in herbed goat cheese and served with grilled olives.
Whenever there's a call for a red to stand up to a meal like that, I turn to northern California merlot. It tends to be friendlier than heavy-handed cabernet, and, thanks to the lingering Sideways effect, merlot remains maligned and, therefore, significantly less expensive. (For reference, Swanson's cabernets run $120-170.)
