Merlot 101

What is your favorite Merlot that is sold at grocery stores?

I'm not asking for specialties that only come direct from wineries. I'm looking for your favorite Merlot that is typically found at most grocery stores.

Public Comments

1. Merlot? MERLOT? If I have to drink another bottle of merlot....:) Very inexpensive (relative to California) but so yummy Black Oak Francise Cappola BV (personally I don't like it but allot of people do) What is it about merlot you like? If you like the smoothness of it, you might also try some Pinot Nior, it's allot easier to find good ones ;)
2. The last one I tasted was 2005 Lapis Luna Merlot and it was delicious. It only sold for about $13 if I remember correctly. It tasted of black currant and gives the palate black cherry and pine (amazing!). It finished with a taste of cherry, strawberry and pine.
3. I've never had a poor one from Australia or New Zealand. Their wines are sooo reliable, even at the cheap end. Also many Ausie vines are more mature than the French, because after clippings were taken to the New World, a hundred years later the French vines became diseased and they had to bring cuttings back from Australia to France.