The Manilow Wines debuted in 2005 when Barry started his residency at the Las Vegas Hilton. They were originally created solely for sale in the hotel.

But as of late, the wines have begun being sold raise money for Mr. Manilow’s charity, The Manilow Fund For Health and Hope (www.manilowfund.org). Celebrity wines tend to leave a bad taste in consumers’ palettes as they sometimes are just basic wines with a pretty label that don’t justify the cost. Here are my thoughts and pairing suggestions for the Pinot Grigio and Merlot:

2007 Pinot Grigio:
On the nose there is bright acidity, with notes of caramel Washington apples and candied Granny Smith apples. The palate is fruit forward, offering vibrant tree fruit – pear and apple cobbler – leading into an oily smooth finish that echos the clay that the grapes were grown in. An excellent choice as a stand alone Pinot Grigio, but equally great with light salty foods such as seafood or a caesar salad (even with anchovies).

2007 Merlot:
The nose is filled with ripe dark fruit – jammy black raspberry and sweet licorice, coupled with the earthy tones that are so richly associated with Italian Merlot. The palate exhibits silky tannins wrapped around peppered black cherry, interlaced with earth and mushroom. The soft finish makes this a medium-bodied, easy drinking red to enjoy by itself, or with lighter meats such as pork or veal.

Tags: 2007 Manilow Merlot, 2007 Manilow Pinot Grigio, Barry Manilow Wine, Merlot, Pinot Grigio