In Defense of Merlot

A glass of Merlot – these words were synonyms for a glass of red wine in the 1990s, hitting a zenith when even Kramer said “I live for Merlot” in the hit comedy series Seinfeld. Merlot got so fashionable that a segment of the hard core wine drinking community turned up their nose to Merlot, and rightly so. With all the demand and in a rush to get it out to the public, there was an overplanting of Merlot vines, which lead to insipid wines with no varietal character of Merlot. However, demand for Merlot still continued to grow.

Then came Sideways. With two sentences from Miles - "If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am not drinking any f -- Merlot." - Merlot fell out of grace in public’s eye and in came the new superstar, Pinot Noir. Merlot demand slowed down and the excess plantings were pulled out.

Well guess what, the pendulum has swung. Without the excessive plantings, Merlots are again what they used to be - easy to drink, elegant and interesting with fruity nuances, and tea and chocolate flavors, in short, a fun wine to drink. So you think Merlots are still uncool. Well, think again. Merlots are catching on with the in the know wine drinking public again. A great Merlot is quite complex, just like the finest Cabernets, but without the aggressive tannins. Merlots do not need bottle aging for decades to drink, but can however age gracefully for years. "It's Cabernet without the punishment," says Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery winemaker Mark Lyon.

Merlot originated in Bordeaux, France. Contrary to common perception, Merlot and not Cabernet Sauvignon, is the dominant grape in Bordeaux, where it is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to produce one of the greatest wines in the world. In fact, the most expensive wine in the world, Chateau Petrus (approximately $1,500 per bottle) is made almost entirely from Merlot in the famous commune of Pomerol in Bordeaux.

Want to learn more about Merlots. Then join us at Bar Divani on Wednesday, May 13th at 6:30 PM, as we taste six Merlots from around the world. You will be able to experience not only the effect of varied climates, but also the styles of winemaking, ranging from the fruit forward style of California to more austere style from Bordeaux. We will taste the following wines:

Artesa, Sonoma/Napa
Tangley Oaks, Napa
Canoe Ridge, Washington
Chateau Couronneau, Bordeaux
Falesco, Italy
Carmen, Chile