Rediscovering Merlot

Looking back over the years at my relationship with wine, I clearly remember my interest in reds beginning with Merlot. Back in the 90s, Merlot was the wine to drink. Soft tannins, flavors of plum and cocoa - this was the perfect introduction to red wine. That first bottle of Sterling had me hooked. Sadly, as with most fads, overproduction led to the downfall of Merlot. Since the movie "Sideways", Merlot has become almost as maligned a wine as Chardonnay. Trite, thin and often overly sweet - that's what most wine connoisseurs now think of when you say Merlot. What a shame. While the wine market is saturated with many examples of bad Merlot, there are quite a few producers (some in unexpected places!) throughout the world breathing new life into this grape.

Historically, the production of Merlot grapes is based in the Bordeaux region of France. There, Merlot is used primarily as a blending grape, adding a certain suppleness and grace to the powerful tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot is, in fact, more widely planted in France than Cabernet. In the United States, Merlot has been used quite commonly as a single varietal wine with a large presence in California and Washington.

California has some of the best and the worst examples of Merlot. While there are some "boutique" wineries producing some very good Merlot, the mass market is largely low quality wine. Duckhorn is probably the most famous Merlot high-quality producer, but expect to pay close to $100 per bottle. A recent Merlot tasting in Wine Spectator magazine revealed a pretty dismal picture of California Merlot with very few high-scoring wines.

We have found that excellent Merlot is being produced in the Monterey/Carmel region of California, where the cool weather seems to suit this grape. Tastings at Chateau Julian and Georis Winery left us impressed with the character and terroir expressed in the wines. Prices in this region are moderate.

Outside of California, Washington is a wonderful source for some delicious and affordable Merlot. Columbia Crest, Covey Run and Snoqualmie and all easy-to-find labels to know when shopping for Washington Merlot.

Don't be afraid to try Merlots produced outside of the United States. Indeed, there are some excellent wines being produces in some very unusual places. The above photo shows the Santa Ema Reserve Merlot 2005 from Chile's Maipo Valley. This is a very impressive Merlot for the price point (about $12/bottle) with flavors of plum and chocolate backed with elegant tannins. This is one to purchase by the case for everyday drinking. Another great country for Merlot is Italy. Falesco is a reliable Italian producer that is easy to find in large wine shops.

Whether you look to Italy, Chile or right here in the U.S., don't forget about Merlot. Like fondue, gelatin and other seemingly hopeless food "trends", Merlot is overdue for a comeback.