Wine Grape Cheat Sheets: Merlot

The Soundbyte:  Thank goodness we are many years past the hysterical-but-unfair, Sideways movie-inspired decade of bashing Merlot. While I still find myself in defense of Merlot on occasion, most of the wine-loving world has come to realize that Merlot has a lot going for it.  Merlot is loved for its supple texture, fruit-forward juiciness, and moderate tannins. It’s a great wine to sip on its own and it pairs easily with food.

Merlot is often thought of as a blending partner for Cabernet Sauvignon—and indeed, these two grapes play well together (in some of world’s greatest red wines). Merlot does just fine on its own, however, and the very qualities that make it a great blending partner can also shing in a single-variety wine.

Typical Attributes of a Merlot-Based Wine:

• Medium tannin (as compared to many red grapes).  This is due to the large size of the grape berries, which give it a high juice-to-skin ratio
• Smooth, soft, and supple texture…many winemakers say it’s all about the texture when it comes to Merlot
• Rich red color…often belying the smooth character of the wine
• Moderate-to-lively acidity
• Fruit-forward aromas and flavors, combined with some floral, spicy, or herbal complexity
• Lighter than Syrah and heavier than Pinot, Merlot ranks just under Cabernet Sauvignon in the rankings-by-heft.

Well, hello my little vixen. You try to look so tough and edgy, yet I know you are velvety smooth…

Typical Aromas of a Merlot-Based Wine:

• Fruity:  Grapes—Merlot is one of the few red vinifera wines that (sometimes) tastes like grapes:  look for aromas of Grape Jelly or Grape Jam; Berries (Blackberry, Boysenberry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Cranberry), Plum, Ripe Cherry, Currant, Fig, Prune
• Floral:  Rose, Violet
• Oak-Derived: Cedar, Cocoa, Cigar, Tobacco, Vanilla, Smoky
• Herbal:  Mint, Bay Leaf
• Spicy:  Cinnamon, Clove, Licorice, Coffee
• Sometimes: Candied Fruit, Fruitcake, Sandalwood, Truffles, Tobacco

Where The Best Merlot is Grown:

• The Bordeaux region of France, where it is a large part of the blend of most wines, and the predominant variety in the wines of the Right Bank (as well as those bottled under the generic Bordeaux appellations)
• The Languedoc, Roussillon, and throughout Southern France
• Surprise, surprise…Merlot is the most widely planted red grape in all of France (who’s Merlot-bashing now?)
• California, particularly the North Coast Regions
• Washington State…where NO ONE has ever dared to bash Merlot
• Italy, especially Trentino-Alto Adige, Tuscany, Veneto, and Fruili
• Australia, Chile, and Argentina

I’ll have what she’s having.

Food Affinities – Base Ingredients:

• Beef, Veal, Venison, Pork
• Lamb – Merlot does especially well with Lamb.  Everywhere that Mary went, Merlot was sure to go…
• Duck, Turkey
• Cheddar Cheeses
• Blue Cheeses

Food Affinities – Bridge Ingredients:

• Mushrooms, Onions, Garlic
• White Beans – weird but really really true
• Rosemary, Mint, other fresh and dried herbs
• Walnuts, Pecans
• Tomatoes, Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Eggplant, Fennel, Beets
• Bacon, Pancetta
• Dijon Mustard

Note: When it comes to food pairings, by all means—drink what you like!

Are you ready to stop bashing Merlot now?  Don’t make me get out the Petrus!

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas…missjane@prodigy.net