Wine Grape Cheat Sheets: Merlot

The Soundbyte:  Thank goodness we are many years past the movie “Sideways” and we can stop defending Merlot.  Ha! Ok, that was a fantasy.  I still find myself defending Merlot, and for good reason. Despite some serious bashing, Merlot has a lot going for it.  Merlot is loved for its supple texture and forward fruit characteristics.  Merlot is often thought of as just a blending partner for Cabernet Sauvignon, and indeed these two grapes are often combined in some of the world’s greatest red wines.  Merlot does just fine on its own, however, and the very qualities that make it a great blending partner also make it an ideal match for a wide variety of foods.

Typical Attributes of a Merlot-Based Wine:

• Medium tannin as compared to many red grapes, due to the large size of the grape berries, giving it a higher juice-to-skin ratio than most red wines
• 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 or the wine
• Moderate-to-lively acidity, fruit-forward flavors
• 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; 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
• Blackberries, Boysenberries (but be careful with the sweetness)
• 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 Austin, Texas…missjane@prodigy.net