Consumers still wonder if it’s okay to order a bottle of merlot. The answer? It depends.IL21/iStockPhoto / Getty Images
Members of the wine trade and possibly some diehard fans (merlot maniacs?) will be celebrating International Merlot Day on Nov. 7, an annual observance that started in 2011 but lacks the enthusiasm of World Malbec Day or Drink Chenin Blanc Day.
Twenty years after the wine-soaked comedy, Sideways, debuted, the grape suffers from a lasting negative impression, following Miles’ (played by Paul Giamatti) proclamation: “I am not drinking any f-ing merlot.”
Consumers still wonder if it’s okay to order a bottle. The answer? It depends.
Part of merlot’s problem is there’s no single entity to claim ownership and champion consumption. It is the second most widely planted wine grape varieties in the world, so there’s plenty to choose from. The quality ranges from cheap and simple reds to rare and collectable wines, such as Petrus, Masseto and L’Apparita from Castello di Ama.
In many instances, merlot isn’t advertised on the label. It’s often the dominant grape variety in red wines sold under the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur appellations. In many wine regions, its plush texture and ripe fruit flavours make it a useful blending component, where it can soften aggressive acidity and tannins.
Merlot is one of the brightest stars in the Okanagan Valley, where it ranks as one of the most widely planted varieties. The early success of wines made by pioneering estates like Burrowing Owl, Mission Hill and Tinhorn Creek, inspired others to cultivate merlot in the southern part of the region. Checkmate, Hillside, La Stella, Nk’Mip and Painted Rock are more recent champions.
In Ontario, the early ripening variety is a mainstay in vineyards. But it doesn’t usually attract the same attention given to cabernet franc, gamay noir and pinot noir by winemakers and wine lovers. Chateau des Charmes, Inniskillin and Trius (formerly Hillebrand Estates) continue to produce enjoyable and age-worthy examples. Domaine Queylus, Stratus and Marynissen are other producers of note.
California is another hotpot. Despite having faced the brunt of the Sideways Effect, which saw consumers embrace pinot noir and adopt Miles’ disdain for merlot, the Golden State continues to produce a range of styles. Most importantly, it continues to be the smart money option from Napa, where producers like Duckhorn, Freemark Abbey and Robert Mondavi extend the same quality focus to all of the red wines they make.
