I Heart Merlot, 75cl

Product Information

Merlot can be a bit of a chameleon; ranging from fruity, smooth and easy-going to age-worthy, full-bodied, and sophisticated. Often mistaken for its blending partner, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is not one to be underestimated.

A fun fact on the history of Merlot in Chile is that in the 1800s, cuttings thought to be Merlot were brought over from Bordeaux and planted in Chilean vineyards. However in 1994, a grape researcher named Jean Michel Boursiquot, realized that they were, in fact, an entirely different variety – Carménère. Cabernet Franc is one of the parents of Merlot, which makes it a half-sibling of Cabernet Sauvignon. I should caveat that this was purely from a U.S. centric point of view. Most of the rest of the world didn’t lose their minds like folks in the U.S. Can you imagine folks in Bordeaux shunning Merlot?! It’s the most planted variety not just in Bordeaux, but all of France. I mean, what would have become of wines such as Petrus (my planned retirement day wine) and Cheval Blanc if folks in France had stopped producing Merlot? But a little craziness aside, its been great to see lots more Merlot love out there. International Merlot Month, evidenced by the hashtag #MerlotMe, occurs each year in October. And if that’s not enough, International Merlot Day occurs on November 7. I love the timing of the celebrations because there is just something about fall that makes me want to cozy up with Merlot. Why I Love Merlot To say that Eric Miller, owner of Kokomo Winery, is a nice guy would be an understatement. The same can be said for his growing partner, Randy Peters, a viticulturist with a deep historical connection to the land in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley. Eric came to California to make wine from the Midwest — specifically, Kokomo, Ind., the winery’s namesake. When you arrive at their tasting room you feel like you’re hanging with the fam. Not only are these some truly cool dudes, but they’re amazing at their jobs. Eric is one of the most focused winemakers you’ll meet, and if you get him started, get ready for some deep wine convo. And Randy, when he pops by, has some great vineyard stories. This partnership and their attention to detail gives us wines like this amazing Merlot. It has wonderful tobacco and earthy blueberries on the nose. The palate is soft and supple with a lithe tannic frame. The best part is the excellent finish that lingers until your next sip. Great wine. Join the club, it’s worth it. As Beavers explains, the Merlot group came from two orphan grape varieties: Cabernet Franc and Madeleine. In France, Merlot is predominantly grown in Bordeaux, where it is celebrated for its blending abilities.And I got to thank Darby Cicci for making this amazing song: Listen to this epic stuff. And finally, I want to thank the VinePair staff for helping me learn more every day. Thanks for listening. I’ll see you next week. I still remember the chance meeting at a restaurant when I met a wine rep for Lobo Wines and she told me all about winemaker Victoria Coleman. I was all in! There are many great wines out there, but when you find a wine story that speaks to you, that is what helps to make that wine more memorable. And I so loved Victoria’s story – and her wines – that I was thrilled to write about it all. While they use most of their Merlot to blend into the higher value Cab Sauv, they do use a small amount for a varietal Merlot.

I can think of few other varietals that could have paired with such a wide variety of foods. Cheers to the ever versatile Merlot. And Happy #MerlotMe month.The first of the established mountain regions and maybe the most famous, Howell Mountain, with its west-facing vineyards is one of the warmer mountains regions as it gets the full exposure to the hot afternoon sun. This often translates into wines that are fuller-bodied with higher alcohol. With elevations from 1400 to 2600 feet, the region has predominantly volcanic soils that yield powerful, tannic, and age-worthy wines. Howell Mountain Merlot wines to try: The steep hillsides of the Mayacamas mountains that are home to the Mount Veeder AVA and where vineyards can be planted at angles of up to 30 degrees, leads to some high quality vino. The extreme angle planting provides the vineyards with more direct sunlight and better drainage. With elevations reaching up to 2,400 feet and extremely shallow, marine soils with volcanic deposits, its an extremely difficult growing environment with very low yields. But that environment leads to some amazing fruit and wine. While more Cabernet Sauvignon is more widely grown in the region, it is known as the spiritual home of Petit Verdot. I’ll have to add Merlot to the spiritual home because this is some soulful, thought-provoking juice.