Everybody say it together now … Not all merlot is lame. We’re convinced, right? We’ll give it another chance? And we’ll keep an open mind?
In the name of smart consumerism, I’ve done a little legwork for you. I’ve opened some bottles, and smelled them, and tasted them. The results are below, but before we get to those, let’s review what we already know.
Merlot, a classic grape variety, became a gateway drink in the 1990s for people who were transitioning from cocktails and Amstel Light to wine. It was the order that required no forethought. It was one step higher on the wine-order-sophistication scale than saying “red.” It implied that you didn’t want just any red — you wanted the one called merlot, the one that didn’t suck all of the moisture from your mouth and make you go “chlomp, chlomp,” and constantly reach for a glass of water.
Merlot was velvety and easy to drink, offering everything from raspberry, cherry and cinnamon to chocolate, mint and coffee. It was a wine that went well with pasta, pizza, chicken and stew. It was easy. And then, in the wake of merlot’s success, as producers tried to cash in on the popularity of the “brand,” it got watered down and dumb, like the sequels to “Rocky.”
That was then. Merlot has bounced back, and some nice versions are out there. Here are a few recommendations.
For a good entry-level merlot that doesn’t require a huge investment, try the 2013 Santa Ema Reserve ($13) from the Maipo Valley of Chile. With lots of blue fruit, vanilla and silky tannins, it was easy to drink on its own, even though it was the final bottle of the tasting. From the Central Coast of California, the 2014 Liberty School ($16) is 100 percent merlot, made with grapes from both Paso Robles and Santa Barbara County. It had bright, fruity blackberry and plum aromas that set up a rich palate of toasted oak, coffee and vanilla. Both are solid wines for less than $20.
Moving up the state, to a couple of more-famous wine regions — Napa and Sonoma — here are two identically priced merlots ($28) that dial up the intensity. The 2012 Matanzas Creek from Sonoma County had plum, cherry and a hint of incense on the nose, plus some savory spice. The 2012 Rutherford Hill from Napa Valley smelled like fresh raspberry jam spread on a nice warm piece of toast. The blend’s 20 percent cabernet sauvignon and tiny amounts of syrah, cabernet franc and petit verdot add complexity, leading to a long peppery finish. There is a lot happening in this bottle.
Even farther up the West Coast, Washington produces some nice merlot. The 2012 L’Ecole No. 41 ($36) from Walla Walla Valley played it cool at first, holding back on some aromas, but eventually delivered vibrant doses of cherry, earth and mocha, along with minerality and acidity. The 2011 Northstar ($40) from Columbia Valley offered earthiness and cherries, with a zip of citrus. It had slightly grippy tannins due to the blend’s inclusion of cabernet sauvignon (20 percent) and 18 months in oak barrels. Drink it with hearty grilled meats and vegetables.
To round out your merlot arsenal, you might try any or all of the following three from the Napa Valley if you can work with the migration up the price scale. It’s always great to find a wine that offers more than its cost indicates, of course. But often in wine, a bump in quality means a bump in price. The 2012 Ehlers Estate ($55) from St. Helena is made of biodynamic grapes (92 percent merlot, 8 percent cabernet franc), and aged in 100 percent French oak barrels, half of them new. The wine offered savory notes along with cocoa, licorice and a pleasant poke of orange zest in the back of the mouth.
Probably the most complex and layered wine in the tasting, the 2012 Pahlmeyer ($85) is 91 percent merlot, 7 percent petit verdot and 2 percent cabernet sauvignon. It sent up huge blasts of raspberry aromas, which segued into long waves of cherry and herbal flavors. An eye-popper, for sure.
Finally, Duckhorn. This winery is renowned for its merlot, and not all of its offerings are this pricey. You could spend much less on a Duckhorn merlot and still get a very nice bottle of wine. But the 2012 Duckhorn Vineyards Rector Creek Vineyard ($95) is worth every dollar. A floral character gives way to toast and smoke, chocolate and spice. It’s enough to give anyone a new appreciation for a wine style that has been the butt of jokes for years.
Not all merlot is great, but which wine style could claim otherwise? The bottom line is, merlot is no longer a four-letter word. It is six letters once again, as it should be.
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