There’s comfort food, the comfortable recliner, and those comfortable old shoes.
Then there is the oft-maligned but comfortable Merlot.
Merlot’s reputation as the punching bag of all wine snobs reached its zenith in 2004 in the movie Sideways. The movie is a bittersweet comedy with a central theme of wine, Pinot Noir to be specific.
The main character, played brilliantly by Paul Giamatti, is a wine geek trying to find great Pinot Noir while on a ‘bachelor’s” trip prior to his buddy’s wedding. His buddy is merely interested in exploring his freedom before tying the knot.
To make the long story short, the soon-to-be groom sets the two guys up with a couple of young ladies for dinner and adds the girls want to drink wine. Giamatti’s ‘Miles’ reluctantly agrees and spurts out one of the more memorable lines in any recent movie.
I can’t repeat that line here. Let’s just say he makes it very clear, in specific language, he’s not going to drink any “expletive deleted” Merlot.
I take the time and space in this column to share that story for those who haven’t seen the movie because it represents the attitude of many wine drinkers.
You’ll find Merlot served at many social functions. It’s easy to find, relatively inexpensive, and it’s a great starting point for people wanting to get out of the real cheap grocery wines and try something with a little more body. It’s often served because it’s easy to drink, rather inoffensive, and a safe choice.
And there comes the rub. People who drink a lot of wine will tell you it doesn’t have much body or character. On occasion, I’ve been one of those people.
But taking a hit in the name of wine journalism, I went out and bought a bottle of California Merlot specifically for this column. I’ll recommend it below.
Merlot means ‘black bird in French. The grape is used in the great French signature blends coming from Bordeaux. The Merlot adds softness and balance to the bigger flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon to create the famous French wine.
Merlot boomed in the 1990s when U.S. wine drinking started to explode. Consumers wanted to get into varietals (specific grape types) and try the great wines produced for centuries in the Old World. Merlot is often dark in color, smooth, and very soft tannins.
Merlot was a natural to help wine drinking really take off in our country.
What’s interesting now, is Merlot seems to be getting past the mean-spirited reference of Sideways and belittling remarks of wine snobs. Sales have started taking off again.
Merlot is a good starting point for most people who want to explore better wine. Many people get their introduction to better wine with a glass of Cabernet and I think that’s a mistake. I’d suggest a Cab is just too much for new wine drinkers. Cabernet has those big tannins (the bitterness in the back of your mouth) that scare away many people.
Merlot serves a purpose as a good introductory wine. It will hold up to steak or pasta, unless its strongly seasoned or flavored. And decent Merlot can be found from groceries to any wine shop. Again, just stick with the bigger names you have seen or know.
See my other blog for frequent updates on wine I’m drinking, locations where I buy wine, and other related news.
Howard’s Picks:
Sebastiani Merlot – Sebastiani is one of the oldest producers in California’s Sonoma Valley. The family has worked in the area for decades. I paid $15 for this better-than-average Merlot. Deep cherry and dark fruit flavors. Available at several Indiana wine shops.
Bogle Merlot – You can buy Bogle at most supermarkets. It’s a well made Merlot for a price usually under $10.
“Wine to me is passion. It's family and friends. It's warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It's culture. It's the essence of civilization and the art of living.” - Robert Mondavi, Autobiography, "Harvests of Joy"
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