On the left bank of the Gironde River in its homeland of Bordeaux, Merlot is rarely one of the major grapes in a wine even though it is more tolerant of cool weather and ripens a little earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon. In years where the Cabernet Sauvignon is fully ripe, Merlot is usually between 25% and 45% of the blend. Merlot has brighter and more forward fruit flavours, smoother tannins and slightly higher acidity so it fills in gaps in the Cabernet Sauvignon flavour profile. In cool years, the under-ripe Cabernet Sauvignon can be more lacking in fruit flavours so Merlot would be a higher proportion in the blend of the wines.
Merlot is more prominent on the right bank of the Gironde river in Bordeaux where it tolerates the cooler clay soils well. The most famous of the Merlot wines from that area would be Chateau Petrus which is between 95% and 100% Merlot, the remainder being Cabernet Franc. This is, however, a rare example and Merlot is usually bolstered by a healthy amount of Cabernet Sauvignon.
It’s in the New World that Merlot started to be placed in the spotlight instead being in the supporting position to Cabernet Sauvignon. In the New World, Merlot is grown almost everywhere red wine is made. It has very fruit forward flavours, soft tannins, it’s generally very smooth on the palate and just about everyone likes it, even if they can’t describe it. This is part of the problem with Merlot. It makes soft, fruity, easy going wines that are quite drinkable with or without food but it isn’t always memorable.
Shiraz is fruitier and more forward while Cabernet Sauvignon has darker, more distinctive fruit flavours and more tannin so they are both more memorable. Pinot Noir, when made well, has more delicate and ethereal aromas and flavours and can really move the drinker. I’ve rarely heard anyone enthuse about a great Merlot. Even at wine tastings, people tend to pass Merlot to try other wines.
Even in the new world wine, Merlot has had a rough time since the movie Sideways came out. The movie caused what wine economists called “The Sideways Effect” in which both the price of merlot and the amount sold declined after the release of the movie while both the price and volume of Pinot Noir sold increased. It’s a shame. People really like Merlot.
Some of the local Merlots that I have tasted recently include:
Girls’ Night Out Merlot 2007 VQA Ontario – Colio Estates (LCBO #89847 - $12.95)
This is not quite what I was expecting. My wife suggested this one as she heard about it at work. As you can see in the picture, we opened it and tried it while watching TV. This is a fairly big wine with a nose of dark cherries, plums, spice and oak with flavours of red cherries, blackberries and dark plums. The tannins and acidity were both smoother after the bottle sat overnight so I would recommend either decanting this or using one of those wine pouring gadgets that are aerate your wine. The medium length finish was dominated by bright fruit. This wine is ready to drink and will go well with most medium weight foods.
Konzelmann Estate Winery Merlot Reserve 2008 VQA Niagara Peninsula (LCBO # 439281 - $12.95)
You can see the differences in the 2007 and 2008 vintage by comparing this to the Girls’ Night Out. This is a lighter colour wine as 2008 was a much cooler and cloudier summer and the grapes did not get as dark. The nose is all red fruit, cherry cola and pepper. The flavours of red cherries, red plums and blackberries have a little cola in the background. The moderate acidity and very smooth tannins make this go down very easily. The slight residual sugar is only noticeable on the medium length finish.
Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery Merlot 2008 VQA Niagara Peninsula (LCBO #61101 - $14.94)
This wine was fermented in stainless steel to keep the fruit flavours and acidity fresh and then it was aged in barrels to give it some oak notes and to soften the tannins and make the wine approachable. The nose of red cherry and plums is enhanced by aromas of oak and cloves from the barrel. The cherry and plum flavours are well balanced by the acidity and tannins. The oak is subtle indicated that the majority of the barrels were not new. The long cherry finish highlights the very fine tannins. This wine might benefit from some aging but it is quite ready to drink now so why wait.
Willow Springs Merlot 2007 VQA Niagara – ($14 at the winery)
A bright cherry candy nose is followed by flavours of black cherry and dark plums. The moderate acidity and alcohol are supported by the smooth moderate tannins that are so typical of Merlot. There is some nice oak and vanilla flavours from the barrel aging on the finish. Again, this wine is ready to drink.
Rosewood Estates Merlot – Natural Ferment – 2007 VQA Beamsville Bench ($40 at the winery)
This wine was allowed to ferment based on the yeasts on the skins of the grapes and the yeasts that were floating through the winery. This is always a bit of a gamble as the winemaker can’t be sure which varieties of yeast will be in the wine. This frequently gives a more complex wine with subtle flavours. In 2007, the nose of the wine was dominated by bright red cherry aromas, oak and some spices. The flavours of red and dark cherry, dark plums and spice gave way to a long, dark cherry finish. This wine has very well balanced fruit, alcohol, acidity and tannins, and the oak is very well-integrated into the flavours. The tannins and acidity have the softness of a well made Merlot. As much as I like this one now, I would age a few bottles and try one a year just to taste the development.
