Ever since that recent movie trashed Merlot and catapulted California Pinot Noir into popularity, the wineries of Santa Barbara County have enjoyed a surge in wine tasting tourists. There's even a "Sideways" tour of all the wineries and restaurants featured in the film. But what's so bad about Merlot that an entire varietal could slip from popular prominence to ignominy?
California Merlot-the Beginnings
Napa Valley Merlot began to appear in the 1960s when only wine mavens even knew what it was. Louis M. Martini offered its first commercial Merlot in 1966. It tasted much like many of the other red wines of the period-indistinguishable from its brethren. No serious wine lover today would likely even guess the varietal in a blind tasting of the early California Merlots.
A funny thing happened on the way to the 1990s. In pursuit of the Bordeaux model, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons were becoming more muscular and many of them more tannic than comparable offerings of the 60s and 70s. The time was ripening for a Cabernet-like wine that was softer and less muscular. The Merlot-based wines of St. Emilion and Pomerol were always known for their early approachability in contrast to the great Cabernets of Pauillac, St. Julien, and St. Estèphe.
Merlot Struggles for Varietal Character as Wineries Step Up to the Plate
At the same time North American wine lovers were crying out for an alternative to Cabernet Sauvignons that required five years or more to "come together" and show their stuff, winemakers were struggling with a varietal that pretty much refused to bend to the winemaker's designs. The California Merlots of the 80s were a big improvement on previous offerings, but they tended to turn "weedy" after around six years, just as the Cabernets were beginning to shine.
Most serious wine lovers were put off by California Merlot in general, as referenced by the "Sideways" film. Sales of Merlot during this period were largely by women, who had little tolerance for the mouth-puckering tannins found in high end Cabernet, and by those less schooled in the world of wine.
As we approached the 80s a few California wineries began to specialize in Merlot. Duckhorn Vineyards, one of the top Merlot producers today, offered its first release in 1978. Clos du Bois, another Merlot specialist released its first Merlot two years later. Both Twomey and Beringer offer outstanding Merlots. You can read our review of these wines here.
California Merlot Today
Merlot has come of age in the Golden State. The ungainly examples of the past are a fading memory. The best California Merlots can hold their own against any Merlot-based wine from France, even those costing hundreds of dollars. But the really good news is found in mid-priced Merlot. Previously, these were the wines to avoid. But now there are excellent examples at very attractive prices. We list two from Clos du Bois that we recommend:
2004 Clos du Bois Merlot North Coast; 13.5% alc., $18
Expressive aromas of ripe blackberries, spice, white pepper and dark chocolate. Delicious mouth-filling flavors with velvety tannins that lend a welcome textural note. Drinks very well now (Dec 2007) and will continue to develop over the next several years. 345,000 cases produced. Recommended.
2004 Clos du Bois Reserve Merlot Alexander Valley; 14.5% alc., $22
Clos du Bois' Reserve Merlot has all the attractive features of their regular bottling as described above-but with some very attractive distinctions of its own. It's darker and more richly colored and more intense. Rich mouthfeel. A classy Merlot. Unmistakable varietal aromas and flavors mark this wine as a superior example of what high quality California Merlot can be-and at a very attractive price! It's only $4 more than Clos du Bois' North Coast bottling and we highly recommend it. One of the best values in premium grade California Merlot we've seen.
 |
