If the smash hit movie of a few years ago, Sideways, did much to popularize pinot noir, it also fairly demonized merlot. What prompted the fictional Sideways character Miles and his many real life minions in the wine world of today to loathe merlot so resolutely? The story begins back in the early 1980s with the king of red wine, cabernet sauvignon.
Much of the cabernet on offer back then, especially from the New World, was big, tannic and rough, requiring years or even decades of aging before the tannins came around to something resembling approachability. Wine labels were masculine in appearance, and it was with a certain measure of pride that wine collectors boasted that the cabernet in their cellars was distant until the next decade.
These monster cabernets of the 1980s were not so much intentionally crafted that way as winemakers had yet to master an understanding of how to manage tannins in the vineyard. Also, much of the winery equipment used was primitive in relation to what is available today, often tearing and lacerating the seeds of the cabernet grapes releasing even more astringent tannin into the wine.
The irony of cabernet's strong flavor, which consumers adored, but also its unapproachable tannins made cabernet difficult to pair with any food but the most weighty. Then, merlot arose as the perfect alternative.
Merlot had always been around living quietly in the shadow of its more famous big brother, cabernet sauvignon. Prized for its rich fruitiness and velvety texture, merlot also had the added advantage that its tannins are subdued, and the wine matures earlier than cabernet sauvignon. In other words, merlot was cabernet without the attitude.
Typically displaying earthy truffle notes, the aromas of walnuts and mocha, and sporting a primary fruit flavor of intense black and red cherries, plum and blueberry, good merlot also hints of green tea, bay leaf, mint, green olive and spice. Barrel aging the wine imparts added nuance of smoke, eucalyptus, cedar, vanilla, aniseed and licorice.
Marketers, thinking they had discovered a wine "for ladies", one not so big, one more approachable and lighter yet decisively red, made a big push to popularize merlot. Positioned as an alternative to monster cabernets of the time, merlot struck a chord with both ladies and men.
On its face, modern antipathy towards merlot seems odd because it is one of the noble grape varieties of Bordeaux and makes one of the world's great red wines. Part of the answer to our conundrum is that although most Bordeaux red wines contain varying percentages of merlot few consumers in the 1980s were aware it was merlot they were drinking. European wine laws require the place of origin to take precedence over the name of the grape.
Few consumers at the time knew what merlot tasted like even though they had been drinking it for years, and when New World marketers began labeling varietal merlot, the wine was received as a revelation. And it was the popularity of merlot that sealed its own fate. Faster than a Thai merchant can open a stall next to successful business to sell knock off copies of the original, everybody jumped on the merlot bandwagon and began to produce copious quantities of thin, shrill and watered down wine in order to capitalize on the varietal's initial success.
For that matter, few winemakers ever took merlot seriously. Merlot was perceived as a trendy wine to be valued for its cash flow. In my winemaking career I can clearly remember it was always the merlot that no other winemaker could be bothered with. Everyone was too focused on coaxing cabernet to its fullest expression.
Lacking any frame of reference and in the face of all the bad merlot flooding onto the market, consumers gradually began to question why all the hullabaloo about merlot in the first place. Suddenly the popular tide of opinion turned against merlot, and eventually the grape found itself as popular as an ant at a picnic.
But the reality is that good merlot might be right under your nose tonight. Merlot has medium to strong flavor intensity, a supple texture, moderate acidity, is medium- to full-bodied and has good to very good aging potential. Its complexity comes from the grape itself. From the influence of the weather, climate and soil in vineyards where the grapes are grown. From winemaking. From the aging process. And sometimes, in part, from blends with complimentary grape varietals.
The easiest way for wine lovers to assess merlot for themselves is by making a direct comparison with another grape varietal, usually cabernet. This type of side by side comparison can also be extended to the characteristics of merlot from different regions, producers and vintages from those of another. Most merlot is at its best three to eight years after harvest, but some can age 10 or more years. When merlot wine is young it is fruity and spicy, but as it ages the wine becomes smoother and takes on interesting characteristics of humus, mushroom, roasted nut, cigar tobacco and toffee.
While the region of origin and weather play the determining role in the expression of merlot character in any wine, the decision-making of the winemaker plays an equally important role in highlighting or subduing the wine's potential. Oak aging is the most important way a winemaker imparts added intrinsic personality to a merlot wine. When used, new oak barrels impart complexity to the wine, adding notes of vanilla, mocha, and smoke to the flavor profile.
Another stylistic intervention of the winemaker is blending. Various percentages of cabernet, cabernet franc, petit verdot, and malbec can be added to merlot to give it nuance, added structure, or in some cases to create better balance. The most common place this is done is Bordeaux, where all the red wines are blends of varying percentages of the above grape varieties. The Bordeaux model has been widely copied around the world, and Australia is probably the foremost proponent of blending in the New World. Cabernet-merlot blends are actually more common than single varietal merlot.
Although most closely associated with Bordeaux France, merlot is thought to be of Mediterranean parentage, originating from the Balkans. France has almost 40% of the world's plantings of merlot with central and eastern Europe bringing up another 25%. Italy is in third place with 18% of the world's plantings, the rest roughly distributed between Chile, South Africa, Argentina, Australia and the US.
The classic appellations of Bordeaux include Pomerol, Lalande de Pomerol, Fronsac, St. Emilion, Cotes de Bourg, and Bordeaux. California's Napa and Alexander valleys are the new stars of the New World. Washington state has carved out an enviable reputation for soft, mouth filling and fruity merlot as good as any. Italy usually works some merlot into the famous Super Tuscan wines, but most of its merlot is planted in the Veneto and Friuli regions of the north. Chile's Aconcagua, Maipo and Rapel valleys make silky smooth merlot, and really delicious merlot is grown in the Ticino region of Southern Switzerland. Rarely exported, Swiss merlot is very expensive due to the high cost of land and labor but very, very good. Merlot is also widely distributed throughout the Balkans and Eastern Europe, particularly Ukraine and Moldova. My advice is don't bother if you ever come across some.
There are three basic styles of merlot, and all are defined by the weight of the wine. The first style is a light, soft and fruity style merlot that is typical of Northern Italy, New Zealand and Chile, and less expensive merlot from Bordeaux. These lighter wines are at their best when young and may accompany simple preparations of beef, veal, poultry, pasta and mild cheeses. For me, a light style of fruity merlot is perfect for pizza or rosemary crusted roast chicken. In warmer climates like here in Phuket, this light and soft style of merlot is often served slightly chilled.
At the other end of the spectrum is the full bodied and rich merlot style typically found in California's Napa Valley, Washington state's Columbia Valley, Western Australia and the Barossa or Coonawarra valleys of South Australia. Top classified growth merlot from Bordeaux, like those of St. Emilion and Pomerol, also fall into merlot's big boy category. The distinguishing characteristic of the full bodied style is suppleness and convincing depth of flavor. Full bodied merlot is normally quite tannic when young and requires at least four years of aging to begin to show its charm. Pair full bodied merlot with richer and more complex foods, especially lamb, beef game and duck. Creamy, pungent cheeses are another good bet. For me, the classic New Orleans combination of duck confit and grillades is the perfect match for an aged merlot softened with time and brought around to its peak of perfection.
Between the light fruity style and full rich style of merlot there is the happy medium, which is rich and displays some evident tannin but is ready to enjoy at around four years of age. You can usually spot these wines by their price. Typically from California, Chile, and New Zealand, these merlots are neither cheap nor expensive and typically bear the names of large appellations rather than small. Fresh herbs and veal in brown or wine sauces, and cassoulet are great choices for medium bodied merlot. These are the kinds of merlot I reach for when choosing a red wine to accompany mildly spiced Asian food, Middle Eastern and Tex Mex dishes.
When cooking with merlot or pairing merlot with food, remember that rosemary, tarragon, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, black pepper, soy sauce and mushrooms are complementary herbs and spices that always seem to work best.
So before you reflexively turn up your nose at merlot because it's fashionable to pan the grape variety, take some time to explore this ostracized grape for its silky smooth, rich and approachable wines that work so well with so many foods. Your odds are much better at finding a great merlot at a great price than any other red wine, and the prices of merlot are usually quite modest in comparison to cabernet sauvignon and especially pinot noir.

Sorry Miles.