Riesling
Walla Walla AVA
Photo Credit: Washington State Wine/ Andrea Johnson Photography
Merlot is the world’s second most planted grape. In single varietal wine, Merlot is valued for its ripeness and smooth mouthfeel. In blends, it is a popular pairing partner for the world’s most planted grape, Cabernet Sauvignon, as it helps to deintensify tannins. Compared to Cabernet Sauvignon, it is more approachable when young.
Origins
Merlot originated from a cross between Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes.1 It was originally called Merlau, from its resemblance in color to the blue-black plumage of the blackbird, known as “merle” in French. This early mention was in the notes of a local Bordeaux official who, in 1784, labeled wine made from the grape in the Libournais region as one of the area's best.2 Merlot was part of California’s planting boom of the 1970s, and plantings soared between 1987 and 1997. During that period, Merlot acreage grew faster than that of any other variety with exception of Viognier.3 Its growth was also boosted by the “French Paradox”
episode of 60 minutes, which alluded to the French drinking a lot of red wine and living longer because of it. However, demand in the United States decreased after the movie Sideways. This didn’t slow Merlot as an international staple. Between 2000 and 2010, Merlot’s acreage grew from the fifth most planted varietal to the second most planted, trailing only Cabernet Sauvignon.4
Merlot originated from a cross between Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes.1 It was originally called Merlau, from its resemblance in color to the blue-black plumage of the blackbird, known as “merle” in French. This early mention was in the notes of a local Bordeaux official who, in 1784, labeled wine made from the grape in the Libournais region as one of the area's best.2 Merlot was part of California’s planting boom of the 1970s, and plantings soared between 1987 and 1997. During that period, Merlot acreage grew faster than that of any other variety with exception of Viognier.3 Its growth was also boosted by the “French Paradox”
episode of 60 minutes, which alluded to the French drinking a lot of red wine and living longer because of it. However, demand in the United States decreased after the movie Sideways. This didn’t slow Merlot as an international staple. Between 2000 and 2010, Merlot’s acreage grew from the fifth most planted varietal to the second most planted, trailing only Cabernet Sauvignon.4
Common Synonyms:
- Merlot
Growing Characteristic
- Merlot’s popularity is owed to its resistance to drought, allowing it to thrive in a wide range of temperatures and soils.
- Merlot thrives in well drained, soil that is composed of ferrous clay.
- Pyrazine (pepper and green pepper aromas) can be reduced through defoliation around the grape zone. As the thicker the leaves are during the ripening period, the higher is the
pyrazine content.
International Style/ Single Varietal
Terroir
- Grapes are picked as late as possible, which allows them to ripen to “physiological ripeness”. This means the grapes are allowed to turn intensely purple, shrivel and their stalks turn brown and woody.
- Allowing for extended ripening compared to the “Bordeaux Style” develops additional sugar in the grapes, which creates wines with higher alcohol content with velvety tannins. These wines are often matured in new oak to add toasty flavours.
- Flavor Notes
• Fruits: Black plum, blackberry, fig
• Aromatic Notes: Vanilla, baking spices, chocolate and cedar
- Grapes are harvested based upon sugar ripeness, which is measured by the brix of the grapes. Harvesting based upon sugar content is done to preserve the acidity of the grape.
- The blend contains Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to make this style more tannic than the international style of Merlot.
- Flavor Notes
• Fruits: Red fruit of raspberries, cherry, red plum, as well as blackberry.
• Herbs and Spices: Licorice, tobacco, violet, mint due to Pyrazines being more prevalent than in warm climate
Terroir
- In a cooler climate, wines are more floral with tropical fruit and melon flavors.
- In warmer climates, flavors are more citrusy with herbal notes.
- Wine Characteristics
- Sugar: Dry.
- Alcohol: Medium high. 13% to 15.5% Alcohol by Volume.
- Acid: Medium
- Body: Medium to full body
- Tannins: Medium tannins
- Oak Usage: Yes
Styles
Cellaring:
Glass Type: Standard White Wine Glass
Serving Temperature:
- Unoaked Sauvignon Blanc is meant to be drank young
- Oaked Sauvignon Blanc, like high quality wines from Pessac- Leognan can be aged for 10+ years
- Sauternes can be aged for 5 to 40 years and even longer
Glass Type: Standard White Wine Glass
Serving Temperature:
- Unoaked 46° F
- Oaked 52° F
- Sweet: 48.2-53.6° F
Dry Styles
Protein
Fruits and Vegetables
Cheese
Protein
- *Merlot based Bordeaux blends are more tannic than single varietal Merlot due to the inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon
- Single Varietal: Roast Beef, Filet Mignon, lean meats like venison. Seafood like swordfish steaks and tuna steaks
- Merlot Based Bordeaux Blend: roast duck, roast chicken, pork, veal
Fruits and Vegetables
- Mushrooms, garlic, caramelized onions, tomatoes, plums
- Tomato sauce
Cheese
- Parmesan, Romano, Cheddar, Blue Cheese, Gorgonzola, Gouda, Brie, Swiss, or Camembert.
France, the Old World Standard |
Pomerol |
Saint Émilion |
Rainfall |
36.7 inches of annual rainfall |
36.7 inches of annual rainfall |
Elevation |
Sea level to 177 ft |
Sea level to 177 ft |
Mean Temperature Summer Winter |
Winkler II Daily maximum:87° F (February) Daily minimum: 54° F (February) Daily maximum: 61° F (July) Daily minimum: 37° F (July) |
Winkler II Daily maximum: 87° F (February) Daily minimum: 54° F (February) Daily maximum: 61° F (July) Daily minimum: 37° F (July) |
Soil |
Gravelly and sandy rock surface mixed with iron oxides, known as “crasse de fer”. |
Center: limestone plateau surrounded by chalky soils with a clay-loam texture. Northwest: sandy layer on top of rather clay-like soils. |
Characteristics |
The wines tend to be richer, with a spicier, blackberry fruit character than that of Saint Emilion. (WSET) |
The wines have medium to high tannins but, compared with the more structured wines of the Left Bank, they have a soft and rich mouthfeel with complex red berry fruit and plum aromas. As they evolve, notes of tobacco and cedar appear. The vineyards on sandy soils at the foot of the escarpment are typically a source of lighter-bodied, less prestigious wines. (WSET) |
AOC Website |
vins-pomerol.fr |
vins-saint-emilion.com/en |
*Sauvignon Blanc from France will typically have a region name and not a grape varietal on the lablel.
Photo Credit: Loire Valley Wine/ Osmany Tavares
|
Photo Credit: Bordeaux-tourism.co.uk
|
Cool Regions |
Napa Valley |
Sonoma Valley (Bennet Valley) |
Walla Walla Valley AVA Washington State |
Climate |
Winkler III to Winkler IV |
Winkler III |
Winkler III to Winkler IIV |
Rainfall |
27.99 inches per year |
23.6 to 79.75 inches |
7 inches. Vines require irrigation |
Elevation |
1538.71 ft |
400 to 1100 ft |
1,411 to 6,562 ft |
Mean Temperature Summer Winter |
Daily maximum: 75° F (Jan) Daily minimum: 53° F (Jan) Daily maximum: 55° F (July) Daily minimum: 35° F (July) |
Daily maximum: 81° F (February) Daily minimum: 60° F (February) Daily maximum: 64° F (July) Daily minimum: 43° F (July) |
Daily maximum: 91° F (February) Daily minimum: 65° F (February) Daily maximum: 59° F (July) Daily minimum: 54° F (July) |
Soil |
The diverse soils and meso-climates |
More of an alluvial bench than a valley, volcanic activity created both the diverse topography and a wide range of soil types, exposures and terrains. The volcanic history of the landscape defines the soils: steep, rocky soils with good drainage encourage deep roots and intense flavors without dilution. |
Most soils in the Columbia Valley are clay-poor due to the limited amount of rainfall. Exceptions can be found in Walla Walla Valley, which receives a substantially higher amount of annual precipitation than the rest of the Columbia Valley due to the area’s proximity to the Blue Mountains. A number of winemakers have stated they believe this is one of the reasons Walla Walla Valley creates such high quality Merlot. |
Characteristics |
Pungently aromatic, vividly pure fruit, herbaceous and exotically tropical, plus mineral depths. There are more herbaceous and mineral styles from the Awatere Valley and the riper, tropical, more pungent style from the main Wairau Valley sub-regions. |
Bennett Valley Merlot offers rich fruit and chocolate flavors as well as structure and balance so often missing in this variety when grown in warmer climates. You’ll commonly find more exotic scents as well: cherry cola, sandalwood and licorice meld with white pepper and intriguing spice notes on a long, luscious finish. (bvgg.org) |
The signature of Washington Merlot is that there is considerably more tannin structure than is found elsewhere in the world. Unlike in other regions across the world where winemakers blend in Merlot to soften Cabernet Sauvignon, in Washington, the opposite is often true. In fact, people who try Washington Merlots blind often mistake it for Cabernet Sauvignon because the wines have so much structure. However, the wines still do have great varietal typicity in terms of the fruit profile, showing aromas and flavors of red fruit, typically raspberry and perhaps red cherry, along with a signature cocoa or chocolate note. These wines also lack Washington Cabernet’s dried herb notes, which can be another way to distinguish them given that both bring substantial amounts of tannin. Beyond tannin structure, comparing Washington Merlots specifically to Napa Valley, Washington is less ripe in style, with more acid structure due to the state’s large diurnal shift. |
AVA Website |
napavintners.com |
sonomawine.com |
washingtonwine.org |
Other Notable Regions
Resources and Additional Reading
1. J-M. Boursiquot; T. Lacombe; V. Laucou; S. Julliard; F-X. Perrin; N.
Lanier; D. Legrand; C. Meredith; P. This (2009). "Parentage of Merlot and related winegrape cultivars of southwestern France: discovery of the missing link". Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research.
2. J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz. "Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours" pgs 630-634, Allen Lane 2012 ISBN 978-1-846-14446-2
3. Sweet, Nancy. The Black Grapes of Bordeaux, Regents of the University
of California, July 2018, fps.ucdavis.edu/grapebook/winebook.cfm?chap=Bordeaux.
4. K. Anderson, S. Nelgen. Which Winegrape Varieties are Grown Where? Pg. 93.
5. Wine and Spirit Education Trust. Understanding wines: Explaining style and quality. 2016 Edition
- Spain: Catalonia, Castilla - La Mancha
- Chile: Central Valley Regions of: Maipo Valley, Maule Valley, Colchagua Valley
- Australia: Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale
- New Zealand: Hawke’s Bay
Resources and Additional Reading
1. J-M. Boursiquot; T. Lacombe; V. Laucou; S. Julliard; F-X. Perrin; N.
Lanier; D. Legrand; C. Meredith; P. This (2009). "Parentage of Merlot and related winegrape cultivars of southwestern France: discovery of the missing link". Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research.
2. J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz. "Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours" pgs 630-634, Allen Lane 2012 ISBN 978-1-846-14446-2
3. Sweet, Nancy. The Black Grapes of Bordeaux, Regents of the University
of California, July 2018, fps.ucdavis.edu/grapebook/winebook.cfm?chap=Bordeaux.
4. K. Anderson, S. Nelgen. Which Winegrape Varieties are Grown Where? Pg. 93.
5. Wine and Spirit Education Trust. Understanding wines: Explaining style and quality. 2016 Edition
Alternatives to Sauvignon Blanc
• Single Varietal Alternatives
Chennin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Torrontes, Verdejo,
Verdicchio, Verdejo
• Blends
Vouvray (from Chennin Blanc)
Additional Reading
Overview of Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaking and Viticulture of Sauvignon Blanc
Pessac-Léognan Wine
• Single Varietal Alternatives
Chennin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Torrontes, Verdejo,
Verdicchio, Verdejo
• Blends
Vouvray (from Chennin Blanc)
Additional Reading
Overview of Sauvignon Blanc
- Wikipedia.org. Sauvignon Blanc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauvignon_blanc
- Janis Robinson. Sauvignon Blanc. www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape varieties/white/sauvignon-blanc
Winemaking and Viticulture of Sauvignon Blanc
- University of California Davis. Sauvignon Blanc. http://iv.ucdavis.edu/files/24360.pdf
- Goode, Jamie. Thiolsand and Beyond, The Science of Sauvignon Blanc. www.wineanorak.com/thiolsandbeyond.htm
Pessac-Léognan Wine
- Robinson, Janis. The persistent whites of Pessac-Léognan. www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/the-persistent-whites-ofpessaclognan
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