Sideways, which came out in 2004, did a number on the popularity of Merlot. As you probably remember, the star of the movie, Miles, loved Pinot Noir and hated Merlot. Miles was anal retentive, and so is Pinot Noir. So the two were a perfect match. Merlot, on the other hand, is easy to grow, easy to pair with food, and easy for people to enjoy. It’s definitely not a good wine for anal-retentive types like Miles. So the big question today is whether Merlot is hot or not.
Sources for This Article
For this article, I collected information from the following sites:
The Popularity of Merlot
Merlot is the most planted grape in France, the second most planted grape in the US, and the fifth most planted grape in the world. This grape clearly has a following around the world.
Finding the Good Stuff
Because it’s such an easy grape to grow, there’s a lot of cheap commercial Merlot available, contributing to its bad reputation. But there’s a ton of good Merlot available too. It’s all about finding the good stuff. Many people say that, because of the clay and limestone soil, and the early ripening, the best Merlot is grown in the French appellations of Pomerol and St. Emilion.
Flavor Profile
Known for being soft, ripe and elegant, most Merlots are easy drinking reds that go well both with food and on their own. The wine is known for its supple, velvety tannins and round black cherry and plum flavors.
Two Distinctive Styles
This grape tastes quite different, depending on the climate where it is grown. It can be a lot of fun to do a tasting where you compare cool-climate and warm-climate Merlots. Here is what to look for.
| Cool Climate | Warm Climate | |
| Tannins and Acidity | Higher tannins and acidity | Lower tannins and acidity |
| Flavors | Earthy, tobacco, tar, subtle fresh red fruit | Fruit forward, juicy, dark fruit flavors such as blackberries, cherries and plums, leather and cocoa notes |
| Interesting Note | Can be mistaken for a Cabernet | Less likely to be mistaken for a Cabernet |
| Harvesting | Earlier | Later |
| Alcohol Levels | Moderate | Higher |
| Examples | St. Emilion, Pomerol | Napa Valley, Paso Robles |
Food Pairings
Merlot is a flexible wine when it comes to pairing. Most people say that it works best with meat dishes. As a vegetarian, I find a lot of vegetarian dishes that work too, especially meaty-styled stews.
Merlot can be tough to pair with fish, leafy green vegetables and spicy dishes.
I would love to hear your experiences tasting cool-climate vs. warm-climate Merlots. I’d also love to hear what your favorite Merlots are.
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2 comments
Never really agreed with Miles. He should have said that he wouldn’t drink any “crappy” or “cheap” Merlot. The irony of Sideways is that it has lead to a lot of cheap or crappy Pinot Noir out in the market. Anyone who buys a $5.99 California Pinot Noir is just uneducated, if they think it is automatically better just because it is labeled Pinot Noir. It is 75% inexpensive Pinot Noir, blended with other red wine like Syrah, Zin, or even Merlot!! As far as Merlot’s to drink, I find Chateau Ste. Michelle a reliable choice. Cameron Hughes also produces some nice ones, usually from Napa or Sonoma. I also like Right Bank Bordeaux. I like to find one that is 80% or more Merlot.
John, thanks for your great comment. I agree with you on all fronts. But I’ve never found a $5.99 Pinot. You can’t call it Pinot unless 75% of the juice is Pinot. And that juice is far too expensive to allow for a low price of $5.99. If I saw such a price, I’d run away. Thanks for the Merlot recommendations. Grapely appreciated!