I remember the first time I witnessed the scene in Sideways. I used to be a sophomore in high school on a first date. I heard Miles shout his point of view of Merlot, andI knew that wine drinkers were going to take this drunk and sad fictional creation seriously.
Although nationally Merlot remains the best selling red wine in America, at Colonial Spirits Pinot Noir has taken over as the accepted standard. I can not tell you how frequently I meet folks who, on learning that I study wine as both a hobby and profession, immediately deride Merlot with this type of "See, I am on the team" earnestness that, frankly, I find displeasing. The unhappy truth is that there is plenty of nasty Merlot out there, but the grape can not help that. It is people getting in the way that makes Merlot bad.
Historically, Merlot has been employed as a element in a mix, frequently as the star of the group. Its full body and plummy fruit character are appealing, and its mild acidity makes it more receptive than plenty of other grapes. Other varietals were added to the equation to add more complexity, not to cover up a fault.
In the US, Merlot took off in the early 90s as a reaction to the medical finding that drinking red wine could help reduce the risk of coronary disease. Naturally, the nation did not have as many wine drinkers then as it does now, and so many companies had to make easier, softer, rather wimpy wines to ease the new market into the product. That's the base of the problem.
Fast forward to today though, and the anti-Merlot movement is just silly. For every boring droopy Merlot from the Central Valley, there are as many fascinating examples from Washington, France, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, and the list goes on. I don't wear Omega watches and Tom Ford suits because James Bond does, and I do not let movie characters pick my wines for me.
If there is any doubt about what I say though, savour this heavenly additional piece of irony the Sideways writers included for the true cork dorks watching. The bottle of Cheval-Blanc that Miles treasures, that he drinks alone from a paper cup in a burger joint when his world has slumped around him... It's a Merlot.
Although nationally Merlot remains the best selling red wine in America, at Colonial Spirits Pinot Noir has taken over as the accepted standard. I can not tell you how frequently I meet folks who, on learning that I study wine as both a hobby and profession, immediately deride Merlot with this type of "See, I am on the team" earnestness that, frankly, I find displeasing. The unhappy truth is that there is plenty of nasty Merlot out there, but the grape can not help that. It is people getting in the way that makes Merlot bad.
Historically, Merlot has been employed as a element in a mix, frequently as the star of the group. Its full body and plummy fruit character are appealing, and its mild acidity makes it more receptive than plenty of other grapes. Other varietals were added to the equation to add more complexity, not to cover up a fault.
In the US, Merlot took off in the early 90s as a reaction to the medical finding that drinking red wine could help reduce the risk of coronary disease. Naturally, the nation did not have as many wine drinkers then as it does now, and so many companies had to make easier, softer, rather wimpy wines to ease the new market into the product. That's the base of the problem.
Fast forward to today though, and the anti-Merlot movement is just silly. For every boring droopy Merlot from the Central Valley, there are as many fascinating examples from Washington, France, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, and the list goes on. I don't wear Omega watches and Tom Ford suits because James Bond does, and I do not let movie characters pick my wines for me.
If there is any doubt about what I say though, savour this heavenly additional piece of irony the Sideways writers included for the true cork dorks watching. The bottle of Cheval-Blanc that Miles treasures, that he drinks alone from a paper cup in a burger joint when his world has slumped around him... It's a Merlot.
About the Author:
Patrick Suleski has been with Colonial Spirits since the beginning of 2008. Patrick studied to become a Sommelier in Florence, Italy, before moving to the US to pursue wine as a career. Extraordinarily capable with his wine selections, Patrick can also help decide what food to pair with your favourite wine and can likely tell you which blues artist is jamming over the store's speakers. Click here to have a look at Colonial Spirits' website.
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