It all started with a weekend excursion. For most of my twenties, I had an interest in wine but was satisfied to lightly scratch the surface, attending a class or two at the local wine store, reading an article every now and then, tasting wine with my friends. On a trip to wine country, I finally decided to cross the beams of my personal and professional life and pursue an education in wine.

My sister and eternal wine-tasting partner wanted to go to wine country for her birthday, so we drove the three hours or so from Spokane, Washington, to Walla Walla. It was late morning on our way out of town when we decided to make one more stop before we headed back. After all, to drive to Walla Walla and not visit College Cellars, the student-run tasting room of the Institute for Enology and Viticulture, is like refusing dessert at your last meal.

One of the students approached us and asked if we’d like a taste of the winery’s most recent Merlot vintage. While I was not particularly wild about the variety, she spoke with such passion when describing the wine that I couldn’t wait to try a glass. I later found out she’d had a hand in making it.

Instead of two glasses, our blue jeans and flannel shirt–clad host set before us two paper cups. Before I had time to tap into my layperson’s snobbery at not being provided a glass, she dove into her presentation. The grapes had been harvested from the college’s estate vineyard only last year, so the wine produced was still in barrel, not properly aged yet. However, the tasting room staff had spirited away a couple of bottles worth to offer guests.

So, there I was, drinking young wine from a paper cup at roughly 10 in the morning. It wasn’t quite the glamorous, ceremonious experience that had drawn me to wine, but I was in the company of my steadfast tasting partner and a guest of a most gracious and professional host. It was enough to make me apply to the Institute for Enology and Viticulture myself.

Back then, I had a thing or two to learn about wine culture. And now, after two years as a student of wine, I know there is still a third thing out there I have yet to discover.

The post One Tasting Experience Led me to Study Enology appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Washington: Merlot’s Star Rises Again 

In the 1990s, Merlot had a star turn in Washington. At the time, it was the young winegrowing region’s most produced red variety, feted with high scores and cover stories. Some said Washington was the best place outside Bordeaux for the grape. 

The attention was well deserved. Washington Merlot is truly distinctive.

“The things people love about Merlot are it has fat and breadth of palate, as well as precision of fruit,” says Chris Figgins, president/director of winemaking at Leonetti Cellar in Walla Walla Valley. “That last part I think is what Washington does better than elsewhere. It has this levity and precision of fruit.” 

That comes from eastern Washington’s desert climate.   

“You have plenty of nice warm days, but you have cool nights,” says David Merfeld, winemaker at Northstar Winery, founded in 1994 to focus on Merlot.  

Those warm days lead to ripe, opulent red fruit aromas and flavors. Cool nights help lock in acidity to keep the fruit in focus, a challenge in some other warm climate regions. 

While Merlot can sometimes be soft and simple, Washington offerings bring considerably more structural heft. To wit, in most other regions, Merlot is blended in to soften Cabernet Sauvignon. Here, the opposite can be true.  

Merfeld also uses whole-berry fermentation and cooler ferment temperatures to keep the variety’s firmer profile in Washington in check. 

“That definitely helps to soften the wines,” he says. 

Come the turn of the millennium, Washington Merlot seemed on the edge of true stardom. It was discussed as the state’s “signature variety,” the one grape that might come to define its wines.  

Then things went Sideways. Figgins says the 2004 movie “definitely hurt Merlot.” 

Simultaneously, Syrah, a relative newcomer to the state, elbowed its way onto center stage. Other new varieties soon vied for attention, too. Nationally, Cabernet Sauvignon sales surged, and Washington growers and winemakers took notice. Cabernet production surpassed Merlot in 2006, and the state has never looked back. 

Still, while the grape’s fate was altered, Washington Merlot remains as distinctive, high quality and attention-worthy as it was 20 years ago. Recent vintages are a reminder that the variety shines in the state. 

“I don’t think anybody does it better than Washington State for Merlot,” says Merfeld. “This is the spot.”  

Merlot excels in a number of appellations, particularly Walla Walla Valley. 

“Walla Walla is a bit cooler than many parts of the [Columbia] basin, with heavier soils,” says Figgins. “Northern Walla Walla Valley especially is a sweet spot for Merlot. That’s where it seems to develop power and density.” 

Washington offerings are not only notable for their distinctive profile and quality, they’re also often well priced. 

“I’ve had some really good Merlot from Italy and from France, and from other places, but they are usually pretty expensive,” says Merfeld. “There’s some great quality Merlot in Washington at different prices.” 

Wine lovers seem to be taking notice. It may have taken more than 15 years, but people are remembering what they loved about Washington Merlot in the first place. 

“It seems like people have gotten over the whole Sideways effect, and Merlot is kind of cool again,” says Figgins. “It’s like, ‘Oh, we forgot we liked this.’ ”—Sean Sullivan 

Washington Bottles to Try

Mark Ryan 2018 Little Sister Merlot (Red Mountain); $75, 94 points. Generous aromas of plum, raspberry, mocha, spice and flecks of herb are followed by layered, outrageously delicious fruit flavors. There’s plenty of midpalate richness and depth but also freshness. It hangs on for a long time on the finish. Give it time in the cellar to see it at its best. Best after 2024. Cellar Selection. –S.S.

Leonetti Cellar 2018 Merlot (Walla Walla Valley). $85, 93 points. This wine is 100% varietal—what a glorious example of Merlot. Aromas of dark-raspberry compote, plum, dark chocolate and cedar are followed by textured, layered, rich flavors that a firm spine of tannins stands up. Lovely acidity brightens it. –S.S.

Prospice 2017 Merlot (Walla Walla Valley); $50, 93 points. This is one of the inaugural releases from the winery, with most of the fruit coming from Golden Ridge Vineyard. The aromas are reserved, with notes of dark chocolate, red fruit, earth and spice, not yet fully ready to reveal their charms. The palate, on the other hand, has it all—texture, layering, structure, sophistication and detail. An extended finish caps it off. It’s a knee-buckler. Give it some additional time in the bottle. Best after 2024. Cellar Selection. –S.S.

Luke 2018 Merlot (Wahluke Slope); $25, 92 points. The aromas pop, with notes of dark raspberry, chocolate and cherry, showing a bright sense of varietal purity. Ripe, full-bodied, layered fruit flavors follow, with the acidity bringing a lot of freshness and exquisite balance. It lingers on the finish. Delicious and fruit filled, with plenty of structure, it’s hedonism at its best—a surefire crowd pleaser. Give a short decant if drinking in the near term. Editors’ Choice. –S.S.

Seven Hills Winery 2017 Merlot (Walla Walla Valley); $25, 92 points.  The aromas provide appeal, with notes of pure raspberry, red currant, baking spice and milk chocolate. The medium-bodied palate shows a sense of deftness to the fruit and barrel flavors. It’s a terrific example of the variety. Editors’ Choice. –S.S.

Novelty Hill 2017 Merlot (Columbia Valley); $23, 90 points. The coffee, dark chocolate, cherry and herb aromas bring appeal. Plump, rounded fruit and barrel flavors follow. Lightly grainy tannins provide support. Best after 2023. –S.S.

California: Keeping Cool in the Napa Valley 

While the Napa Valley has long been famous for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is an important supporting player. It accounts for 4,294 acres, or 9% of its total acreage, which makes it the most significant red grape after Cab.  

Often used in blends to soften grippy tannins, Merlot is also an important standalone variety for many producers like Duckhorn. Its Three Palms Vineyard bottling has made a statement for the grape since 1978. Beringer, Chappellet, Pahlmeyer, Mayacamas and La Jota Vineyard are other Merlot names to know.  

The grape is picky about where it lives. It prefers rocky, well-drained soils and not a lot of heat. There, it’s better able to develop bright fruit aromas and the soft, supple mouthfeel that make the wines so attractive.  

Thanks to the growing ascendency of Cabernet (and, of course, Sideways), producers dedicated to the grape worked on eliminating its previous mediocrity. Increasingly, it’s farmed in well-chosen places across the Napa Valley, with cooler-climate Carneros a standout. 

It excels in the rolling hills of vineyard at Hudson Ranch, where Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Rhône varieties also thrive. The Merlot sourced by Arietta Wine was planted there in 1986 from Three Palms’ clonal material, and it’s incredibly complex. 

The grape excels equally at 1,800 feet above sea level at Bancroft Ranch on Howell Mountain, a vineyard designate for Beringer since 1987. —Virginie Boone 

Napa Bottles to Try 

Arietta 2018 Hudson Vineyards Merlot (Napa Valley); $75, 95 points. This is a deliciously memorable Merlot, youthful in tannin and oak, with an herbal, earthy elegance that remains lengthy on the palate. Dark chocolate, crushed rock and beautiful black fruit balance against each other and provide substance and great style. Editors’ Choice. —V.B.

Beringer 2017 Bancroft Ranch Merlot (Howell Mountain); $90, 92 points. Robust in chalky tannin and a broad swath of red currant, plum and cherry, this wine is powerfully structured and ripe, with fistfuls of clove, mocha and black pepper. From a warm vintage and a mountain appellation, it will do well in the cellar; enjoy best from 2027 through 2030. Cellar Selection. —V.B.

Different Styles Mark Sonoma 

Less planted across this diverse county than Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel, Merlot accounts for about 4,000 of the county’s 59,000 acres of grapes.  

It does well in the relatively warm—but not too warm—appellations of Bennett Valley, Chalk Hill and Sonoma Valley. The latter is where Gundlach Bundschu has farmed it for generations, harvesting spicy red fruit from the cooler areas of its estate, and lush black fruit from the warmer parts. 

Pride Winery’s offerings show Merlot’s grasp of structure and power. Its grapes come from 2,000 feet up at a mountainside site on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas. The winery, which borders the Spring Mountain appellation, bottled its first vintage in 1991.  

Winemaker David Jeffrey of Calluna Vineyards finds inspiration at another high-elevation site in Chalk Hill, in an estate Merlot block devoted to Bordeaux’s Alain Raynaud, with whom Jeffrey once worked with Raynaud in Pomerol and St-Émilion. Calluna’s site is relatively cool, with maximum sunshine, excellent drainage and minimal frost exposure.  

Along Westside Road in the Russian River Valley, Oded Shakked of Longboard Vineyards gets similarly soft, supple and complex Merlot from his DaKine Vineyard, field-blended with Malbec. It’s a great example of Sonoma County Merlot’s consistent excellent value. Look for bottles from Kendall-Jackson, St. Francis Winery and Folie à Deux. —V.B. 

Sonoma Bottles to Try 

Calluna 2017 Aux Raynauds Merlot (Chalk Hill); $40, 94 points. Blended with 14% Cabernet Franc, this is an herbal, classically structured wine, with enduring elegance and class. Tart and tangy red fruit is lifted by underlying acidity and girded in a pushy tannic structure that is still unwinding. Enjoy 2025–2030. Cellar Selection.  —V.B. 

Longboard 2017 DaKine Vineyard Merlot (Russian River Valley); $36, 90 points. Blended with 16% Malbec, this red is hearty and high toned, expressing tense, focused layers of red currant, cranberry and plum. It maintains an energy across the palate, finishing in a hit of dark chocolate. —V.B. 

Central Coast Recovers its Reputation 

The Central Coast, specifically Santa Barbara, served as the setting for the greatest assault ever levied on any grape variety. It was perpetrated by the hit film Sideways, which lampooned Merlot. It depressed the Merlot market nationwide and sent much of the widely planted variety into grocery store blends.  

Since then, the Central Coast has been dominated by two types of Merlot: cheaper, often bland, usually mass-produced versions that reinforce the Sideways sentiment, and carefully constructed, boutique bottlings that showcase the grape’s delicate ability to translate terroir.  

Steve McIntyre, whose company Monterey Pacific farms more than 12,000 vineyard acres, says land devoted to the grape has steadily declined since, but 2020 might have marked a turning point.  This season was the first in a decade where I actually started to see some demand,” he says.  

For Santa Barbara Merlot makers, “there’s a little bit of vengeance there, let’s be honest,” says Bradley Long of Grassini Family Vineyard. When he started there in 2014, previous winemakers had ripped out most of its Merlot. He saw potential, however, and it’s now one of the producer’s most expensive offerings.  

“Merlot just shows the more delicate side of Bordeaux,” he says. “It doesn’t need to be this big red wine. I do prefer fruit-driven, floral, light wines over any giant red any day of the week. Merlot exists within that realm.” 

As general manager of Au Bon Climat, Jim Adelman has overseen a Pinot Noir- and Chardonnay-centric winery since 1991. But Merlot grown at Bien Nacido Vineyard, in the cool Santa Maria Valley, is the heart of his own boutique label, Makor, largely just available in the region. He uses whole clusters in his fermentations, which he says is common at Bordeaux benchmarks like Pétrus.  

“That adds a whole lot of complexity, which is what a lot of modern Merlot lacks,” says Adelman. —Matt Kettmann 

Central Coast Bottles to Try 

Grassini Family Vineyards 2018 Merlot (Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara); $80, 95 points. Black-cherry and light clove aromas meet with a delicately layered wood-spice array on the nose of this bottling, which is immediately appealing and accessible. There’s a tightness to the tannins on the palate and yet it remains a generous wine, offering bright red fruits, sandalwood and spiced toast amidst fresh and fun acidity. —M.K 

Broadside 2018 Margarita Vineyard Merlot (Paso Robles); $18, 93 points. Intense aromas of baked black cherry, red berries, star anise and mace are deliciously fruit-forward on the nose of this bottling. The wine lands with a ripe quality on the palate, offering that rich and dark-cherry and mulberry character, but also presenting white pepper and minty tarragon. —M.K. 

Empire State of Merlot  

Merlot is grown across many of New York’s varied wine regions, from the Finger Lakes to the Niagara Escarpment, but nowhere is it more prevalent than Long Island, where it accounts for about one-third of total plantings.  

The eastern end of the island, about a two-hour drive from New York City, is dotted with bucolic farmhouse vistas interspersed with rows of vines, some of which have been there nearly half a century.  

The region is fraught with high humidity throughout the growing season and threats of hurricanes in late summer and early fall, which means that consistency from vintage to vintage can be elusive.  

However, the fickle maritime climate and sandy, well-draining soils have proven hospitable to many Bordeaux varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. None show more consistency than Merlot, a grape that reaches peak ripeness earlier and more reliably than others.  

Varietal and blended bottlings that incorporate Merlot can be found in nearly all of Long Island’s 70-plus wineries. The hallmark plushness, supple tannins and rich, plummy fruit are all here, along with a burgeoning sense of place that’s exciting to see in an evolving wine region. —Alexander Peartree 

New York Bottles to Try 

Harbes 2015 Proprietor’s Reserve Hallock Lane Merlot (North Fork of Long Island); $48, 92 points. Dense aromas of blackberry and dark plum meld with integrated accents of cocoa, mentholated herbs and moss in this structured Merlot. It’s full in feel on the palate, framed by velvety tannins and pulsing acidity. A plush plum flavor is studded with a mix of herbs and spices, while an energetic, lingering finish indicates this will hold well in the cellar. Drink through 2028. —A.P

Lenz 2015 Estate Selection Unfined Unfiltered Merlot (North Fork of Long Island); $35, 92 points. A concentrated, dense nose carries aromas of black plum, soy, crushed herbs and cocoa, making for a pleasing mix of savory, earthy and rich fruit tones. It’s plush in feel, framed by glossy tannins and driving acidity. Energetic flavors of plum, currant and herbs extend on the lingering finish, indicating that this has a bit of longevity in the cellar. Drink through 2030. Cellar Selection. —A.P.

A Long History in Virginia 

The Virginia wine industry is full of false starts and heartbreaks from as far back as the early 1600s, but the region didn’t really start to get going until the 1970s.  

When talking about Virginia wine, Thomas Jefferson’s name inevitably comes up. The U.S. president, Francophile and wine aficionado cofounded Jefferson Vineyards here in 1774. He also nearly fell into bankruptcy buying French wines, so it’s no surprise that traditional Bordeaux grapes like Merlot are planted across the state’s eight American Viticultural Areas (AVAs).  

The climate in Virginia is challenging. Frost plagues the winter, while humidity and oppressive heat dominate the growing season. Careful choice in a vineyard site is not just the key to success, but to survival. All that heat gives the grapes heft, and Merlot here stays true in style to its Bordeaux roots, with soft and generous fruit flavors. But it also carries a pioneering edge with more angles and acidity, creating arguably more interesting and challenging expressions of the grape. —Fiona Adams 

Virginia Bottles to Try 

Narmada 2017 Merlot (Virginia); $35, 91 points.  An expressive nose exudes foraged raspberry, blackberry and black currant matched by clove, holly and forest floor, touched with accents of vanilla and creosote. Juicy cherry and raspberry are quickly pushed aside by a decadent tobacco tone. The acidity is agile, and the tannins are velvety and sumptuous. Peppery spice on the finish lengthens the palate while tannin and acidity race endlessly. —F.A. 

The Williamsburg Winery 2017 Reserve Merlot (Virginia); $40, 90 points.  Cigar box and weathered oak smother vanilla and black raspberry aromas, but become less domineering with time in the glass. The palate is more generous in fresh cranberry, raspberry and red apple peel flavors. Sandy tannins shape the structure, with oak tones hovering just below the surface. The finish rests heavily on the tart acidity, highlighting and lengthening the apple peel tone. —F.A. 

Colorado’s Fresh Approach 

Colorado may seem like the ideal place to grow grapes. Its high elevation can help keep humidity at bay and offer warm sunny days and cool breezy nights. That height brings its own challenges with ripeness, though. Some wines threaten to be as thin as the air. Merlot, however, flourishes here and remains one of the most popular varieties.  

Look for a style that’s light and lifted, with tart red berries as bright as Colorado’s relentless sunny days and just as welcoming and laidback with good vibes only. —F.A. 

Colorado Bottles to Try

 The Winery At Holy Cross Abbey 2017 Merlot (Palisade); $28, 90 points.  The high-toned nose is sharp and spicy at first but mellows with time in the glass. It carries bouncy plum, cranberry and pomegranate notes with lots of bell pepper. Fresh, bright cherry juice takes the lead and powers straight through the finish, joined by pomegranate and raspberry flavors, with hints of cocoa powder and white pepper. The palate is silky, with a lazy river of acidity and light, powdery tannins. There is a dose of white pepper and vanilla on the finish. —F.A.

Varaison 2015 Bin 3115 Estate Reserve Palisade Vineyard Merlot (Grand Valley); $85, 89 points.  Medium ruby with some transparency, there are spicy aromas of tart red currants, cozy Madagascar vanilla, black cherry, green chilis and a deep undercurrent of cigar box. With time in the glass, dried plum and raisin aromas emerge. It opens with flavors of rich ripe plum, tart black cherry, tobacco leaf and vanilla. The tannins give a gentle grip on the midpalate and linger lightly, turning spicy on the finish. —F.A.

The post In These States, Merlot Is a Star in Its Own Right appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Blends from the Left Bank’s Médoc and Haut-Médoc offer elegant and balanced wines. The Right Bank regions like Montagne-Saint-Émilion and Castillon exude dense layers of fruit. Other larger region-wide appellations like Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérior combine the best elements of both banks into refined and juicy reds.

Enjoy these 10 Bordeaux red blends at a price that’s as pleasurable as the wines themselves.

Château la Tonnelle 2018 Cru Bourgeois (Haut-Médoc); $25, 93 points. This is already a delicious wine. Black fruits shine through the wood and tannin structure to promise a fine future. Rich while not at all overwhelming, the wine’s perfumes and black-currant flavors come from the high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. This is a wine to age well. Drink from 2024. Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits. Editors’ Choice. –Roger Voss

Château Grandchemin Monplaisir 2018 Saint-Estèphe; $30, 92 points. A ripe, elegant and balanced wine, this has some of the firm tannins associated with young Saint-Estèphe along with rich, perfumed blackberry fruits. Drink this blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from 2023. Monsieur Touton Selection. Editors’ Choice. ­–R.V.

Château Moulin des Richards 2018 Signature (Côtes de Bourg); $15, 92 points. This wine is dense and structured, with layers of tannins still very present. There’s a richness to the fruit that gives considerable potential to this still young wine. Drink from 2022. Mr. Wine. Best Buy. –R.V.

Château Haut-Vigneau 2018 Pessac-Léognan; $30, 92 points. The Perrin family of neighboring classed growth Château Carbonnieux has restored this estate, which now produces some impressive wines. This is elegant, structured, young and bold, with dark fruits and tannins that have potential. Drink this wine from 2023. Frederick Wildman & Sons, Ltd. Editors’ Choice. –R.V.

Château Reynon 2018 Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux; $25, 92 points. Owned since 1958 by global winemaking specialists, the Dubourdieu family, this elegant estate makes equally elegant wine. Bold ripe Merlot doesn’t disturb the wine’s equilibrium nourished by the perfumed Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in the blend. Drink this wine from 2022. AP Wine Imports. –R.V.

Château Le Gardera 2018 Cuvée Bio (Bordeaux Supérieur); $18, 91 points. On the southern slopes of the Entre-deux-Mers, this vineyard surrounds a grand 19th-century chateau. This organic wine offers rich tannins and powerful black fruits. Its structure will soften and the wine will be ready from 2021. Wineberry America LLC. Editors’ Choice. –R.V.

Château Malescasse 2017 Cru Bourgeois (Haut-Médoc); $22, 91 points. Elegant, ripe and balanced, this blend has almost equal proportions of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. That gives a structured wine from the Cru Bourgeois estate, juicy with Cabernet freshness and with potential for future aging. Rosenthal Wine Merchant. Drink from 2022. Rosenthal Wine Merchant. –R.V.

Château Teyssier 2018 Montagne-Saint-Émilion; $19, 91 points. Almost pure Merlot, this wine balanced contrasts black fruits with generous, unforced tannins. Blackberry flavors shine through the dry core that is just beginning to soften. Drink from 2022. Misa Imports. –R.V.

Vignobles Gonfrier 2018 Marquis de Bern (Bordeaux); $13, 91 points. A blend of parcels goes into this rich, full-bodied wine. Generous textures are still developing while the spicy black fruit is full of young tannins and bright acidity. Ripe and concentrated, the wine will likely be ready from 2021. Misa Imports. Best Buy. –R.V.

Château Hyot 2018 Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux; $20, 90 points. A ripe and spicy wine, this shows rich tannins and a solid texture. Juicy blackberry-jelly flavors lighten the load of richness and shed an attractive light on the wine’s fruitiness. Drink from 2021. Fruit of the Vines. –R.V.

The post Yes, Bordeaux Can Be a Bargain appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

What if you like unusual or funky wines made from lesser-known grapes from places off the beaten path? Maybe you just want a great deal, where excellence doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Where can you find all of these types of wines under one flag? The answer is Spain, the country with more acres of vineyards than any other wine-producing nation.

From the rolling hills of Rioja up to the high plains of Ribera del Duero, down to the coastal estuaries of Rías Baixas in Galicia, the Basque Country, the island of Mallorca and beyond, Spain offers something for every palate. It’s a top source for world-class wines made from many grapes—some familiar, others obscure.

Following is a report on five prominent Spanish wine styles, along with suggestions for what to buy within each category.

Traditional Stalwarts

Nowhere in Spain produces wines more classic in style than Rioja, where the Tempranillo grape rules. Old vines abound here in the country’s most highly regarded and best-known wine region, especially in the subzones of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa.

It’s mostly in these older vineyards, which are planted almost exclusively to Tempranillo, that the country’s most structured and ageworthy reds originate. Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo (Carignan) can also be found here.

Riojas made in a traditional style usually fall into the established reserva or gran reserva categories, which spell out the minimum number of years that a wine must spend in barrel and bottle before release.

While these requirements don’t guarantee final composition, structure, balance, ageability, or quality, they are good indicators. The best Riojas are frequently gran reservas, which must be aged at least five years and spend at least 24 months in oak prior to release.

Three to Try

Muga 2011 Prado Enea Gran Reserva (Rioja); $95, 96 points. Earthy plum and berry aromas set up a palate with plush tannins and layers of depth. Befitting a hot year like 2011, dark berry and plum flavors are full, while this exhibits fine shape on the finish and only gets better the longer it sits. This is no doubt a delicious Rioja from one of the top wineries in Spain. Decant if drinking now. Enjoy through 2035. Jorge Ordoñez Selections. Cellar Selection.

Arzuaga 2009 Gran Reserva (Ribera del Duero); $120, 94 points. Smooth berry aromas are savory and offer a touch of tarry freshly laid asphalt. A deeply layered palate is rich in a chocolaty way, while flavors of blackberry, prune, oak spice and chocolate reflect a warm vintage (which 2009 was). A rounded and full finish is powerful yet balanced. Drink through 2024. Frederick Wildman & Sons.

Marqués de Murrieta 2010 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial (Rioja); $139, 94 points. Earthy cherry, plum and cassis aromas are dry and complex, while this feels integrated and balanced. Cherry, red plum and cocoa flavors remain young and vibrant on the palate, while this pedigreed gran reserva offers its usual depth and length on the finish. Ten years in and this still has more in waiting. Drink through 2045. Maisons Marques & Domaines USA. Cellar Selection.

Modern Reds

The term “modern” is open to some interpretation, but a modern Spanish red can be defined as one that delivers a sense of ripeness and power, from the nose through the palate, flavor profile and finish. It also should be contemporary, which means the inaugural bottling was in a year that most wine lovers can remember.

For argument’s sake, let’s say that the modern era in Spain began in the 1990s, when a stampede of wines dark in color and packed with ripe fruit and new oak started to appear. Traditionalists and naysayers often claim that this style was fashioned to appeal to those enamored with bold, beefy reds like Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Australian Shiraz and Argentine Malbec.

However, the style comes easy to winemakers in sun-blessed regions like Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat and the Levante. They just let the vines do their thing, then harvest later, macerate longer and put the wines into new French oak.

Three to Try

Bodegas Roda 2016 Cirsion (Rioja); $330, 98 points. Lush black fruit aromas push the limits of ripeness but pull back to show additional complexity, depth and potential for midterm aging. Saucy acidity is perfect for a big-boned red like this. Black plum, cassis and berry flavors are lightly herbal and savory, while this high flyer is impressively balanced to the end. Simply put: This is a spectacular modern Rioja to enjoy through 2030. Valkyrie Selections. Editors’ Choice.

Emina 2015 Reserva (Ribera del Duero); $45, 93 points. Smooth plum and berry aromas are ripe and on the money. A full, direct palate is weighty but not heavy, with racy acidity. Blackberry and black currant flavors are fully oaked but don’t taste woody, while this tinto fino is smooth on a finish with wood spice and vanilla residuals. Drink through 2028. USA Wine West.

Monteabellón 2015 Finca La Blanquera (Ribera del Duero); $90, 93 points. Bold blackberry aromas are sappy and lush, with a whiff of vanilla coming from the barrel. A nicely integrated palate features grainy tannins, while this tastes of black plum, wood spice and oak resin along with herbal complexities. Oak and related spice and cocoa flavors dominate a long finish with some heat. Drink through 2028. Europvin USA.

Elegant Whites

In Rioja, a quality barrel-aged Viura, also known as Macabeo, can be quite stately, with layers of salty complexity and body weight that’s offset by bold acidity. Meanwhile, in Catalonia, white Garnacha, better known as Garnacha Blanca, produces fine wines across the map, particularly in the Terra Alta region.

For truly elegant white wines, however, look to the autonomous region of Galicia in northwest Spain. It’s led by Albariño from Rías Baixas but also includes Godello from Valdeorras and Ribeira Sacra as well as Treixadura-driven blends from Ribeiro.

Why is Galicia considered Spain’s hotbed for white wine? In a word: terroir. The region is cool and green, with a heavy maritime influence from the Atlantic Ocean. Granitic soils that range from bedrock in Rías Baixas to decomposed schist farther inland play a major role to impart elegance and minerality.

Three to Try

Palacio de Fefiñanes 2016 III Año Albariño (Rías Baixas); $62, 93 points. Tropical fruit aromas are smooth and elegant, as a high-end Albariño with three years (hence the name) of lees aging should display. A layered palate has minerality at its core, while a tropical fruit basket of melon, papaya, lemon and banana flavors finishes clean and classy. This is in a mature state of grace. Enjoy through 2021. Kysela Père et Fils. Editors’ Choice.

Rodrigo Méndez 2018 Sálvora Albariño (Rías Baixas); $48, 93 points. This Albariño immediately registers as something special. Upfront, it offers pure white flower, melon and wet stone aromas. Those inviting scents are backed by a palate with notable acidity that’s purely integrated, not sharp or cutting. Apple, tropical fruit and summer peach flavors narrow down on a finish that sings of granitic soils. Drink through 2021. Olé Imports. Editors’ Choice.

Pago de los Abuelos 2018 Viñedo Barreiros Godello (Bierzo); $75, 91 points. Apple and light oak aromas make for a creamy, slightly woody nose. On the palate, this barrel-aged Godello feels full and leesy. Flavors of melon, pear, vanilla, wood grain and wood spice fade with grace and consistency on an elegant finish. Cynthia Hurley Wine Imports.

Hidden Gems

The Phoenicians made wine in Spain more than 3,000 years ago, followed by the Romans. Millennia of winemaking in Iberia means there are several hundred indigenous and imported grape varieties that grow today throughout Spain, although most commercial wines are made from around two dozen varieties.

Most Spanish wine lovers are probably familiar with grapes like Tempranillo, Garnacha, Monastrell (Mourvèdre), Albariño, Viura and Verdejo. Yet, the roster of those worth attention expands to include Bobal, Graciano, Godello, Treixadura, Loureiro and Mencía.

There’s also room to appreciate wines made from so-called international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Highly obscure grapes that offer quality bottlings include Maturana, Tintilla, Listán Negro and Listán Blanco. Basque favorites Hondarrabi Zuri and Beltza are used for Txakoli, the often spritzy high-acid wine that flows like water in cities like San Sebastián and Bilbao.

As consumer experimentation increases, diamonds in the rough are also emerging in the Canary and Balearic Islands.

Three to Try

Bodega Son Mayol 2016 Grand Vin (Vi de la Terra Mallorca); $68, 92 points. A perfumed and punchy nose opens this fit Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend with lean red berry aromas and mild but notable oak. A full, chewy palate is weighty but balanced, with blackberry, blueberry and integrated creamy oak flavors. An elegant, complete finish provides a nice ending to this excellent offering from Mallorca. Drink through 2024. Misa Imports.

Raventós I Blanc 2016 De La Finca (Penedès); $35, 91 points. Dry elegance defines the nose, with aromas of white mushroom, apple, pear and spent yeast blending well. A lightly citric and minerally palate plays up freshness, while this tastes of just-ripe nectarine and tangerine. A steady citric finish is tangy and edgy. Drink through 2023. Skurnik Wines Inc.

Txakoli Primo 2019 Zarautz Rosé (Spain); $25, 90 points. If you like Txakoli or are interested in giving it a try, then go with this lightly effervescent rosé. Clean, fruity aromas fall somewhere between tangerine and cantaloupe, while the palate is tight and tangy. Orange flavors with tropical hints finish fresh. W. Direct

Standout Values

Value should be Spain’s middle name. With nearly every part of the country blanketed in vines, there’s no shortage of well-made vino that won’t break the bank.

A part of Spain that specializes in these so-called value wines is Aragón. The regions of Cariñena, Calatayud and Campo de Borja offer good and very good best-buy Garnachas, Carignans and red blends.

Rueda, located near the city of Valladolid, is home to easy-drinking Verdejo, not dissimilar to your average New Zealand or Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. Meanwhile, simple unoaked Viura-based bottlings from Rioja and the Penedès in Catalonia are a dime a dozen.

The Levante region, in the southeast corner of the country, is a hot, desert-like area that does well with strong-boned, full-bodied reds made from Monastrell as well as Garnacha Tintorera and Cabernet Sauvignon. Within this baking area, the Jumilla and Alicante wine regions have surfaced as some of the country’s best spots for rich, spicy, chocolaty reds at everyday prices.

Three to Try

Ego Bodegas 2017 Goru Red Blend (Jumilla); $15, 91 points. Dark berry and black plum aromas meld with a hint of asphalt on the nose. A full, rich palate is bold in feel, with spicy, peppery flavors of black fruits. The toasty, blackened finish is fitting for this blend of Monastrell and Cabernet. Tri-Vin Imports. Best Buy.

Bodegas Luzón 2017 Colección Monastrell (Jumilla); $11, 90 points. Plum and berry tones are pure and fruity on the nose. The mix of dark fruit and spice notes makes for a solid flavor profile, while this Monastrell offers hints of burnt toast, black licorice and spice on a slightly warming finish. Aviva Vino. Best Buy.

Cuatro Rayas 2019 Verdejo (Rueda); $14, 89 points. Apple, green melon and green-herb aromas are appealing and not too punchy or austere. A citric palate has a linear, lean feel and offers flavors of orange and thyme, while a scallion note rises up on a zesty finish with a pyrazine accent. Vinaio Imports. Best Buy.

The post There’s a Spanish Wine for Every Drinker appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Among the most common traditional color blends is Champagne, which generally combines Chardonnay, a white grape, with red Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier.

“Red and white components are needed to build Champagne because one grape will dominate the other for a few years, and then it will step back into a supporting role to enhance the other grapes,” says Alice Paillard, whose family owns Champagne Bruno Paillard.

Eileen Crane, CEO and winemaker at Domaine Carneros in Napa, says that many sparkling wines feature red and white grapes.

“Chardonnay adds structure and great ageability,” she says. “Pinot Noir, on the other hand, adds roundness, softness and earlier drinkability. Of course, both grapes add a complex of fruitiness.”

Even white sparkling wines like blancs de noirs use red grapes, but winemakers quickly take the juice off the skins after they’re crushed so it doesn’t absorb red pigment. And some sparkling rosés get their color when winemakers add a small amount of red wine to the cuvée after fermentation.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, another famously color-blended wine, features both red and white blends from multiple varieties.

“You can use the white grapes in the red Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine, or you can make directly a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape,” says Véronique Maret of Domaine de la Charbonnière. “This decision depends on different factors,” and can theoretically wait until harvest.

One reason that Châteauneuf-du-Pape winemakers might do so is global warming.

“Climate change has led more Châteauneuf-du-Pape producers to consider adding white grapes in limited quantity to their red blends to improve the balance between acidity and alcohol,” says Marie Clémentine Savey of the AOC Châteauneuf winegrowers’ association.

“Those warmer conditions from May to September mean higher alcohol levels that could threaten freshness in the glass,” she says. “It is better to macerate and ferment both grapes together because it will make the blends cohesive—stable chemical links between fragrances and for complexity—and stop color from being adversely affected.”

Other traditional wines permitted to use color combinations include Chianti (but no longer Chianti Classico), Syrahs from Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, and many types of rosés.

“We can use both red and white grapes to produce rosé, which is fantastic to master a light color, and, from an aromatic point of view, this is the fireworks of combinations,” says Château Gassier winemaker Guillaume Cordonis.

There are different methods and reasons to blend red and white grapes. Winemakers might blend or coferment white grapes with reds to add flavors or aroma, or to increase acidity to bolster ageability. White grapes can even help red grapes maintain a more stable hue.

Several old-vine Zinfandels and Petite Sirahs in California were planted as field blends, including a small component of white grapes to add aroma and taste complexity.

“One of our Petite Sirahs comes from a vineyard that has three white grapes: 3% Moscato and 1% each Gewürztraminer and Burger,” says Christophe Paubert, winemaker at Stags’ Leap Winery. “Aromatically, the whites bring something to the party.”

Additionally, Syrah producers in the Rhône Valley, Australia and California will often add a small amount of Viognier and coferment the grapes.

“We found the addition of white grapes helps to soften varieties like Syrah, which might be prone to harsher tannins, especially in their youth, as well as finessing aromatic complexity, especially for varieties high in terpenes, like Viognier,” says Nicole Rolet of Chêne Bleu in Southern France.

“As with any blend, this also has the advantage of giving us more options to be able to rise to the challenges of a particular year,” she says. “For instance, in cooler years, early-ripening Viognier can help to add alcohol and body to a leaner and more severe Syrah.”

Other winemakers don’t need a reason to blend red and white grapes. They simply want to experiment and innovate.

Comet, an experimental line from Clemens Lageder, of Alois Lageder winery in Alto Adige, uses red and white grapes from a vineyard with more than 200 varieties. One bottling, called ZIE-XVIII, is a field blend of 60% white grapes and 40% red.

“Last year, we fermented everything together and made a white wine, not an orange wine, by using minimal skin time,” says Lageder. “It has less body than a red, with great complexity and beautiful acidity. This year, we may make it into a red wine.”

In California, Scott Sampler’s Central Coast Group Project features a wine called Blood Orange. It’s comprised of 75% Viognier and 25% leftover juice from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre pressings.

“Right now, I’m bottling a new line of wines dedicated to great thirst called Scotty-Boy!,” says Sampler. “One of them is a ‘blush’ cuvée of skin-fermented and barrel-fermented Chardonnay, with a dash of Mourvèdre for a little color, texture and extra flavor.”

Farther north at Sonoma Mountain Winery, Dan Marioni makes a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Chardonnay. “It gives the wine softer characteristics and can be bottled a bit sooner,” he says.

Meanwhile, at his namesake winery in Australia, Sam Vinciullo makes a wine that’s 55% Shiraz and 45% Sauvignon Blanc. It’s appropriately named Red/White.

While these bottlings may be unusual, they seem to have found their audience. At press time, both Vinciullo’s Red/White and Sampler’s Blood Orange were sold out.

The post Red and White Grape Wine Blends are More Common Than You Think appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Because they didn’t adhere to the Italian winemaking laws of the time, these were originally labeled as modest Vino da Tavola, or table wine. But when pioneering names like Tignanello and Sassicaia—the latter now produced within its own Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC), Bolgheri Sassicaia—proved overnight successes, Tuscan producers felt encouraged to rethink things.

In the 1970s, they began to plant international varieties, employ new barriques and create fantasy-named bottlings.

For years, these expensive, world-class “table” wines were technically superior to many of Italy’s traditional offerings, which were stifled by archaic DOC and DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) regulations.

Eventually, many classic appellations would update their production codes to allow greater blending variation and winemaking experimentation, but the rebels held out, or rather on, to their non-DOC statuses.

To reign in what had become an embarrassing situation, the Italian government authorized the creation of the Toscana IGT appellation that was officially approved in 1995.

Made with native and/or international grapes and more flexible winemaking rules, the best emphasize style and their sunny Tuscan roots. Here are the Top 10 IGT Toscanas for every cellar.

Marchesi Antinori Tignanello

Marchesi Antinori’s trailblazing Tignanello was once a single-vineyard Chianti Classico Riserva. Under the stagnant production code of the 1960s, this meant that it had to be made with a certain percentage of white grapes.

But Piero Antinori had other ideas. Realizing he couldn’t make the great red wine he wanted using white grapes, he stopped adding them and pulled the bottling out of the Chianti Classico denomination in 1971. Tignanello is now a blend of Sangiovese and small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

It was one of the first wines from the Chianti Classico zone made without white grapes and among the first Tuscan reds made with international varieties, as well as the first Sangiovese aged in barriques. With its Tuscan pedigree and world-class flair, it remains one of the country’s most celebrated wines.

Masseto

Merlot is a popular variety, but in warm, sun-soaked Tuscany, it can create uninspiring wines with subdued aromas. Masseto is an exception.

Made in the coastal village of Bolgheri, this cult 100% Merlot was once part of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, founded by Lodovico Antinori in 1981 and now owned by the Frescobaldi family. Antinori hired famed consultant enologist André Tchelistcheff to choose the best sites for grape growing and was soon convinced by him that a certain hill composed primarily of compact clay would be perfect for Merlot.

Tchelistcheff was right: Clay in the central part of the slope gives Masseto its backbone, while rock and sand at the top lend elegance. The result is a rich, structured wine with finesse.

Isole e Olena Cepparello

Even though Toscana IGT is associated with international grapes, this red, first produced in 1980, is made exclusively from Sangiovese.

Paolo de Marchi wanted to see if the grape was capable of creating great wines in Chianti Classico, where regulations did not allow for 100% Sangiovese bottlings. That remained the case until 1996, when it split from the larger Chianti denomination.

“The first vintages were promising, but it was a hailstorm in late May 1982, just before flowering, that drastically reduced yields and revealed Sangiovese’s true potential to make wines with natural concentration and depth,” says de Marchi. Aged in barriques, it’s full-bodied, elegant and ageworthy.

Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso

Le Macchiole is one of Bolgheri’s most historic firms. An area pioneer for its focus on quality, personality-driven wines, it was founded in the early 1980s by husband-and-wife team, Eugenio Campolmi and Cinzia Merli. The estate is now run by Merli and her sons, Elia and Mattia.

While all the wines are impressive, the vibrant, intense and refined Paleo Rosso remains one of the best examples of Cabernet Franc in Italy.

First released in 1989 as a Bordeaux-style blend, it’s been 100% Cabernet Franc since 2001 thanks to the variety’s exceptional performance in the sunny, seaside habitat.

Castello dei Rampolla Sammarco

Castello dei Rampolla makes earthy, delicious wines at its Santa Lucia in Faulle farm southwest of the town of Panzano, in the valley known as the Conca d’Oro, or golden shell.

Between Florence and Siena in the Chianti Classico denomination, this amphitheater-shaped area is celebrated for its intense sunlight. The Rampolla family has owned land here since the 1700s. They began to make Chianti Classico in 1975 and, not long after, planted Cabernet Sauvignon with the help of celebrated enologist Giacomo Tachis.

This ultimately led to the creation of Sammarco, with its 1980 vintage, released in 1982, becoming an instant success. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Sangiovese, it’s smooth, velvety, savory and loaded with soul.

Castello Banfi Excelsus

Founded in Montalcino in 1978 by Italian-American brothers John and Harry Mariani, Banfi is best known for bringing the once-rare Brunello di Montalcino to tables across the U.S. and around the world. Headquartered in the Sant’Angelo Scalo hamlet southwest of Montalcino, the firm also makes a number of wines with international grapes, like Excelsus.

First produced in 1993, this Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend is fermented in temperature-controlled hybrid vats made of French oak and steel, then aged 18 months in 350-liter barriques.

The result is an intense, elegantly structured, ageworthy wine that boasts pronounced fruit and spice sensations. Showing its Tuscan roots, it cries out for food.

Michele Satta Cavaliere

Michele Satta fell in love with the Bolgheri area and its burgeoning wine scene while on vacation with his family during the early 1970s. He studied agriculture in college and began to intern at one of the local wineries in 1974. In 1983, he leased old vineyards and a cellar, purchasing his own land four years later.

Then, in 1991, he was finally able to plant his own vines in Castagneto Carducci. By then, the Bolgheri denomination was considered Italy’s spiritual home for Cabernet Sauvignon, and Satta’s choice to plant Sangiovese in that first site went against the grain.

Fermented with wild yeasts and aged in seasoned barriques, Satta’s Cavaliere boasts finesse, rich juicy fruit and great drinkability.

Monteraponi Baron’Ugo

Now an IGT, this single-vineyard bottling proves the rebellious spirit behind Toscana is alive and well. The wine was a Chianti Classico Riserva through the 2011 vintage. However, according to estate owner Michele Braganti, the 2012 vintage was denied passage to the Gran Selezione category.

“The minimum alcohol for Gran Selezione is 13%, and the 2012 Baron’Ugo had 12.5%,” he says. “The limit is useless, in my opinion. There are great wines with 12.5%. Look at Burgundy.” In protest, Braganti pulled Baron’Ugo out of the Chianti Classico denomination.

Today, the wine is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo and 3% Colorino grown in high-altitude vineyards and aged in large casks. It’s vibrant, fragrant and boasts finesse and serious longevity.

Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve

Owned by the Manetti family since 1968, Fontodi is located in the heart of Chianti Classico, part of the famed Conca d’Oro valley southwest of Panzano. There, high altitudes, flaky schist soils, known locally as galestro, radiant sunlight and marked day-night temperature variations create near-perfect ripening for fickle Sangiovese.

A Colli Toscana Centrale IGT, Fontodi’s Flaccianello della Pieve is another seminal bottling from the region. First released in 1981 and made entirely with Sangiovese, it undergoes spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and is aged in Troncais and Allier barriques.

Firmly structured, it is a remarkably ageworthy wine, with intense aromas and succulent fruit.

Tenuta di Biserno Biserno

In 1995, Lodovico Antinori was hunting for suitable areas to extend his Ornellaia estate when he came upon this Alta Maremma property. Impressed by the land, which was hillier and stonier than Ornellaia, he knew that it would be better to establish it as a separate estate.

After he moved on from Ornellaia, he and his brother, Piero Antinori, and landowner Umberto Mannoni created Tenuta di Biserno.

First produced in 2006 and made with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, the firm’s namesake wine aptly expresses its unique micro-climate. It features depth, finesse and complexity.

The post The Ground-Breaking Tuscan Wines Every Cellar Needs appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

However, if you’re willing to look past the popularity contest and fickle trends in wine consumption, stunning value can be found in Merlot, particularly while others overlook this versatile grape. Known for its ability to create quality wines in a range of styles, Merlot bottlings can feature fruit-forward blackberry, cherry and plum notes, while earthier examples showcase bell pepper, tobacco leaf, oak or chocolate.

Here are eight bottles currently showcasing some of the best of Merlot’s versatility in the U.S. All are less than $30 and offer a level of value you’d be hard pressed to find in many other Bordeaux grape varieties.

Recommended Best-Value Merlot

Seven Hills Winery 2017 Merlot (Walla Walla Valley); $25, 92 points. The aromas provide appeal, with notes of pure raspberry, red currant, baking spice and milk chocolate. The medium-bodied palate shows a sense of deftness to the fruit and barrel flavors. It’s a terrific example of the variety. Editors’ Choice. —Sean P. Sullivan

McIntyre Vineyards 2015 Kimberly Vineyards Merlot (Arroyo Seco); $28, 92 points. Polished aromas of blackberry and black currant meet with toasted oak, cocoa, coffee and iron on the nose of this bottling. There is compelling minerality to the palate, giving depth to the smashed strawberry and dried lilac flavors. Drink now–2030. Cellar Selection. —Matt Kettmann

L’Ecole No. 41 2017 Merlot (Columbia Valley); $25, 92 points. The baking spice, dark raspberry and anise aromas provide appeal. Broad-feeling, textured flavors follow, with cranberry-tart acidity and brawny, firm tannins backing it up. It’s an extremely impressive offering of this variety, showing its more serious side—Washington Merlot at its best. It will shine at the dinner table and will have a long life in front of it, seemingly near immortal. Editors’ Choice. —S.S.

Luke 2017 Merlot (Wahluke Slope); $25, 91 points. Intoxicating aromas of espresso, high-cacao chocolate, green pepper, barrel spice, raspberry and herbs lead to focused, fresh fruit flavors that coat the palate. There’s a whole lot of acidity and firm tannin structure surrounding them, needing some time to settle in. It’s a serious wine to find at this price. Give it a brief decant. Editors’ Choice. —S.S.

Meadow View 2017 Jon’s Vineyard Nazeri Vineyard Merlot (Lamorinda); $25, 91 points. Well concentrated and well balanced, this flavor-packed wine is tempting now but should develop more with time in the cellar. It shows ripe black-cherry and mint aromas, fresh and focused cherry and black-plum flavors complemented by appealing earthy, leathery accents, and fine-grained tannins. Best through 2026. —Jim Gordon

Beaulieu Vineyard 2017 Merlot (Napa Valley); $25, 90 points. Demure plummy red fruit is wrapped in thick, concentrated layers of body and ripeness in this well-made, approachable wine, which is richly seasoned in toasted oak-influenced baking spice and vanilla. —Virginie Boone

Kendall-Jackson 2016 Vintner’s Reserve Merlot (Sonoma County); $24, 90 points. Herbal, meaty and generously fruity in plum and dark cherry, this wine is approachable and deeply concentrated, with ample complexity around its soft, supple tannin profile and integrated oak. The finish is textured and dusty in crushed rock. —Virginie Boone

McManis 2018 Estate Grown Certified Sustainable Merlot (Lodi); $10, 88 points. Smoke and sage aromas meld with cherry and wood-smoke flavors to make a savory combination in this medium- to full-bodied wine. It shows good balance and light tannins, making it a great choice for drinking with protein-rich foods. Best Buy. —Jim Gordon

The post 8 of Our Favorite Merlots, a Grape with Incredible Value and Versatility appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

They came from throughout Bordeaux, always a sign of a great vintage.

2016 100-point Bordeaux wines
Médoc: Château Palmer and Château Pontet-Canet
Pessac-Léognan: Château Haut-Brion
Saint-Émilion: Château Angélus and JCP Maltus Le Dôme

Does it happen every year? Certainly not. In 2015, for example, there were five 100-point wines, but from different producers than 2016’s top scorers. Unlike spirits, one of the great things about wine is that vintages are not the same, and scores reflect this.

Over the last 20 years, only four estates have scored 100 points more than once and it isn’t limited to First Growth chateaus: Cheval Blanc (2010, 2015); Haut-Brion (2014 white, 2016 red); Lafite Rothschild (2010, 2015); and Pétrus (2005, 2015).

2015 100-point Bordeaux wines
Médoc: Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Margaux
Pomerol: Château Pétrus
Saint-Émilion: Château Ausone and Château Cheval Blanc

The rich and open 2015s were a real contrast to the much more firm, closed 2016s. The quality of both vintages is not in question. It’s that the differences are so marked and, for red-wine lovers, so fascinating.

The 2015 category is “a Mediterranean vintage, approachable, warm and round,” says Dany Rolland, the winemaker, business partner and wife of consultant Michel Rolland. “[The year] 2016 is an ocean vintage, more classic Bordeaux, with lots of tannins and structure.” In her opinion, both vintages will age equally well.

For those who follow Bordeaux vintages, take a moment to reflect back to 2009 and 2010: The 2009 vintage was an immediate hit, especially with American wine drinkers. It was soft, opulent and easy to understand when young. On the other hand, the 2010 vintage was big, full of alcohol and tannins, and set for the long haul. In Bordeaux, winemakers and pacesetters alike preferred the 2010 wines.

When comparing 2015 and 2016, the verdict isn’t so clear. The 2015 wines are more attractive in their youth, displaying a core of tannin balanced by freshness. The 2016 vintage, though, may take time to reach its true potential.

What makes the 2016 vintage so special is the quality across the Bordeaux hierarchy. The same character found in the most complex wines is also apparent in the simpler options. They all offer bottlings with rich, ripe fruit and a tannic structure that promises longevity.

“The tannins are extraordinary, refined and sophisticated,” says Thomas Duroux, CEO of Château Palmer in Margaux. Véronique Sanders, general manager of Château Haut-Bailly in Pessac-Léognan, likened the tannins to “a caress.”

“The wine has ripeness as well as energy,” says Hubert de Bouärd, whose family owns Château Angélus in Saint-Émilion.

How the different Bordeaux varieties fared

Angélus and Le Dôme scored 100 points because of Cabernet Franc. It was a stunning year for this grape, which totally outshone the Merlot in Saint-Émilion. Single-vineyard Le Dôme is between 75% and 80% Cabernet Franc; Angélus has a majority Cabernet Franc.

On the Left Bank, where wines are mostly Cabernet Sauvignon in three-to-four grape blends, Cabernet Sauvignon was the success behind the Médoc blends. It’s the backbone behind Château Palmer and Château Pontet-Canet. Château Haut-Brion is Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Merlot is still in the majority in Bordeaux vineyards. However, due to climate change, it’s becoming harder to produce a balanced Merlot-based wine without too much alcohol. That’s why more Cabernet Franc is being planted in Saint-Émilion, and many of the Médoc growths have increased the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in their top blends. Expect to see this trend continue through the next decade.

Since the Bordeaux 2005 vintage, there have been a total of 16 red wines awarded 100 points and one white wine. Between the 2005 and 2010 vintages, only six wines were granted 100 points. These latest two vintages, 2015 and 2016, have 10 between them.

Climate change, technological and vineyard innovations, a move to organic and biodynamic viticulture and the business acumen of the Bordelais have all played a part.

What’s really exciting about the 2016 vintage is that apart from Haut-Brion, which produced the best wine I have ever tasted from this chateau, there were 100-point wines from among the first-growth pretenders, Palmer and Pontet-Canet in the Médoc. It shows that other estates have learned to maximize the potential of their vineyards.

Looking forward, there’s likely more to come as other chateaus rise to meet the challenge with their wines worthy of 100 points.

Climate change is good to Bordeaux now. But in 20 or 30 years, it could be too hot even for the Bordeaux Cabernets. Make the most of this greatness while you can.

The five 100-Point Bordeaux wines from 2016

Château Angélus 2016 Saint-Émilion; $400. This is a rich, perfumed wine with dense tannins and intense layers of black plum and spice. The palate is firmly built, yet broadened out by plump dark-fruit tones and honed by a solid, dry core. Drink from 2025. K&L Wine Merchants. Cellar Selection.

Château Haut-Brion 2016 Pessac-Léognan; $650. Immensely tannic, this is a great Haut-Brion, one of the finest for many years. It shows the severe side of this estate, with a dense structure to match the powerful black fruits. Rich with berry flavors and lifted by enough acidity, the wine will age for many years. Drink from 2026. Millésima USA. Cellar Selection.

Château Palmer 2016 Margaux; $330. Powerful tannins and hugely rich fruit balance together in this superb wine. The velvet texture belies the power behind the concentrated, ripe black-fruit flavor, with vibrant acidity giving ample lift. The wine’s structure will ensure aging for many years. Drink from 2024. K&L Wine Merchants. Cellar Selection.

Château Pontet-Canet 2016 Pauillac; $159. A voluptuous wine, this is rich and fruity, yet balanced by a magnificent structure. Pure, crisp and packed with a black currant flavor, this will be a remarkable wine as it develops. Still young, it needs many years to develop. Don’t think about drinking before 2025. K&L Wine Merchants. Editors’ Choice.

JCP Maltus 2016 Le Dôme (Saint-Émilion); $235. This 80% Cabernet Franc wine may be massive, but it’s also perfumed with swathes of opulent black fruit. It comes from a great year for Cabernet Franc, which forms 75% of this vineyard. Juicy acidity gives the wine a velvet character that is enticing. It needs time, so wait to drink from 2026. World’s End LLC. Cellar Selection.

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In general, these wines bring together a New World ripeness of flavor (think of the opulence of fruit from wine regions like California and Australia) with an Old World type of acid and tannin structure (similar to the austerity of the wines from places like France and Italy). This creates an expression that straddles the two styles, but remains distinct to Washington. What makes the state’s wines taste the way they do? It’s a combination of three factors: geography, geology and climate.

A Tale of Two Climates

“When I travel, people always say, ‘It’s cold and rainy [in Washington]. How do you ripen Cabernet?’” says Winemaker/Partner Chris Peterson of Avennia.

Indeed, when most people think of the state, they imagine rain-soaked Seattle. The city gets soggy because of storms that come off the Pacific Ocean. As these move east into the Cascade Mountains, almost all of the moisture precipitates out as snow. In the eastern half of the state, something seemingly miraculous occurs.

“Once you cross the mountains into eastern Washington, it becomes a dry, arid climate,” says Steve Warner, president and CEO of the Washington State Wine Commission.

The Cascade Mountains create a phenomenon called a rain shadow. So although Seattle is ever-rainy during the winter, the Columbia Valley, where virtually all of the state’s wine grapes are grown, has 300 days of sunshine. In fact, there is so little precipitation that growing grapes should not even be possible. How are growers able to do it? It starts with the soils.

Taken From the Flood

Like any great wine region, Washington’s soils provide the underpinning for its success. However, the story of how they arrived in the state is unlike any other.

Around 15,000 years ago, a large ice sheet dammed the Clark Fork River in what is now Northern Idaho. This caused water to back up into western Montana, creating a body of water that was the size of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario combined. Over time, this ice dam weakened and eventually broke, resulting in some of the largest known flood events to have occurred anywhere on earth: the Missoula Floods.

All of the water came racing out across the Pacific Northwest in a 400-foot-high wave moving at speeds between 30 and 60 miles per hour. It inundated everything up to 1,200 feet above sea level. As the water receded, it left behind soils and rocks that were not native to Washington. Over time, winds whipped up finer-grained particles and deposited them into layers, which would become deeper over the next thousands of years.

The end result: soils of windblown silt atop gravelly Missoula Flood sediment, with the depth and composition of each level varying depending on elevation and aspect. “We have different textures and layers, from fine sandy loam to silt loam to gravel to pure sand,” says Alan Busacca, a field geologist and vineyard consultant. “It gives us a lot of diversity.”

A Perfect Climate for Wine

Due to Washington’s northerly latitude, the state has a short, bright growing season. The Columbia Valley starts accumulating heat units later than wine regions to the south. Additionally, temperatures cool off earlier in the fall.

“We get a later start than they do in California typically,” says Peterson. “By starting later, we’re pushing harvest into the late September to October range where we have a cycle of warm, dry days with really cool nights. That preserves acidity and color without washing out flavors.”

During the height of summer, however, the temperatures are actually warmer than areas like the Napa Valley. There is also as much as 55 more minutes of daylight during the summertime.

“We’re in a sweet spot as far as latitude and summer sunlight,” says Busacca. “If we were 500 miles to the north, we wouldn’t be.”

By autumn, eastern Washington can experience temperature differences of 40 degrees Fahrenheit between daytime highs and nighttime lows. These swings, along with that warm summer weather and the overall harvest cool-down, help create the state’s distinctive wine style.

Quality and Consistency

Most areas of the Columbia Valley receive less than half the minimum precipitation required to grow wine grapes. Irrigation is therefore a requirement. But remember those Missoula Flood soils?

It turns out they are uniquely suited to irrigated viticulture. They help grape vines to take up just the right amount of water while all the rest drains away.

Irrigation brings great advantages. During the season, growers can apply exactly the amount of water they want, precisely when they want it. So while vintage quality depends on the whims of rainfall throughout many of the world’s wine regions, in Washington, it does not. Growers have control over canopy growth, shoot length, berry size and cluster weight, all of which affect quality.

“The grower is in control of vigor,” says Busacca. “It gives the ability to fine-tune crop stress and the quality of fruit.”

As a result, the state does not have the large fluctuations in vintage quality sometimes seen in other wine regions, with consistently high quality a hallmark.

There’s another reason that Washington can successfully grow a wide variety of wine grapes that display a mixture of an Old World and New World styles: State production is still in its early days.

Whereas some wineries in Italy might be on their 20th generation, Washington wineries are in most cases on their first or second. People are still determining what grows best where. This makes the heights the wines have already achieved even more impressive.

“We’re still in an age of discovery,” says Kent Waliser, director of operations for Sagemoor Vineyards. “We’re only 40 or 50 years old, and in the age of wine, that’s like we were just born.”

Tracking the big five

Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot and Syrah together account for over 80% of annual tonnage in Washington. Winemakers share their thoughts about what makes these grapes distinctive.

Cabernet Sauvignon

“Washington Cabernet has a really nice purity,” says Winemaker Todd Alexander of Force Majeure Vineyards. “There’s rusticity to the wines but also an elegance, finish and polish to them that is really alluring.”

Chardonnay

“Our beautiful summertime weather allows us to successfully produce a full-bodied, rich and creamy Chardonnay, but we still retain acids and minerality,” says Marie-Eve Gilla of Valdemar Estates.

Riesling

“Riesling naturally carries its acidity very well, and the Columbia Valley’s cool nights as the growing season progresses from late August forward really enhances the varietal character,” says Gilles Nicault of Long Shadows.

Merlot

“I see more vibrancy and purity of fruit with Washington Merlot,”says Casey McClellan of Seven Hills Winery. “What I find particularly attractive is the expressive cherry in the nose and palate, that ranges from red to black.”

Syrah

“Washington Syrah is special to me for one reason—peppery, meaty, stony funkiness,” says Master Sommelier and co-founder of Gramercy Cellars Greg Harrington. “Our cool nights and northerly latitude help preserve the pepper in the wine, a trait shared by the best Syrah in the world.”

Over 70 Varieties 

While these varieties dominate production, nearly 70 grape varieties are planted in Washington—a number that continues to increase. Some, including ones grown in relatively minute quantities, make up some of the state’s best wines, including Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier.

Key Appellations in Washington

Almost all of Washington’s viticultural areas are east of the Cascade Mountains, where it’s an arid and semi-arid desert with warm summer temperatures. Here’s a look at some of the state’s most important regions.

Yakima Valley

Established in 1983, Yakima Valley is Washington’s oldest appellation. It is the work horse of the Washington wine industry, home to one quarter of the state’s wine-grape acreage. The valley includes some of the larger Columbia Valley’s warmest regions as well as some of its coolest. White-grape plantings, particularly Chardonnay and Riesling, outnumber red-grape plantings, which are led by Merlot.

Columbia Valley

By far Washington’s largest and most significant appellation, the Columbia Valley encompasses one-third of the land mass of the entire state. A section of this growing region stretches down into northern Oregon, though few vineyards are located there. Both red (65%) and white (35%) grape varieties are planted. The area shows great diversity in elevation, aspect and heat accumulation. Almost all of Washington’s other growing regions are subappellations of the larger Columbia Valley.

Walla Walla Valley

A portion of this region set in the southeastern corner of the state stretches into Oregon. Although there are vineyards in both states, most wineries are located in Washington. Due to the area’s proximity to the Blue Mountains, it receives considerably more rainfall than other areas of eastern Washington. The vast majority of vines are red-grape varieties, with Syrah, Cabernet Sauvigon and Merlot the stars.

Red Mountain

At a tiny 4,040 acres, Red Mountain is by far the state’s smallest appellation. But is also one of its most important. It’s typically Washington’s warmest growing region. Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties are the dominant players.

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What does “Merlot” mean?

The word Merlot is French for “the little blackbird.” Merlot also refers to a red grape variety used to make wine around the world.

What does Merlot taste like?

Merlot is known as a chameleon because it adapts to many climates, taking on the character of both its location and winemaking techniques. However, great Merlot is not as easy to grow as people thought, leading to overplanting and an abundance of poor quality wines. Typically, Merlot is a dry, medium- to full-bodied wine with moderate acidity, moderate to high alcohol, and soft but present tannins. The best Merlot taste has a range of flavors, ranging from graphite, herbs and blackberries, to black cherries, plums, and cocoa, often layered with notes of clove, vanilla, and cedar when aged in oak.

What is the color of Merlot?

Merlot has a red color because it’s made with red-skinned grapes. When youthful, wines can be semi-opaque to opaque, and deep ruby red. The color is generally lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon and deeper than Pinot Noir. One indicator that you’ve got Merlot in the glass is the glint of brick/orange tones on the rim. Merlot color changes with age, losing pigmentation and brightness, and turning garnet. Though not very common, Merlot is also used to produce both rosé and white wines.

Why did the movie Sideways make Merlot infamous?

For years, the wine industry has debated the effect Sideways had on Merlot sales. Certainly, it’s hard to measure whether it made Merlot famous for being bad. There are three camps of thought on this. The first argue that rather than ruin Merlot’s reputation, the movie inspired a new audience of Pinot Noir drinkers who merely swapped one red wine for another. The second argues that the movie didn’t influence the decline of Merlot because Merlot was already on the way out due to overplanting and the proliferation of bad wines on the market. A third camp argues that the disgust for Merlot shown by the lead character, Miles, did, in fact, turn a generation of wine drinkers off of Merlot. Regardless of the effect the movie had, the bottom line is that bad, good and sublime Merlot exists, and because of the latter, Merlot is making a comeback.

How much alcohol does a bottle of Merlot have?

The alcohol in Merlot depends on where it’s grown, as climate influences ripeness, which influences alcohol levels. Merlot from cooler regions like France often have 13–14% alcohol by volume (abv), but can approach 14.5% when it is grown in a warmer climate such as California, Chile and Australia.

Is Merlot sweet or dry?

Merlot is usually made in a dry style. Keep in mind, the impression of tasting ripe fruit flavors like cherries and plums is not the same as tasting sweetness due to sugar content. A dry wine means that after the grapes are pressed, the sugar from the grape must is converted into alcohol by yeast. When all, or nearly all, the sugar is converted, it creates a fully dry wine. Sometimes, a little sugar called residual sugar (RS), is left behind. This might be purposeful, to give a hint of richness and sweetness to the wine, or it might be because the yeast didn’t finish the fermentation. A few grams per liter of RS is still considered a dry wine, however.

How many calories and carbs does Merlot have?

Merlot is typically dry. Of course, wine with little to no sugar doesn’t equate to wine without calories. Alcohol has calories. Typically, a 5-ounce serving of Merlot has around 125 calories, or 625 calories in a 750ml bottle. If a Merlot has a touch of residual sugar, the wine will have carbohydrates or carbs, but only a small amount. Dry wines usually range between zero and 4 grams of carbohydrates.

How should I serve Merlot?

Like all reds, Merlot has an ideal temperature range. The notion of serving reds at room temperature is outdated because people’s homes vary drastically in temperature, from cold in winter to hot in summer. Regardless, the average house at 70-75°F is still too warm for red wine. And when Merlot is too warm, the alcohol tastes hot while the flavors are muddled. Too cold, and the aromas and flavors are muted. The ideal temperature range to serve Merlot is 60–65°F, which can be achieved by 15 minutes in the refrigerator. If you don’t finish a bottle of Merlot, replace the cork and stick it back in the fridge. The flavors will stay fresh for 2–4 days. Beyond that, the wine will start to oxidize. At that point, toss it in a braised meat or vegetable dish.

What foods pair best with Merlot?

One reason people love Merlot is its versatility, thanks to the range of styles and prices on the market. Fruity, easy-drinking Merlot goes great with white and dark meats from chicken, turkey and pork, as well as weeknight pasta, burgers, and pizza. Fuller-bodied, ripe and fleshy styles, often with higher alcohol, can handle fuller-flavored foods such as beef and lamb, hearty bean dishes, and game meats like venison and bison. Classic, savory styles such as right bank Merlot from Bordeaux go well with roasted meats, duck, and mushrooms. The key is to match the wine’s weight and flavor intensity with the weight and flavor intensity of the dish.

Merlot versus Cabernet Sauvignon: What’s the difference?

Good question. While Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are different grapes, in blind tastings, it can be hard to differentiate them, especially when grown in cooler climates. Why? Because they come from the same family of grapes, sharing a parent, Cabernet Franc. Wines from this family have pyzrazines, aromatic organic chemical compounds that produce bell pepper and herbal notes that are more prominent in cooler regions. Plus, Merlot in cooler regions like its homeland of Bordeaux develops firmer tannins, more structure and savory character than in warm climates, making it easier to mistake for Cabernet Sauvignon. The two are often blending partners in red Bordeaux wine, Cabernet for its cassis, herbal undertones, and tannin structure and Merlot for its supple texture and ripe fruit. Merlot is usually cheaper, fruitier, and softer than Cabernet, and often perceived as less complex.

What’s the difference between Pinot Noir and Merlot?

Again, these are two different red grapes. Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned variety that makes wines of moderate color and alcohol, with high acidity, elegance, and perfume of red fruits (cranberries, raspberries, red cherries). Pinot Noir has long been famous with wine lovers for the haunting styles made in Burgundy, later embraced by mainstream American wine drinkers, notably after Sideways. Merlot has more tannin, body, alcohol, and a darker hue, and hails from the right bank of Bordeaux where it has been made famous by the wines of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion.

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