MERLOTBy Grant Klover

Overview

Facts

History

Viticulture Old World

New World

White Merlot

Taste, and Aroma

Food parings

Conclusion

Facts Pronounced mer-LOW

Merlot means “young blackbird” Merlot should be served at 64F.

almost always blended with other grapes

Is used to make ice cream because of it’s low tannins

History The earliest recorded mention is in 1784 in the

notes of local Bordeaux official, who noted that it was the best grape from the Libournais region.

In the 19th century it is being planted in the left bank of the Gironde.

Banned from being planted in France between 1970-1975

Started being planted in Italy in 1855 Introduced to the Swiss between 1905-1910 1990 saw an upswing of popularity in the US

Viticulture Loose bunches of large berries A Blue Black hue to the grapes

Thrives in cold soil, particularly ferrous clay

Higher sugar content and lower malic acid Normally ripens up to two weeks earlier

than Cabernet Sauvignon Propensity to quickly over ripen once it

hits its initial ripeness level, sometimes in a matter of a few days.

Old World Merlot is the most commonly grown grape

variety in France In 2004, total French plantations stood at

115,000 hectares (280,000 acres) The Bordeaux wine region wide spreads 60

miles around the city on the biggest estuary in Europe along 3 rivers (Gironde, Garonne,

Dordogne) In Italy, a large portion of Merlot is planted in

the Friuli wine region Italian Merlots are often characterized by their

light bodies and herbal notes

New World In the 1980s, Merlot helped put the Washington wine

industry on the world's wine map Today it is the most widely grown red wine grape in

Washington and accounts for nearly one fifth of the state's entire production

In California, Merlot can range from very fruity simple wines to more serious, barrel aged examples

In Napa, examples from Carneros, Mount Veeder, Oakville and Rutherford tend to show ripe blackberry

and black raspberry notes In Chile, Merlot thrives in the Apalta region of Colchagua Chilean Merlot is a catch-all to include wine that is made

from a blend of indiscriminate amounts of Merlot and Carmenere

Carménère being more strongly flavored with green pepper notes and Merlot having softer fruit with

chocolate notes

White Merlot Reputedly first marketed in the late

1990s Some producers are Sutter Home

Winery, Forest Glen, and Beringer Made the same way as White

Zinfandel.

Taste, and Aroma

Taste

Fruit: currant, black cherry,

plum

Herbal: bell pepper, green

olive

Oak (light): vanilla, coconut,

sweet wood

Aroma

Floral: violet, rose

Spice: caramel, clove, bay leaf,

green peppercorn

Oak (heavy): oak, smoke,

toast, tar

Food Parings Cabernet-like Merlots pair well with grilled and

charred meats Softer, fruitier Merlots share many of the same

food pairing affinities with Pinot noir and go well with dishes like salmon, mushroom based dishes and greens like chard and radicchio.

Light bodied Merlots pair well with shellfish like prawns or scallops

Avoid pairing with strong blue veined chesses, and spicy foods; as it will over power the fruit flavors of Merlot.

Conclusion

Merlot is a soft light red wine Is very similar to Cabernet Sauvignon One of the most widely produced

types of wine Can be used to make Ice Cream! Because of the low tannin it pairs

well with lighter foods but not with spicy foods

Work Cited Merlot Wine. Web. 12 Sept. 2010.

<http://www.merlotwine.net/>. "Merlot Wine Information." Lisa Shea's WineIntro -

Basic Wine Tips, FAQS, Information. Web. 12 Sept. 2010. <http://www.wineintro.com/types/merlot.html>.

"Merlot." Wine Information, Education, Appreciation | Professional Friends of Wine. Web. 12 Sept. 2010. <http://www.winepros.org/wine101/grape_profiles/merlot.htm>.

"Bordeaux Region Wine Geography and Climate Guide." French Wine Guide. Web. 12 Sept. 2010. <http://www.terroir-france.com/wine/bordeaux_region.htm>.