I recently went to a website called No Merlot that basically purports the idea that, “American Merlot costing $12 and under is generally bland and flabby, lacking any varietal character or structure. Merlots seem to lack passion – they seem as if they’re made to be as inoffensive as possible. The wine has become a commodity that is trucked in by the tanker and bottled with a label prominently featuring an animal of some sort.”
I have definitely had some bad, cheap merlots, and I agree that they lacked character. The really bad ones even tend to give me heartburn and seem better suited for cooking rather than drinking. On the other hand, is an entire type of wine getting a bad rap because of a few bad wines?
An New York Times article posted on Avenue Vine states this is the case. In the article, writer Eris Asimov makes the case that over generalizing when it comes to the quality of merlots is harmful to many reputable American vineyards that invest time and resources into crafting really good merlots. I really like the comparison he makes to romance novels regarding this matter:
Saying all merlot is bad is like saying all romance novels are bad.
It overlooks the fact that books like, say, “Anna Karenina” are romances.
Some of the greatest wines in the world are merlots, but because
they have names like Château Pétrus and are from Bordeaux, where region is
emphasized over grape, they are thought of as Pomerols rather than merlots.
Personally, I like merlots and find them to be a good fall back wine that I know most friends and guests will enjoy at a party. I definitely stay away from the real cheapies (those $6-8 bottles are generally not too good), but think that there are plenty of decent American merlots for $12-15.
I think another thing that speaks volumes is in fact the volume of merlot grapes being grown. Asimov brings it up in his article. 75% of all wine produced in the US is merlot. So, someone must like it and be drinking it.
Let’s hear what everyone else thinks, and, if you have a suggestion for a merlot that might be the redeemer of it’s variety, please let us know!
