Merlot is back from ‘Sideways’ blow and better than ever

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/05/2017 (3316 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

“If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am not drinking any f—ing Merlot!”

That one line, uttered by the lead character in the hit 2004 movie “Sideways,” had a tremendous — tremendously bad — effect on the sale of that particular varietal. According to Wikipedia, a 2009 study by Sonoma State University determined that the film substantially slowed sales of Merlot and caused its price to fall, and a 2014 study by Vineyard Financial Associates estimated that “Sideways” cost Merlot farmers more than $400 million in lost revenue.

And all for a line that was essentially taken out of context.

The lead character was a Pinot Noir fan (and sales of Pinot went through the roof in the western U.S. after the movie was released), and it wasn’t that he didn’t like or respect Merlot. It was that Merlot was the favourite varietal of his ex-wife, for whom he still carried a torch. And simply put, the mere mention of Merlot broke his heart all over again, which prompted the expletive-containing line at the beginning of this column.

Finally, and happily, Merlot has recovered from its unintentionally and undeservedly sullied reputation, is on the upswing, and now very much in demand.

Winemakers have embraced the grape once more and are producing some wonderful wines, many of which I’ve sampled lately.

I love Merlot, especially with pork, and since onion-baked pork ribs are my mom’s signature dish, I always take a bottle or two of Merlot when we’re invited there for dinner and I know her ribs are on the menu.

While the pickings were slim for the last decade or so, for the reasons mentioned above, everywhere I turn these days, there seems to be a new Merlot on offer. And three I tried in recent months are so good, I just had to share my thoughts about them.

First off, Ghost Pines Merlot ($19.99) from California’s Napa and Sonoma valleys, which never went away even with the “Sideways”-induced reduction in Merlot popularity, is lovely. Aromas of dried black cherry, moist tobacco and toasty oak are melded with notes of plum and black currant, resulting in a full, rich wine with well-balanced tannins.

The Ghost Pines was the family’s favourite at our Easter gathering at Mom’s, and I knew it would be. But while I love it too, I was also smitten by the 2014 Sandhill Merlot from the Okanagan. I think I say this in every column in which I mention Sandhill wines, but winemaker Howard Soon is a genius as far as I’m concerned. I just adore the entire Sandhill line. Truly, I love the entire Ghost Pines line too, as well as the one I’ll discuss in a moment.

Anyway, Soon is marvellously adept at what he does, and his Merlot is one of many beverages that proves exactly that. With a bouquet of blackberry, plum, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, the taste follows through with red and black fruit, blueberry and baking spices, as well as a definite note of black tea. I think that’s what my family was not as enamoured by — that and the powdery tannins — and it’s precisely those two elements that made the Sandhill a real standout for me. This wine, too, is $19.99 a bottle, and went well, as did the Ghost Pines, with the pork. I think the Sandhill, however, might be a great pairing with mushrooms, whether with steak, atop a burger, or a fabulous mixed-mushroom ravioli with a brown sauce.

And finally, the 2014 Black Mail Merlot was the least expensive of these three, but not much less at $18.75. However, this wine is an absolute standout. It’s dusty and aggressive, full-bodied, gutsy — this is definitely not the Merlot of old. With tons of cassis, dark raspberry and the blackest of cherries, there’s definitely some oak (my husband, for whom Merlot has always been a favourite varietal, detected some caramel, too, which likely came from the vanilla oak), as well as the faintest hint of barnyard in the very best way. The finish was full of bramble and I noted a lot of cedar — it felt like I was taking a bite out of a sauna (not that I’ve ever done such a thing!). But this is one heck of a wine, with multitudinous layers that just keep on giving. Careful, though — it packs a punch with 15 per cent alcohol. Maybe that’s another reason I absolutely loved the Post House’s Black Mail Merlot.

Since price can’t be a determining factor here, I suggest, if you’re fond of the varietal — and even if you’re not — giving all three of these Merlots a try. Each one is a lovely, impressive wine, and they’ve become staples in my wine larder. I need to be prepared for the next time I’m invited for Mom’s ribs!