The Sideways Effect 10 years later

Link: http://blog.iwfs.org/2014/03/the-sidewa ... ars-later/

Its been almost 10 years since Sideways was released in theaters. So does it still impact what wine you serve? Still hesitant to break out the Merlot?

We drink a lot of both wines, but probably a tad more Merlot. We think the production of Merlot has improved quite a bit over the past ten years.

The one most positive effect is not the diminution of merlot but the slight improvement over diversity of choice from a wine by the glass list. That is, instead of the stranglehold of cabernet/merlot-dominated wines in monotonous and repetitive order and often with no relation whatsoever to the food being served, there are now, at least, some other choices...usually a lighter-bodied, more acidic and nervier wine in a different fruit zone.

given the choice between a so-so merlot and a so-so pinot, I'd be more likely to go with the pinot. At the least, it"s nice having a choice.

[Robin Garr]

Joe, I raised this as a rhetorical question when we did Merlot in the forum's January 2013 "Wine Focus" on Merlot. Here's what I wrote then ...

Can Merlot be saved?

Even before a single, memorable line about Merlot in the popular movie Sideways sent its commercial fortunes plunging in the U.S., Merlot's reputation was getting a little shaky.

Perhaps because it somehow became endowed as "The Red Chardonnay," many North and South American producers - and more than a few Europeans seeking a U.S. export market - started pouring out rivers of Merlot, much of it sadly made in a "pop" style marked by residual sugar, over-the-top frooty flavors and bombastic oak, and much of it from mediocre fruit from overcropped vineyards. Great Merlots and Merlot blends from Bordeaux' Right Bank and a few other favored locations got lost in the stampede as wine geeks fled for other, more favored varieties.

But does it have to be so? Given the passage of time, have alternative wine voices begun to be heard?

Joe, I raised this as a rhetorical question when we did Merlot in the forum's January 2013 "Wine Focus" on Merlot. Here's what I wrote then ...

Can Merlot be saved?

Even before a single, memorable line about Merlot in the popular movie Sideways sent its commercial fortunes plunging in the U.S., Merlot's reputation was getting a little shaky.

Perhaps because it somehow became endowed as "The Red Chardonnay," many North and South American producers - and more than a few Europeans seeking a U.S. export market - started pouring out rivers of Merlot, much of it sadly made in a "pop" style marked by residual sugar, over-the-top frooty flavors and bombastic oak, and much of it from mediocre fruit from overcropped vineyards. Great Merlots and Merlot blends from Bordeaux' Right Bank and a few other favored locations got lost in the stampede as wine geeks fled for other, more favored varieties.

But does it have to be so? Given the passage of time, have alternative wine voices begun to be heard?

Yes Robin, I agree -- after the big Merlot craze of the 90's, like the old saying goes, "familiarity breeds contempt."

One could easily argue that "the merlot effect" transferred over to become "the malbec effect". When Argentina offered up softer, fatter, silkier and far less stringent malbec, it replaced merlot in trendy popularity with the volume public.

Was in a Total wine store a couple of days ago and saw an entire aisle...a full aisle...devoted to malbec. Mostly Argentinian, but Chilean, Californian and even some French as well. Some large displays as well. So the main player is still a version of "Bordeaux varieties".

[Jenise]

Joe, I doubted it ever impacted anyone on this board though some might have agreed with the sentiment about "no f---ing merlot". A movie wouldn't have changed anyone's mind. But I do live in a state that was changed by the sudden decline in merlot sales--we do merlot VERY VERY well here--and unfortunately many of the old vines that made the majestic, super-premium style merlots that would turn any serious wine geek's head went away along with the vineyards that were making bar plonk as producers searched for some other way to make people happy. We now have an excess of syrah.

Joe, I doubted it ever impacted anyone on this board though some might have agreed with the sentiment about "no f---ing merlot". A movie wouldn't have changed anyone's mind. But I do live in a state that was changed by the sudden decline in merlot sales--we do merlot VERY VERY well here--and unfortunately many of the old vines that made the majestic, super-premium style merlots that would turn any serious wine geek's head went away along with the vineyards that were making bar plonk as producers searched for some other way to make people happy. We now have an excess of syrah.

Which is ironic because when I lived in WA in the early 90s I remember a couple of pioneers (David Lake in particular) working their butts off to get people to understand how good Syrah could be in Eastern WA. It was a tough battle, even with some stunning Syrah and other Rhonish blends from the likes of Lake and McCrea and others.

[Jenise]

Which is ironic because when I lived in WA in the early 90s I remember a couple of pioneers (David Lake in particular) working their butts off to get people to understand how good Syrah could be in Eastern WA. It was a tough battle, even with some stunning Syrah and other Rhonish blends from the likes of Lake and McCrea and others.

I hear you. Though syrah does have it's fans and I've seen changes in the acceptance level even in the ten years I've been here. The problem has been, and its no different in California, getting people to accept paying $30 or more for that grape. Only Cab and cab-based blends are so blessed, with the exception of Cayuse and now, finally, Reynvaan.

WTN: Last night in wine class we did a "France vs. California" smack-down. It was interesting, with the California wines showing marked changes in technique and resulting in a close call, with France nosing out California by a margin of 4-3, in spite of a corked sparkler from Alsace. But another close comparison was a '10 Kinneybrook(Kunde) Merlot, Sonoma Cty against a '07 Cht. Papeterie Montagne-St.-Emilion. The St.-Emilion nosed out the California and @ $19 is worth a look. Available @Total Wine. I have been disappointed that we did not bring in more of the '07 Bordeaux. I thought they were tasty, early drinking wines, at an affordable price. Maybe we will see some show up a bit later. If you see one, give it a try. I don't think you will be dissappointed.

The only effect Sideways ever had for me is shortly afterwards I themed a birthday party as "well, I'm drinking #$%^ing Merlot" (though admittedly mostly Pomerol).
I think Sideways only accelarated end of fad. As Hoke said, today Malbec, but my guess is that that fad will end as well, and won't need a movie.

Just as a point of accuracy, a Montagne-St. Emilion or Lussac-St. Emilion is not a St. Emilion, just as a Chassagne-Montrachet or Puligny-Montrachet is not a Montrachet. Pet peeve, sorry!

[James Roscoe]

Of course most people on this site saw the irony in the line by the Giamatti character as the revered Cheval Blanc is a Merlot based wine from Bordeaux. How many people really got that?

Of course most people on this site saw the irony in the line by the Giamatti character as the revered Cheval Blanc is a Merlot based wine from Bordeaux. How many people really got that?

Yeah, but...it was even better than that: the director (who knows his wines pretty well) dissed two varieties in the movie. Merlot got the worst of it, but there was an aside about Cabernet Franc as well. So when he went to the fast food joint and brown-bagged his icon--the Cheval Blanc---it was sweetly ironic that it is a magnificent blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

(And you're right, James: not a lot of people got that---although, yes some WLDGers did--- not even a lot of very knowledgeable wine geek types and pros, until it was pointed out.)

[James Roscoe]

I don't remember the diss about Cab franc. Like most men, I was just hoping to see Virginia Madsen naked!

[Jenise]

Of course most people on this site saw the irony in the line by the Giamatti character as the revered Cheval Blanc is a Merlot based wine from Bordeaux. How many people really got that?

Oh I did, it had me on my feet cheering. But of course I sat right back down again as I was in a crowded theater and apparently the only one who understood.

Of course most people on this site saw the irony in the line by the Giamatti character as the revered Cheval Blanc is a Merlot based wine from Bordeaux. How many people really got that?

Oh I did, it had me on my feet cheering. But of course I sat right back down again as I was in a crowded theater and apparently the only one who understood.

When I first saw the flick, Jenise, I was in the Sebastiani Theater on Sonoma Plaza...so they were plenty of people who twigged...you would not have been alone.

[Jenise]

Would have been lovely to see that among like-minded people. I was here in Bellingham, we had literally just moved in. Bellingham: more REI than ROI.

The one club shipment I did not cancel this spring (need to pay for the new bike ) was Michel Schlumberger. They make a nice Merlot...and from a quite warm upper Dry Creek microclimate.

I know microclimate is important, and I know global warming will have an impact, but I really think winemaker choice and farming decisions is still more important. You can pick at 29 brix, or 23 brix! You can use 20% new oak or 100%.

[Jenise]

but I really think winemaker choice and farming decisions is still more important. You can pick at 29 brix, or 23 brix! You can use 20% new oak or 100%.

You can really see it in vineyards like, say, Clos Pepe, where winemakers contract for certain rows that they manage right down to when to drop fruit and when to pick. Compare Wes Hagen's to Brian Loring's to Adam Lee's--they're not identical.

It's funny, I was sort of just thinking about this a few weeks back. I was at a vertical tasting of Paloma Merlot with some friends and it occurred to me that it was the very first time I could ever recall doing a tasting where every wine was primarily made from Merlot. In contrast, I can think of literally dozens of tastings of just Pinot Noir over the past 10 years (California, Burgundy, whatever). Part of that could be that Merlot is more often a blending grape and Pinot a leading lady, part of it could be in some subtle ways a reflection of this so-called Sideways Effect. All I know is the wines were awfully good and had me thinking about drinking more f*#%ing Merlot...

-Michael