WTN: I don't like Merlot. No! I do sometimes.

I often catch myself despising Merlot on the grounds that many of its wines are crowd-pleasingly soft with a tendency to cloying jamminess and saying that I much prefer the distinguished rigour of, say, Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbiolo and the classy charm of Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Syrah. So it comes as a corrective surprise to note that, among the wines which I have really enjoyed in recent weeks, there are a few which are Merlot dominated.


VITIANO IGT UMBRIA 2005 – Falesco (1/3 each of Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon)

Some rich nearly jammy fruit is there but there is also freshness (Sangiovese?) and structure(Cabernet?). Very enjoyable and good QPR (approx EUR 11).


LAMAIONE 1995 – Castelgiocondo (Frescobaldi), Montalcino (100% Merlot)

It has developed into a lovely and distinguished wine (my last bottle unfortunately). Full with fine fruit, refreshingly mineral notes and a silky mouth-feel leading to a firm finish no longer spiky as a few years ago. The terroir in Montalcino is clearly contributing class. The 2006 edition of Gambero Rosso states that no Lamaione has been produced since 2002.


CHÂTEAU D’AIGUILHE Côtes de Castillon 1998 (80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc)

A fine N of complex fruit with cherry brandy notes . A maturely harmonious and structured P with good focus, length, roundness and velvety mouth-feel. This predates, I think, the Stephan von Neipperg regime but even then the estate was punching well above its weight (I guess about EUR 14 at the time).


CHÂTEAU BALESTARD LA TONNELLE Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 1990 (70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon)

One of the nice things in Belgium is that professional families often have good stocks of mature Bordeaux and Burgundies. This was offered to us at a dinner by one of my wife’s riding friends. The only fly in the ointment was that the wine was served in deep red/mauve glasses which prevented enjoyment of its colour.

This really lovely wine was similar in style and aroma to the Aiguilhe with real class and a slightly rounder, longer and more velvety P but slightly softer structure. A second bottle was a bit more tired with hints of incipient drying out.


CHÂTEAU SAINT-PIERRE Pomerol 1990

The one disappointment. In its youth this wine got a Decanter award and previous bottles were very enjoyable. However this one had become over-ripe and somewhat cloying and was losing focus. I regret not having drunk this last bottle a few years ago.



All this goes to re-confirm that, in the right terroir with the right supporting varieties and with appropriate vineyard management and wine-making, Merlot can make seriously fine wine with no hint of flabiness or cloying.

All this goes to re-confirm that, in the right terroir with the right supporting varieties and with appropriate vineyard management and wine-making, Merlot can make seriously fine wine with no hint of flabiness or cloying.

I cannot agree with you more on the point of the right supporting varieties. I abandoned Merlot as a varietal beverage many years ago, but I find significant enjoyment in blends with Merlot as a significant component. Interestingly enough, I'm finding the same is also becoming true for me with Cabernet Sauvignon.

-- Clark

Yes, I think that the same is true of Cabernet Sauvignon but less of Cabernet franc. As far as I know none of the great Médocs has ever been 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, as in Bordeaux climatic conditions that would tend to make the wines too severe and monolithic. The highest proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon is around 75% in the Médoc 1er Grands Crus (at Haut-brion in Pessac-Léognan it is much lower at 45%). There is a regretable, for me, tendency to plant a higher proportion of Merlot which if taken too far in conjunction with global warming risks dumbing down a lot of Médoc.

I am less familiar with the situation in California where great ripeness may lessen the need for a softening influence on Cabernet Sauvignon. But, even there, I believe that 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is far from universal in the best wines.

Yes, I think that the same is true of Cabernet Sauvignon but less of Cabernet franc.

Ah, yes ... Cabernet Franc. The first time I tried it, I was quite turned off. That was quite a few years ago, and my palate was much less educated than it is today. Now, I really love a good bottle of 100% Cabernet Franc.

-- Clark

Interestingly enough, I'm finding the same is also becoming true for me with Cabernet Sauvignon.

I've long thought that Cabernet Franc is the only Bordeaux grape that works well on its own. I almost always find that the others need some others to retain harmony. There are the occasional exceptions to my "rule" of course.

-O-

[Jenise]

Yes, I think that the same is true of Cabernet Sauvignon but less of Cabernet franc.

Ah, yes ... Cabernet Franc. The first time I tried it, I was quite turned off. That was quite a few years ago, and my palate was much less educated than it is today. Now, I really love a good bottle of 100% Cabernet Franc.

-- Clark

Had the same issue, Clark. And I wondered if that wasn't the result of tasting it only in winery tastings rooms (and not many of them at that), where it would be sandwiched between the softer, more frontal fruit of a merlot and power and richness of a cabernet. Cab francs always tasted "weedy" if not outright flavorless. I finally read somewhere that they absolutely need food, and so I suggested to our Tuesday night tasting group that the following month we do Cab Franc. And sure nuff, didn't like them much on their own but with food it was a whole new world, and I've been a fan ever since.