The WinePost©
Wine is the most civilized thing in the world.~ Ernest Hemingway
Niner Wine Estates Merlot, Bootjack Ranch, Paso Robles (2009)($24.00)
Last week I mentioned the problem with certain wine varietals becoming too popular. Existing wineries turn out more and new producers pop up to get in on the increased demand. The results are not only more bad wines, but a large percentage of the wines are made in the popular style: too fruity, no complexity, no balance. It has happened to several varetals, but it really happened to Merlot.
Merlot is a very approachable red wine. It's upfront with big fruit flavors and generally is smoother and softer than Cabernet Sauvignon. It is preferred by people who find Cabernet Sauvignon too bold and powerful, and by those who are new to the appreciaton of serious wines. And so, Merlot became the rage. The shelves were full of the stuff and everyone who ordered red wine in a bar asked for Merlot.
And then the bottom fell out. There were too many bad wines. But there were other factors. Bar patrons, especially women, switched to white wines. (Which began the problems for Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio, but that's another story.) Knowledgeable wine drinkers tired of the overly fruity, unstructured, unbalanced wines. And wine snobs refused to drink it because it was too popular, not hip and the wine for the uneducated. Merlot became unpopular because of its popularity. The movie
Sideways certainly didn't help, but it was just the last nail in the coffin.
It's not that everyone stopped drinking Merlot. I didn't. I always have a couple of bottles or more in the racks or in the vault. The good ones are worth seeking. Tonight's selection is a good one. The fruit is certainly there but it's not the proverbial "fruit bomb". It's well-balanced, has good length and a nice tannic grip on the end. Merlot needs to be "re-discovered".
Wine fact: The whole concept of letting wine breathe, or aerate, is simply maximizing your wine's exposure to the surrounding air. By allowing wine to mix and mingle with air, the wine will typically warm up and the wine's aromas will open up, the flavor profile will soften and mellow out a bit and the overall flavor characteristics should improve. Most red wines and a few whites will improve with aeration. 15-30 minutes is good enough for most wines. Wines that are young with high tannin levels need an hour. Older wines benefit the most. Decanting is the most efficient way to aerate. I have not tested the aeration tools through which wine is poured.
Enjoy!
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