Merlot

I can't think of Merlot without thinking of the line from the movie, Sideways, in which Paul Giamatti proclaims, "I'm not drinking any f#*^ing Merlot." So why does this wine with such high held popularity hold such disregard amongst wine snobs?  Merlots by nature are genarally light, easy drinking, fruit-driven wines.  However, given the right growing conditions it can be a big, brawny, cellar worthy wine.

How and why does this wine have such a split personality?  Let's first define what a Merlot characteristically is.  Merlot is known for its softness and fleshiness and a certain sensuality that it brings to a wine.  In a wine it typically has aromas of:
                        Blueberry                    Plum
                        Cedar Box                  Cocoa
                        Blackberry                  Prune
                        Mint                            Coffee
                        Cherry                         Grapey
                        Toffee                          Spice
                        Black Cherry               Black Pepper
                        Vanilla                         Chocolate

It characteristically has moderate tannins, high alcohol and very little acidity.  In Old World regions, Merlot is often grown in less than ideal sites with cold conditions or clay soils.  This is because the better sites with optimal growing conditions are given to Cabernet Sauvignon, its blending partner.  Grown in these sites, Merlot hardly ever expresses its true potential.  In New World regions, grown on good soils, in good sites and warmer conditions, Merlot is capable of producing some big powerful wines.

In the United States, Merlot was used almost entirely as a 100% varietal until Warren Winiarski, encouraged bringing it back to its blending roots making Bordeaux style blends.  In France, Merlot is rarely used as a stand alone varietal except in the south of France where it is bottled as a Vin de Pays.  Merlot is the most widely planted grape variety in France, accounting for nearly 2/3 of the total world plantings.  In Bordeaux, Merlot accounts for 50-60% of the overall plantings, yet tends to average only 25% in most wine blends.   Left Bank regions are mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Right Bank regions are predominately Merlot.

In the 1980's Merlot helped put Washington State on the world wine radar. Merlot production helped dispel the myth that Washington's climate was too cold for red wine production.  Now Merlot is the most widely planted grape in the state and accounts for nearly 1/5 of their wine production.  During the 1990's Merlot gained in popularity due in large to 60 Minutes "French Paradox" episode.  This suggested that drinking red wine could help promote heart health and spurred a worldwide jump in red wine consumption.  Merlot's easy to pronounce name and easy drinking style seemed to cause an overnight explosion in sales.  Winemakers attempt to keep up with growing demands created many sub-standard bottlings though.  As a result, consumers came to accept lightweight wines being produced from young vines.  Today, mature vines are creating rich, well crafted wines like those that originally started the Merlot craze back in the late 80's and early 90's.  Check out our ratings on the Merlots we sampled

Merlot tasting notes

1.) McManis Family Vineyards, 2011 Merlot, California

With a sweet nose of soft cherry, leather and vanilla, the wine itself had a woody character. It had flavors of cherry, vanilla, and a touch of bitter chocolate on the finish.  Moderately tannic with a touch of acidity, this wine is bigger than expected.  I could see drinking this with a stew.
 I rate this wine an 84, drink now.

2.) Little Black Dress, 2010 Merlot, California

A raspberry nose that drinks with a creamy, sweet, soft mouthfeel ( almost syrupy ).Finishes with a touch of wood, herbs and chocolate.  This wine while light and quaffable, is very enjoyable.  This could be a real crowd pleaser in a group of non-serious wine drinkers.
 I rate this wine an 86, drink now.

3.) Michael Pozzan, 2009 Merlot, Napa Valley, California

This wine hints of dark fruits with a touch of leather and cedar.  The wine is very soft and dry with very light tannins.  It also gives way to slight hints of graphite and dark chocolate.
 I rate this wine an 82, drink now.

4.) Ravens Wood, Vintners Blend, 2010 Merlot, California

Not much dimension to this wine at all.  Hints of black cherry, cedar and bitter chocolate.
 I rate this wine an 81, drink now.

5.) Avalon, 2010 Merlot, Napa Valley, California

The nose eluded to red or stone fruit, but the wine exhibited flavors of cherry and coffee with a light minerally quality, a touch of oak. This wine has a very nice balance that compliments the light tannins
 I rate this wine an 87, drink now.

6.) Wellington Vineyards, 2007 Merlot, Sonoma Valley, California

The nose hints of plum, currant, leather and cedar.  The wine opens with  jammy fruit, smooth soft tannins with a touch of acidity, then finishes with a compliment of cinnamon, leather an cedar.  Very smooth and drinkable.
 I rate this wine an 88, drink now or hold 2-3 years.

7.) Ghost Pines, Winemakers Blend, 2010 Merlot, 71% Sonoma County, 29% Napa County

This wine was a wonderful blend of eucalyptus, green pepper, perfumed berry fruit, cedar, leather and plum.  The wine has a smooth easy balance and begs for more.
 I rate this wine an 89, drink now or hold 3-4 years.

8.) Rutherford Hill, 2007 Merlot, Napa Valley, California

The nose suggests slightly sweet dark fruit.  First taste of this wine confirms that the alcohol is a little to high and the wine is slightly out of balance. It drinks with nuances of cedar, coffee and dark fruits.
 I rate this wine an 85, drink now.


By Tom Cook

___________

On the road home

How many times have you been traveling; eyes getting heavy, legs cramping. It's just time to pull over and take a rest...  anywhere.  Traveling back from Providence, RI I was hitting just that point.  I needed a break and it was dinner time.  With no plans and no idea where I was, I took the next exit.  It looked like we were near water so my hope was a seafood restaurant.  Thanks to this technological world we live in, my wife and I both took to our mobile devices and started looking up nearby places to eat.  Deciding upon one that sounded good, we set off for the address only to find out that our choice no existed or had at least changed names.  No problem, we had plenty more choices.  We were in Norwalk, CT. and it appeared that there were several places on Wall Street to eat.  We again headed to our destination and found a place to park.  With several choices in sight, we started walking and looking at menus.  We walked into a curious looking establishment called Fat Cat Pie Co and again looked at the menu.  My wife and I were not very excited looking at the limited choices on the menu.  They had pizza, 2 salads, bloodroot bread, a cheese plate or a charcuterie plate.  That's it, and my wife and I have a gluten intolerance   

Fate must have been smiling on me.  For some reason, I was meant to walk into this store at this time.  While we examined the menu; a kindly, bearded, grey haired gentleman stepped from behind the bar seeing our dilemma. This gentleman let us know what other restaurants were in town and where.  He also let us know that if we decided to stay that they had a gluten free pizza and a great beer and wine selection.  Now he had my attention.  My daughter finally decide that this was where she wanted to eat; luckily for me.  I later found out that the man who helped us out was the owner.  What intrigued me was that he also was a wine importer.
That explained the wine list.  To say that this was not your average pizza shop is an understatement.

The menu was limited but eclectic.  The wine list...  AWSOME!  Let's start with 25 choices by the glass or a 260 bottle list.  As an unexpected stop, the experience was amazing.  The gluten free pizza was the best I've had.  I cheated and tried some of my daughter's pizza as well.  The combination of thin crisp crust and toppings were something to be savored.  The house kale salad was a delicious combination of chopped kale, red currants, roasted pumpkin seeds and quinoa with olive oil and parmesan.  I wish I had had the time and appetite to try the artisanal cheeses and charcuterie selection.

What wine did I drink with pizza and kale salad?  I left this choice for the sommelier.  I asked him to please choose 3 half pours of something that he thought was exceptional from the list that would go with my meal.  I enjoyed the following wines.

Wine #1 - Le Vignoble d'elian, Elian da Ros 2010 from Cotes du Marmondais, France.   The wine was bold with soft dry tannins.  While the wine gave off scents of black currant it drank with hints of pepper, currant and blackberry, olives and a touch of earthiness.  I would rate this wine an 85, drink now or hold 2-3 years.

Wine #2 - Anjou Villages "Brissac", Richou 2010 from Loire Valley, France.  This wine had a sweet nose of violets and red fruits. It was reminiscent of boiled sugar hard candies and cran-raspberry.  It had a lively acidity and medium dry tannins with nuances of violet, cinnamon, a touch of cedar, cran-rasberry and dried mushrooms.  I rate this wine an 89, drink now or hold 3-5 years.

Wine #3 - Les Terrasses, Domaine des Schistes 2011 from Cotes du Roussillion, France.  This wine had a good balance with medium/full tannins and a rich mouthfeel.  The nose was sweet vanilla, plum and raspberry.  The wine reflected sweet plum and raspberry, black pepper and a touch of oak,earth and coffee.  I would rate this wine an 88, drink now or hold 3-5 years

If our experienced had ended here, it would have been enough, but it didn't.  One of the waiters has an amazing operatic voice.  I only know this because 2 lucky patrons were treated to an an incredible version of happy birthday.  Both were met by rounds of applause from the entire restaurant.  Fat Cat Pie Co. at 9-11 Wall Street; Norwalk, CT 06850; 203-523-0389, is well worth a detour from the beaten path.  Thank you for a wonderful time!


Tom Cook

#FatCatPieCo, #NorwalkCT

More from the road

On the road again.  Day two of my travels landed me in Providence, Rhode Island.  Home to Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design and Johnson and Wales University.  If you don't know, Johnson and Wales has a culinary school.  The abundance of their students makes Providence a virtual mecca for foodies.  Where there's good food there's always good wine.

Case in point; Cafe Nuovo, located right along the water in downtown Providence.  Cafe Nuovo is a great spot to watch Providence's renowned WaterFire.  WaterFire is a series of bonfires that blaze just above the surface of the three rivers that pass through the middle of downtown Providence.  WaterFires are held May through October, typically on Saturdays about twice a month.  More information can be obtained at  www.WaterFire.org.

So what wine did I pair with Steak Tartare with foie gras and truffle aioli and a Veal Chop with maple glazed butternut squash, brussel sprouts, broccolini, meyer lemon jus and black truffle butter?  2009 Frederic Esmonin Gevrey Chambertin, Clos Prieur.  The nose gave hints of plum. leather and cherry.  The wine gave off more layers of cherry with earth and tar notes followed by white pepper and leather.  All in all a very pleasant food friendly wine.  I would rate it an 87, drink now or hold 1-3 years.  Check out tomorrows tales as more from the road continues.  Don't wait for the special occasions, make them.

Tom Cook

#CafeNuovo, #ProvidenceRhodeIsland

Unexpected Pleasures

I was traveling today to look at colleges with my daughter and had an unexpected surprise.  When I travel I always look for independent restaurants to dine at.  I like to dine at local establishments where I can enjoy true local cuisine and have an experience that I can't get at home.  Traveling through Bridgeport, CT I found a tapas restaurant that advertised having a wine bar as well.  This sounded like the perfect place to stop and have a relaxing meal.  Why am I telling you about this?  Because it was just that good!

If you're in the area, please stop in to Taberna Food & Wine Bar; located at 1439 Madison Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06606; (203) 338-0203.  The wine list was knowledgeably constructed to compliment their cuisine.  The food was excellent.  The service and decor were homey yet elegant without being pretentious.  The owner/Maitre D' helped pick out a wine that complimented my food magically.  The wine was 2007 Bolgheri rosso, an Italian red composed of 50% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot and 30% sangiovese.  The nose was earthy with a touch of blackberry and a light sweet wood aroma.  In the mouth it was layered with bay leaf, cinnamon, blackberry and earthiness that hinted of sandalwood and bitter chocolate.  It was the perfect compliment to tapas of steamed octopus with potato and paprika and an entree of Duck leg confit with sweet potato, beets and spinach.  The duck was finished with a port wine sauce that not overly sweet as is often the case. The legs were perfectly crisp on the outside yet tender and falling apart when touched with a knife.  The melange of sea salt and vinegar were beautiful compliment to the delicately tender steamed octopus.

Please support your local independent restaurateurs and enjoy the local culture whenever possible.  As for Taberna; I can't wait to travel down this road again.  Daniel. thank you for a truly wonderful night!  Good friends and good wine!  May the truth lie at the bottom of the glass.

Tom Cook

#Taberna Food & Wine Bar, #Bridgeport, CT,

Aging Wine

Anyone that knows me knows my passion for Zinfandels.  Today I had one of my favorites; 2004 Spelletich Cellars Zinfandel, Alviso Vineyard, Amador County, CA. Todays tasting reminds me of why I choose to age wine in my cellar.  I paired this wine with of all things; Thai spiced sweet and spicy chicken wings.  It was the perfect compliment.  The wine was soft and subtle with no in your face fruit.  Just soft tannins, red fruits and a beautiful livelyness to the acidity.   You have probably heard me say an aged Zinfandel is a little like a Barbera in how they drink.  If you like your Zins big and bold and exploding with fruit, this probably isn't for you.  If you like your wines very soft and sensual, this is one to look for.  Given the fact that it is nine years old you might have some difficulty.  This is the simple merrits of aging and cellaring wine.  If your interested in this or other wines that Tim and Barbara Spelletich produce, give them a call at (707) 363-5757.  Or you can check out their website at: www.spellwine.com   Happy Hunting!

Tom Cook



#Zinfandel, #Spelletich Cellars, #Barbara Spelletich

How To Taste Wine

How to Taste Wine

First and foremost, make sure you begin with a clean glass. Actually take a moment and inspect the glasses you will be using for your tasting. This may sound crazy but smell each glass you will be using. Stick your nose over the glass and sniff. What are you sniffing for? Well, the smell of detergent. Most people now wash their glasses in a dishwasher. This tends to leave a lingering smell within the bowl of the glass. Detergent smell and wine simply have no place together in my book.  Next, if your glasses have been stored in your cabinets for awhile make sure there is no musty smell or dust hiding in them.  What type of glasses should I use? Do they have to be expensive? I prefer stem-less glasses when I do a tasting simply because of the number of beautiful handcrafted stemware that has met an untimely demise during such events. 

Once you have uncorked the wine and have given it sufficient and respectful time to breath, fill the glass about a third full, why? Filling the glass fuller simply isn’t necessary and filling it a 1/3 full allows the flavors to unfold in the glass. Also, sorry I am a clean freak, it is less likely to spill all over my table and floors.

Ok, so you are saying, Now what? I have a glass of wine that has just been handed to me and I am totally lost other than to drink it down and ask for another.

 Take your glass, tilt it slightly on an angle and take a look at the color, what do you see? Is it dark, clear, does it have any bubbles? Actually spend a few moments getting to know the wine visually.  Next, bring your glass and your nose together in a potentially wonderful moment and smell the wine. Give it a good sniff. Trust me it’s OK and totally what is expected. No one is going to look at your oddly from the corner of their eye.  Now, swirl the wine around in your glass, gently now, no need to slosh it around or shake it.  Why are you swirling it around in your glass? This is to aerate it, to pull oxygen into the wine, now smell it again. What do you notice that may be different? It’s all about becoming familiar with the wine you are tasting.

You may be saying, when do I get to actually enjoy my glass of wine? Do I ever get to actually taste it? In time, it’s coming shortly. Very well, go ahead, take a taste. Some of us slurp the wine, you don’t have to do that, it’s something we do now and then. We slurp, pull it through our teeth and put the wine through a dance in our mouths.
For now, just take a mouthful. Pay attention to what you are tasting, experiencing. Does it taste, clean? Fresh?  Are there any acid flavors, tannins?- that sandy or gritty feeling that sits on your gums. How does it fill your mouth? I do not mean the volume but is it light or does it sit full in your mouth?  Does it have fruit? Do you pick up the tastes of cherry,maybe raspberries?  How about licorice, spices, maybe vanilla? Pay close attention to how long these linger after you have swallowed. Last but not least, is the wine balanced? Do all the elements and complexities come together in a delightful worthwhile experience?

Wine tasting should be enjoyable, a time to come together with family and friends. There is no worry, no one will be grading you on how you enjoy your wine.

I suggest you spend some time getting familiar with the terms I have used in this article. It’s as easy as looking for an on-line wine dictionary or glossary.

…Marcus Padulchick