Ever watch the movie, Sideways? Well, if you did, you would know that it took merely 7 words escaping Paul Giamatti’s lips to ruin the reputation of a perfectly reasonable grape.

Oh Paul Giamatti, if only you knew how much influence you would have over the Wine Industry…

The 7 damning words of this man alone have caused the reputation of a noble grape, with a legacy spanning centuries, a f***ing grape that composes typically 95% of the wine of Château Pétrus — one of the most expensive and desired f***ing wines in the entire world — to be completely destroyed. The fact that this varietal is so hated, yet is in the Hermés Birkin Bag of wines literally makes no sense.

And that’s not all. This movie is also responsible for the oversaturation of Pinot Noir so now every single restaurant has 7 plus Pinot Noirs on their glass list! It’s a freaking Pinot Patch out there people! We’ve got regions that should never be making Pinot Noir due to their hot climate, producing freaking Zin-Pinots with 16 plus alcohol percentages that taste like cherry cola! Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!

EXHALES. RANT DONE.

I don’t have a beef with Paul Giamatti - he seems like a really nice guy. Nor do I have a beef with the movie Sideways, it’s perfectly delightful.

I just don’t understand how a movie that students do scenes from for their college acting classes should hold so much sway over the whims of wine consumers! If you are one of those people who doesn’t like Merlot because you’ve seen the movie Sideways…

Perhaps it’s time to start thinking critically and give the varietal a f***ing chance!

With all that in mind…

If you’re like me, and I’m guessing you are because you’re reading this blog, all that Merlot hate is perfect for many a savvy buyer!

You can totally take advantage of Merlot’s PR Nightmare, and find some absolutely stellar Merlots that are a great value. Sorry, Pétrus, you’re not included on the list — though someday I will have you!! (Because a girl can dream, right?)

So, without further ado, let’s talk about this maligned and misunderstood varietal.

THE SCOOP ON MERLOT…

Of all the full-bodied reds, Merlot is probably the chillest of the chill. Merlot hangs out and plays super well with other grapes that may be a bit more… attention seeking — (cough cough Cabernet Sauvignon cough cough.) This easy drinking little varietal goes with a lot of stuff, and should be praised for its versatility.

It’s soft enough to go with roast turkey, pasta, and plant-based dishes but also has enough of a backbone to stand up to steaks and the like as well.

Merlot is a medium bodied grape, that can have as much tannin and acidity as Cabernet Sauvignon. This grape is SUCH a chameleon, and changes pretty much wherever it’s grown. There are so many regions that grow this incredible varietal, and there’s truly a Merlot for everyone.

What I get the most from Merlot is this rich, soft, velvety purple fruit. I pick up immediately on plums, blackberries, and an earthiness. There’s another thing that Merlot has that only a few varietals have —

MERLOT HAS PYRAZINES…

Pyrazines are usually a dead giveaway for several wines and will help you identify them in the future. They’re that green, bell-peppery flavor/aroma that you get when trying a wine.

Sometimes they can manifest as a green, leafy or minty quality in the wine. Other varietals that have Pyrazines are Sauvignon Blanc, Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.

WHICH MERLOT IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

The Merlot Spectrum

COOL CLIMATE MERLOT

Take a trip to Italy…

The first time I ever had an Italian Merlot was the Poggio Al Tesoro Il Seggio, which was a Super Tuscan I was selling at the time. It’s definitely too high in terms of price for me to actively promote on this site, but I still remember this wine 2 years later.

Working in the biz, I’ve tasted many a Merlot, and in all honesty Merlot is usually the wine that a lot of wineries needed us to actively sell out in the marketplace because… well… you guessed it — DEMAND WAS SO LOW.

I had never experienced a Merlot from Italy before, and I’ll be honest — I too was a little discriminatory against this varietal. But, I was struck by the herbal elements of cedar, sage and an almost cigar-like quality that Merlot had.

If you’re into herbaceous wines, I highly recommend trying Merlots from this region. To be specific — make sure you check out Bolgheri, but be warned… These wines cost a pretty penny.

But don’t forget France!

As a grape, Merlot responds really well to cooler climate regions like France and Italy. Therefore, it yields cooler climate Merlot. Pretty self explanatory, huh?

There are many regions in France that work with this varietal. Some of them include the Languedoc and Bordeaux. Merlot is a huge star in the Right Bank region of Bordeaux, and is typically blended with the peppery, spicy varietal, Cabernet Franc. With French Merlot, you’ll also get that dark, intense, fruit quality.

It’s literally like an explosion of raspberries and cassis liquor in your mouth. Aromas of cigar, tobacco, and very strong minerality are often associated with these wines.

You’re probably apt to find Merlots that are a bit more inexpensive in regions like the Languedoc and very specific parts of Bordeaux. Be warned — Bordeaux is where some of the most expensive Merlot in the world is from, so I highly suggest avoiding any wines that are labeled as “Classified Growths.”

We can get into discussing Bordeaux later on in the blog — trust me, it’s complicated.

YOU’RE GETTING WARMER…

What about Washington?

This is honestly one of my favorite places to check out for Merlot.

Climate wise, Washington runs pretty cool. In fact, I almost considered putting it within the cooler climate, regions. I decided against it because Washington is what we like to call, a “New World,” region.

Generally speaking, Old World wines come from places like Europe and New World wines come from places like the USA.

New World wines are generally fruitier, and higher in alcohol because the climate is a bit warmer. They are less mineral driven and more fruit driven.

But the interesting thing I’ve found about Washington is it really has a lot of Old World characteristics.

The Merlots here drink like some of the Merlots in France and have truly beautiful acidity, structure and grip. They do have those Warmer Climate characteristics though. They’re chocolatey, velvety, and very sumptuous wines — not to mention, they are an incredible value.

Think of Washington as one of the more, “hip,” and “up and coming,” regions. If you see some Washington wines — especially Merlot — be sure to snatch those right up.

WARMEST

Let’s not forget California.

Our journey through the Merlot spectrum finishes up in good old California. More specifically -Napa. In fact, if you want to get really specific, let’s talk about the Dry Creek Valley.

The Dry Creek Valley is a wine producing region that has its own unique geographical characteristics that are perfect for growing Merlot. There are truly some gorgeous Merlots that come out of this region.

Because California is a lot warmer than the regions in France and Italy, Merlots grown here typically are bursting fourth with black cherry and raspberry characteristics.

**Chocolate lovers — be sure to check out Merlot from the Napa Valley.**

The wines here taste a lot more chocolatey than some of the wines from the previous regions I mentioned — offering very distinct, Mocha characteristics with hints of vanilla.

There’s a generosity to Merlots that come out of California, and they’re a lot more rich than those super powerful, higher acid Merlots that come out of Italy and France. If you’re into those bell-peppery pyrazines you may find some of them in Merlots from this region.

At the end of the day… think about Length and Width.

We can also talk about Merlot from Cool Climate versus Warm Climate regions in terms in length and width. Generally speaking, cooler climate Merlots have longer, lingering finishes with intensity, depth and structure. Warmer climate Merlots are fuller bodied, rounder, more sumptuous, creamier and fruit forward.

If this sounds like I’m talking like a crazy person, try buying two Merlots. Buy a Merlot from California and buy a Merlot from France and taste them side by side. You’ll definitely notice there’s a different in terms of body and the length of the finish in each wine.

And no, that’s not meant to sound dirty. Let’s move on to the…

PICK OF THE WEEK:

Hubert de Bouard Merlot 2018 $14.99 @ K&L

The Hubert de Bouard Merlot is from the Right Bank AOC in Bordeaux — Saint-Émilion. It’s definitely not your Grandma’s Merlot and has a very distinctive, lively quality to it. It’s rustic, friendly — and honestly, if you are into cocoa and all things chocolate? Definitely worth the buy.

From first whiff it reminded me of Violet perfume - but not the cloying, powdered stuff. The hip stuff, like the kind you buy at Le Labo in Silverlake. I got a whiff of really ripe plums and — random - Cocoa Puffs. I know, strange, but really appealing. It conjured black and white images of screen sirens and jazz singers because of its subtle but classy sophistication.

This Merlot is not super flashy. It would prefer a quiet night at home, listening to Thelonious Monk’s April In Paris on vinyl and reading a good book by candlelight.

It’s friendly, approachable, and kind of rustic in its own way with some solid structure and has some serious length. At $14.99 I’d say it’s a really good value and could easily be priced at $20.00 or more.

For those knowledgable about Bordeaux — Hubert de Bouard is famous for his connection to the renowned Saint-Émilion Premiere Grand Crus Class A estate, Château Angelus. (Big deal producer, by the way)

If you’re one of those who follows Robert Parker, James Suckling, or those very serious critics, Château Angelus kicks some serious butt and has been for several years. Anyway, Hubert de Bouard wanted to do his own thing I guess, and this is his own label. I’d say it’s a pretty solid value.

It goes with a lot of things, but because of its rustic, meaty-ness I would suggest pairing it with a dish of a similar ilk.

If you’re making pot roast, or if you live somewhere like Los Angeles and are one of the millions of people on the Keto or Paleo Diet, this would be a good wine to pair with one of those meals. For my plant-based friends, this wine would crush it with a portobello mushroom burger. But I would say the best pairing for this wine would be desert related. I had it with some Gluten Free Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcakes later in the evening and I must say, it was delicious.

CAN WE STOP HATING ON MERLOT PLEASE? THURSTQUEEN SPILLS THE TEA ON MERLOT (AND SHOWS YOU HOW TO USE THIS GRAPE’S PR NIGHTMARE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE)