Yes, I drink Merlot...

The movie Sideways was an instant success and there were a lot memorable sights and quotations in it that will stay with us for quite some time. One of them was from Paul Giamatti's character who said: "If you order Merlot, I'm leaving. I'm not going to drink any fucking Merlot!" Not many would have thought that one line in a movie would have created such a buzz. Merlot sales dropped sharply after that--although they are up again. So, this begs the question: is Merlot really such a mediocre wine to deserve this? Before we answer this question, let's go back a couple of decades...

When you visit a wine bar these days, you may think that wine has

been very popular for a very long time. The US love affair with wines, however, isn't older than a generation--early to mid eighties. And for a long time, white wines--mostly Chablis--sold by the glass were popular. Eventually, they were replaced with Chardonnay and Merlot. Now, there is nothing wrong with these two wines--it happens that I really like both of them! But the "Cab"--translation: Cabernet Sauvignon--became the drink of the hip wine drinkers and Merlot was...well, not IN. Paul Diammati in Sideways confirmed that and that was it. I am here to argue against that perception and to say, without fear of being ostracized by the "oenophiles" of the wine bars, that I really like Merlot!

Merlot or Merlot Noir is very popular world wide and competes only with Cabernet Sauvignon as the most planted dark-skinned grape variety overall. In Bordeaux and in France overall, Merlot is decisively the m

ost planted red wine and it plays the role of constant companion to the austere, aristocratic, long-living Cabernet Sauvignon--its most probable half brother--which helps to explain the reason why Merlot-dominant red bordeaux can taste so like Cabernet-dominant red bordeaux. Its early maturing, plump, lush fruitiness provides a needed compliment to Cabernet. What distinguishes Merlot from other wines, especially Cabernet, is its "smooth" character-- a drawback to some, an advantage to others. It's a wine that promotes texture over flavor.

One of my favorite blends, and one that is popular in the newly planted vineyards in my village in Greece, is Cabernet-Merlot-Shirah. All three varietals do well in its cool, well ventilated slopes and can be harvested almost at the same time. I am fortunate to have a relatively large selection of these wines--vintages from 2003 to 2009--which are maturing very well.

Malbec: The rebirth of a Great wine...

Long known as one of the six grapes allowed in the red Bordeaux wine, the French plantations of Malbec are now found mainly in Cahors--wine region of South West France--where it has been declining in popularity mostly because it has many of the production disadvantages of Merlot, as it very susceptible to various grape diseases and viticultural hazards (frost, mildew, coulure). As a varietal, Malbec produces a rather inky red, or violet, intense wine that makes ideal to use in blends such as with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to create the red French Bordeaux claret blend.

While Malbec has been declining in France, it has become the national wine of Argentina which is the most important wine producing country in South America and in the last two decades one of the most dynamic wine producers in the world. And it owes a lot of this success to Malbec which seems to have found its true home in upper Mendoza. There it produces a deep-colored, robust, and fruity red wine with enough alcohol, body, and structure to benefit from oak ageing. The commercial success of Argentine Malbec has attracted a new generation of wine drinkers--yours included--and has opened other markets, especially Chilean, where production has increased considerably. Chilean Malbec, though, tends to be more tannic than Argentinian and may be blended with other Bordeaux grapes.

Malbec, for my taste is one of the best wines and I can have it with just about anything--which may be blasphemous to the sophisticated oenophile--but it is best with grilled meat, game and robust spicy dishes. I regret, by the way, that when we traveled to Mendoza in 2001 I had not discovered Malbec yet and as a consequence we did miss out of the opportunity to explore the Malbec vineyards. Perhaps, next time...

Wine reviews

Pinot Noir: The Red Burgundy...

Recently I wrote about two Pinot Noir wines and thought it is appropriate to talk a bit more about this fickle grape and this elegant wine. Above all, it gave me the opportunity to learn more about one of my favorite wines. Known as the "Red Burgundy" around the world, Pinot Noir, as a wine, is sensual and transparent and, as a grape, one one of the most difficult to cultivate and transform into wine. A demanding varietal, it is low yielding and grows only in cool regions. Grown around the world, it is mainly associated with the Burgundy region of France which has produced some of the most celebrated wines for centuries. The US, especially California and Oregon, has increasingly become a Pinot Noir producer with Willamette Valley in Oregon, Russian Valley in Sonoma County, Mentocino County, and Santa Barbara County having perhaps the best Pinot Noir wines.

The leaves of Pinot Noir are generally smaller than those of Cabernet Sauvignon, but larger than those of Syrah. The grape cluster is small and cylindrical, vaguely shaped like a pine cone--thus its name. As a vine, it is very sensitive to light, soil types and pruning techniques. As a wine, it is sensitive to fermentation methods, yield strains and is highly reflective of its terroir with different regions producing very different wines.

Pinot Noir wines, however, are among the most popular in the world. The broad range of bouquets, flavors, textures and impressions that it can produce sometimes confuses tasters. The characteristics that the Pinot Noirs of the world share are certain sweet fruitness and, in general, lower levels of tannins and pigments than the other "great" French red varieties-- Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Moreover, Pinot Noir wines tend to be light to medium body with black cherry, raspberry and currant aromas. The color of the grape is a lighter garnet than of other red wines. Emerging varieties from California and New Zealand, however, are more powerful, fruitier, and darker that approach Syrah.

Wines, of course, aren't meant to be solitary...they need company, and I don't mean just the company of good friends. I mean, they need good food, or at least the right food. They are certain general food-wine guidelines, however, that we should follow when pairing food and wine. Then, do we match a particular meal to the most appropriate wine, or vice versa? I prefer to choose the food first and then come up with the best wine that will make the culinary experience most enjoyable. That requires, to some extent, a fairly good supply of properly stored wines on hand. This way, you don't have to run to the wine store every time you cook.

Since we are talking about Pinot Noirs, let's return to wine-food pairings for this type of wine. Given that Pinot Noir is a medium bodied red, it goes well with mild flavors and mild meats. Fish like salmon and tuna go well, as do pastas and vegetarian pizzas. Avoid rich heavy sauces, especially with red meats. I find Pinot Noir to be a very good all-around wine that I can have before, during and after dinner.

1986 Chevalier de Bayard, Emissary Selection

Rated 94 points by the Wine Cellar

This is the week for 1986 French wines--so it turns out. I posted a couple of days ago a review of a 1986 Marc Bredif Vouvray white--an excellent wine, by the way--and I thought it is only fair to continue with a 1986 red as well. It is a 1986 Chevalier de Bayard that I have been aging since 1987. I bought two cases back then and have been drinking them--very slowly--on special occasions. The wine isn't a great one by French standards. In other words, it doesn't have the impressive credentials of French wines. It is a Vin de Pays from the l'Herault region--a modest wine. I bought it because it satisfied my not very sophisticated taste at that time. It had improved a bit as it matured, but I had almost forgotten that I had it. A couple of weeks ago as I was updating my cellar inventory, I noticed it and I thought it's probably way passed its prime. Worried about being embarrassed in case it's a flop, my wife and I decided to have it all by ourselves one beautiful May evening in our front patio. What a wise decision! The wine turned out to be one of the best wines I have tasted so far.

The first thing I noticed was its color. It was a brilliant ruby with no traces of brown--meaning it has a few years left before it's past its prime. With 11% alcohol, early bottles were a bit thin--perhaps its main weakness. This one, however, had a considerably improved body--one of the chief benefits of ageing wines. This wine doesn't have a great nose--no fruits, no complex flavors. Its greatest strength was an incredible round and long taste with almost perfect balance. You simply don't want the taste to end. We were so impressed with it, we decided not to drink it all that evening. We enjoyed this rare find over the next two nights. Have three bottles left and will be reporting on them in the next few years--hope it continues to improve.

I had bought this wine back in 1987 around $15 per bottle. Don't know what might cost today, but it is well worth it, for my taste. I give it 94 points!

Marc Bredif: 1986 Vouvray--Grand Annee...

Age DOES matter!

Rated 94 points by the Wine Cellar

In a recent post it was mentioned that I had the opportunity to visit the wine cellar of Marc Bredif wines in Vouvray in the Loire Valley of France this past April. What an an extraordinary experience that was! In the 2 km cellar, Marc Bredic Vouvray wines are perhaps the oldest white wines still available. Most people believe that white wines peak between 5 and 10 years--and that may be true for most wines. But the Vouvray wines we saw and tasted disprove that myth and the reason may be the almost ideal conditions of the Marc Bredif cellar.

We tasted several of the Marc Bredif wines, but the 1986 Vouvray, Grand Annee white was one of the best whites I have ever tasted--perhaps the best. Brilliant light gold color, full body, with all the wonderful complex flavors a 24 years old wine brings. Great balance of sweetness and fruits. A very pleasant lingering after taste. A truly great wine. It was the first time for me to taste a quality wine at a winemaker's cellar and undoubtedly the proper preservation of the wine does make a difference. You never know how well the wines are preserved from the time they leave the winemaker till they reach the consumer half the way around the world...

I have no illusions that I will ever taste wines that are rated in the 95 to 100 points range. And to be frank, I am not sure I would be able to fully appreciate the greatness of such wines. For that reason, I will have to rate this one nearly the top of my scale--94 points which professional wine tasters might find a bit high...I regret that I didn't bring with me a few bottles. Once I return to the US in the fall, I will try to locate the 1986 Vouvray--and if I do, hope I can afford it...

There are wines and then, there are French Wines...

Some of you reading my blog during the past two weeks might think that I have become an agent for French wines with the abundantly positive comments I have been making about them. Well, not really. It's that one must recognize quality and be willing to admit it. And it's not just the French wines. It's the French mind set about growing, making, and preserving wine that sets the standard. Every country--including mine--brags about its wine. The French do too, but they have a good reason to do so.

I had the opportunity to visit the Maison Bredif--the Wine Cellar of Marc Bredif in Rochecordon in the Loire Valley of France. By the way, one needs to redefine the term wine cellar when referring to Marc Bredif. It consists of 1.2 mile-long and centuries-old abandoned lime stone galleries that at one time provided the building stones for many of the cathedrals and chateaux of France. Entering the wine cellar was a spiritual experience for me. The barrels and bottles--dusty and cobweb covered--in the glow of candles inside the man-made caves gave the feeling of a medieval Byzantine monastery.

We were escorted by Matthieu--a delightful, knowledgeable and friendly young man--who made our wine touring experience most enjoyable. One of the bonus benefits, by the way, of visiting wineries and wine cellars around the world, is often meeting the wonderful people behind the wines. Matthieu was one of those people. We left Vouvray and the Loire with the best of memories--hope to visit again this wonderful part of France...

French Wine Review...

2006 Cotes du Rhone, E. Guigal-Chateau D' Ampuis

Rated 92 points by The Wine Cellar

I tasted a couple red wines before I came across this 2006 Cotes du Rhone. Although its cork was a bit dry--not preserved properly--it was an excellent pick. Brilliant in color, full bodied, well balanced with subtle cedar flavor. It had a velvety character that was very smooth and interesting at the same time. It was an excellent companion to various cheeses and a wheat/nutty bread. Will have to try it with meat and rich food, although my expectation is that it may may not be the best pairing.

I have to confess that I have been partial to Argentinean and Spanish wines with limited experience with French wines. This and a few other french wines I have tasted in my recent travel to France appear destined to change all this...

The French Connection...

There is a long list of reasons for visiting Paris--the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, the Versailles, Notre Dame--but for me it is distilled down to two things: French wine and French bread...Well, I have to be honest--I do love architecture and art too. A couple of days ago we traveled to Fontainebleaux--SE of Paris--and were fortunate to catch the open market. What an amazing display of fresh produce, meat, fish, cheese, bread, and other goodies. It was like being eight years old and walking into a candy store--for me a cookie store...

The aromas of the bread and vegetables were fantastic. And although cheese doesn't rank as high as bread and wine in my epicurean scale, one can't overlook the cheeses in France. With more than 400 types of them, France is unquestionably the place to be if you are a cheese lover.

It's mid April and Spring is evident everywhere. Tulips are spectacular and the air is saturated with the delicate smell of flowers and the fresh smell of emerging grass and budding trees. Renoir must have been inspired by these sights in many of his well-known paintings. Oh, yes, Paris is where people fall in love again and again...