The Comeback Grape: Why Serious Merlot Is Finally Getting Its Due
“Three anonymous glasses sit on the table — one from Bordeaux’s Pomerol, one from Tuscany’s Bolgheri, one from the vineyards at Rutherford Estate. He doesn’t say which is which. But his point is profound: Merlot should be evaluated among the places where it has long been iconic. No speech about “saving” the grape, no apology for a category that lost its footing…”
“What Cole is really doing is reminding people that America’s complicated relationship with Merlot is largely America’s problem. Elsewhere, the grape has never needed rehabilitation.”
Seems like there have been a lot of articles the last couple years on Merlot’s “comeback”. Is this a trend or do sales actually support this idea? Agree with the author that so much is a perception issue. In fairness, I was an example of the problem, only exposed to overripe Cali merlot until delving into bordeaux, now loving the grape
as far as a labeled varietal its a non factor outside of Duckhorn, it could be a key component in a blend someone loves but the minute you say it’s Merlot you get that “did someone just fart?” face from the average consumer
Not sure who it was on here, but someone made the point that the rise of the “proprietary red blend” and its equivalents was in part a way to realize higher returns on Merlot.
I do wonder whether today’s warmer Napa is the right spot for the grape. The 90s (and I’m sure earlier) turned out some really excellent ones though - early 90s Beringer Howell Mtn being a favorite of mine.
A few buddies of mine recently purchased a vineyard on top of Atlas Peak. It’s planted to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and while they sell most of the fruit, they started their own Merlot brand called White Rabbit, named after a ski slope at Northstar in Lake Tahoe that only opens a few times a year when the conditions are right. It’s a great value, made by the team at Reverie and Aonair. I encourage everyone to check it out!