Kicking off #MerlotMe in the Pacific time zone (#WinePW)

Hooray for Merlot!

Frankly, I never understood why Paul Giamatti maligned Merlot in the film “Sideways.” Even before I was seriously into wine, I loved the plummy, chocolate aromas and smooth, round mouthfeel of this classic French grape.

Now that I live in the Pacific time zone, I’m hoping to visit wineries and vineyards up and down the coast – of course, that’s when the virus is under control and the wildfires aren’t raging. Sigh. For now, I’m delighted to taste wines in the safety of my own home.

So pleased and grateful to receive two West Coast Merlot samples – one from California and the other from my new home state of Washington – for the annual #MerlotMe monthlong celebration of the grape. The Wine Pairing Weekend blogging crowd is talking all things Merlot on Saturday 10/10 beginning at 8 am PT/11 am ET. You’re invited to join us by following the #WinePW hashtag.

(Please note that while the wines for this post were provided, opinions are my own.)

Quick Merlot facts

• Merlot ranks No. 2 in global share of wine grape plantings (2016). Cabernet Sauvignon is No. 1.
• France has twice as many vineyards planted to Merlot as any other country. Italy is second, and the United States is third.
• Merlot is the most planted variety in Bordeaux, France.
• Cabernet Franc is the father of Merlot and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes (who?) is the mother, as DNA testing has discovered.
• In California wine shipments, Merlot is the third leading red varietal purchased by Americans after Cabernet Sauvignon and red blends.
• Merlot is the No. 1 most consumed red varietal according to consumers in a Wine Intelligence August 2018 survey of more than 4,000 wine consumers across all ages and drinking preferences.

Sources: Which Winegrape Varieties Are Grown Where? by Kym Anderson and Signe Nelgen (University of Adelaide, 2010); Wine Folly; The Wine Institute.

The pairings

2017 L’Ecole No. 41 Merlot, Columbia Valley
81% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot

The spouse and I moved to Washington this past June and we’re slowly getting to know the state’s wines. So I was thrilled to receive a sample of this Merlot from the L’Ecole No. 41 winery in Walla Walla, Washington. The Walla Walla Valley was recently voted America’s Best Wine Region in the 2020 USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

.Founded in 1983, L’Ecole No. 41 is one of Washington state’s first family-owned wineries. The winery is housed in the historic Frenchtown School just west of Walla Walla. Frenchtown derived its name from the many French Canadians who settled the valley during the early 1800s. The name L’Ecole is French for “the school,” and 41 refers to the site’s district number during the early days of vineyards and winemaking in this valley.

Grapes for this wine are from L’Ecole’s own estate vineyards and, as is typical of Washington wines, from large partner vineyards where the producer has longstanding relationships. Some vineyards hold contracts with up to 30 different wineries.

Hand harvested and gently crushed, the fruit goes through several gentle hand punch downs and gravity-assisted racking before it is aged for 18 months in 30% new, small oak barrels.

My tasting notes: Dark ruby in color. Aromas of blackberry, plum, mint, and charcoal fill the nose. On the palate, I get dark berry, a hint of fennel, and a dusting of cocoa. Medium+ acidity. Medium+ finish. Alcohol: 14.5%. Suggested price: $25. Drink now or wait a few years for secondary flavors to develop.

Suggested pairing: Lamb Bolognese. This savory, gamey bolognese from The Kitchn is one of my daughter’s signature dishes. Red wine and tomato paste form the base, and cinnamon, cumin, and coriander blend together to give the dish a spicy warmth. Cream in the sauce mellows out acidity from the tomatoes and tannins in the wine. I recommend taking time to linger over this delicious pairing.

2018 Goldschmidt Chelsea, Alexander Valley (Guidestone Rise)
100% Merlot

New Zealand natives Yolyn and Nick Goldschmidt own and operate Healdsburg, California-based Goldschmidt Vineyards, and Nick is the winemaker. 

Nick Goldschmidt calls his big, bold Alexander Valley Merlot, named after the couple’s eldest daughter, a wine for Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers. I’ve tasted those Goldschmidt Cab Sauvs – named for Goldschmidt’s two other daughters, Hilary and Katherine – and can attest to their new-world, bold and fruity style. Definitely wines made for grilled meat!

Grapes for Goldschmidt’s Alexander Valley Merlot are sourced from an estate vineyard just east of Geyserville. The wine is aged in 25% new oak barrels (60% French, 20% American, 20% Hungarian) for a year. It’s filtered but not fined.

My tasting notes: For #MerlotMe Month last year, I tasted the 2017 Goldschmidt Chelsea from the Salmon’s Leap vineyard in Dry Creek Valley, a slightly cooler location than Alexander Valley. That one had a lighter body and higher acidity than this one. The Alexander Valley Merlot is deep ruby, almost purple in color. Aromas of blackberry, plum, and fennel greet the nose. After opening up, Chelsea offered up chocolate too. The palate hints of fennel and dark chocolate. Medium+ acidity. Long finish. Alcohol: 14.5%. Suggested price: $25. A bit tannic now; would benefit from holding for a few years.

Suggested pairing: Grilled meat or portabella mushrooms (though I didn’t follow this advice). Instead, I took a page from Robin’s clever brunch pairing on Crushed Grape Chronicles but instead of bacon and eggs, I tried the Goldschmidt Merlot with bagels, cream cheese, and smoked salmon (lox). Salmon is so Pacific Northwest, right? I thought the smoked kind would add savory quality to the pairing. It was so-so. Also tried a spicy chicken sausage stew (too spicy) and vegetarian black bean burgers (not enough oomph). This is a big, bold California Merlot! Finally, I cooked up a couple of turkey burgers loaded with slices of tomato and cheddar, cilantro lime sauce, and sautéed mushrooms and onions. Ah, that’s better!

We’ve got plenty of Merlot coming your way on the #WinePW chat and in the following posts. For some extra added fun while you’re sipping Merlot, download the #MerlotMe playlist on Spotify. Enjoy!

• Andrea at The Quirky Cork shares Three Turkish Merlots.
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla posts Merlot: A Varietal That Plays Well with Others.
• Cindy at Grape Experiences says to Sip Memorable Merlot with Classic Vegetarian Favorites.
• Deanna at Asian Test Kitchen offers a Fall Vegan Menu Paired with 2016 Napa Merlots.
• David at Cooking Chat shares Merlot Food Pairing: Tips and Favorites.
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares Meatloaf and #MerlotMe with Sonoma’s Selby and Columbia Valley’s L’Ecole No. 41.
• Jane at Always Ravenous gives us a Merlot Pairing: Baked Pasta with Sausage Ragù.
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares A Tale of Two Merlots at the Grill.
• Jill at L’Occasion asks What’s So Special About Merlot?
• Jennifer at Vino Travels declares Fall is Here! Warm up with a Merlot and Pot Roast Pairing.
• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish posts October is #MerlotMe Month: Here’s What I’ve Been Sipping.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass is Kicking off #MerlotMe in the Pacific Time Zone.
• Liz at What’s in that Bottle? says Make Room for Merlot!
• Lori at Exploring the Wine Glass has Leaves on the Ground and #MerlotMe in My Glass.
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest gives us Next Gen Merlot From Where It All Started.
• Martin at Enofylz Wine Blog writes A Meatless #MerlotMe Redux.
• Nicole at Somm’s Table has 5 #MerlotMe Nights.
• Payal at Keep the Peas is Kicking Off Autumn With #MerlotMe.
• Pinny at Chinese Wine & Food Pairings celebrates #MerlotMe with Markham and L’Ecole No. 41 Merlots and Army Ramen.
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles posts Merlot from Elegant to Badass. Time to #Merlotme.
• Rupal at Syrah Queen writes #MerlotMe – Best Food Pairings For Merlot.
• Susannah at Avvinare says Brazilian Merlot Is Always Welcome At My Table.
• Terri at Our Good Life pairs Merlot Me with No Noodle Lasagne.
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm declares Woohoooooooo….It is #MerlotMe Month.