Have you heard the news? October is #MerlotMe month. Merlot fans no longer need to whisper their orders to the bartender or hide their bottles behind a case of Pinot. October is our month to say it loud and proud “Bartender – #MerlotMe!”. To celebrate the comeback of Merlot, the Wine Pairing Weekend Group is sharing some of our favorite Merlot pairings.
The Merlot grape, pre-Sideways Movie, had a history and reputation for being magical. Merlot wines are superb, food friendly wines noted for their red fruits, easy tannins and soft finish. The Merlot grape is one of the essential grapes used in Bordeaux wines and is one of the world’s most planted grape varietals. If you were influenced by the movie Sideways and have not given Merlot a fair chance, it is time to try Merlot. After all one of the most famous Bordeaux wines – Chateau Petrus is mostly Merlot and averages $1,870 a bottle.
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A few interesting facts about Merlot:
Merlot is the most planted variety in France, and the world.
Merlot is child of Cabernet Franc and Madgeleine Noire des Charantes.
Merlot is harder to grow than Cabernet due to thin skin that is sensitive to the environment.
Merlot is most commonly mistaken for Cabernet in blind tastings – the orange rim is a sign it is Merlot vs. Cabernet.
I received a bottle of L’Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley 2012 Merlot for #MerlotMe month that we paired with a recipe for “Grilled Flank Steak with Corn & Bacon Salad” from Michael Symon’s “5 in 5 Cookbook”. The wine is a blend of 80% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot with ABV 14.5%. We found this wine to be smooth, food friendly and delightful. It has elegant notes of violet, combined with a hint of spice, coffee/espresso, red fruits – cherry and blackberry. It is aged in 100% small oak barrels with four rackings over 18 months. This wine is handcrafted with a lot of TLC from the winemakers that is evidenced in each sip. The grapes are grown in mineral rich soils. We loved this wine and can’t wait to buy more and add to our weekly rotation. You can buy this at www.lecole.com.
See what our bloggers have cooked up!
- Martin at Enofylz with An Exploration Of Merlot’s Food Pairing Versatility With Ethnic Fare
- Lori at Dracaena Wines with #MerlotMe and #WinePW– A Perfect Pair[ing]
- Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla with Fungi, Fun Guy, & Two Napa Valley Merlots
- Cindy at Grape Experiences with #MerlotMe with Duckhorn and J.Lohr paired with Duck Breasts Provençale
- Erin at Platings and Pairings with Gnocchi with Frizzled Prosciutto and Blue Cheese
- Sarah at Curious Cuisiniere with Beef Osso Buco and an Exploration of Merlot Wine
- Jennifer at VinoTravels with Merlot pairings with Polenta and Sausage
- David at Cooking Chat #MerlotMe Wine & Roasted Rosemary Pork Chops
- Jade at Tasting Pour with Lamb and Acorn Squash Autumn Skillet
- Michelle at Rockin Red Blog with Celebrating #MerlotMe with #WinePW
If you are a blogger and would like to join the event, there’s still time. Just email me (jmb5121@gmail.com) with your title. The more, the merrier! Join us for a live twitter chat at 11 am EST/8 am PST on Saturday, October 10, 2015 using hashtag #winePW.
Stay tuned for more great food and wine pairings for #MerlotMe Month!
I had forgotten how sideways dissed the Merlot throughout the movie. I am glad that I had this opportunity to learn more about Merlot.
L’Ecole is one of my faves. it’s amazing how many people changed their habits based in part on that movie. Vintners still feel the effects.
We did not recieve an L’Ecole, but it sounds like it was a winner! And yep, love that you mentioned, Cab Franc is the daddy of Merlot. He was a busy bee, being Daddy to several varietals
I’m interested to try that bottle and based on the name I’m curious of any potential Italian origins. Sounds like it was a good sample of merlot. I laughed again when I saw the youtube video. I have to watch that this week.
I love L’Ecole. I’ve visited their tasting room in Walla Walla a few times too. It’s a lovely transformed schoolhouse (from the label), and the staff is very knowledgeable.
L’Ecole is a fantastic wine! It really is incredible to me that one movie could change how people view a wine. Hopefully that will change soon, because Merlot is wonderful!
I actually would have like to have tried the L’Ecole. I think Merlot better when blended with other Bordeaux grape varieties and PV and CF are two of my favorites. Looks like a great pairing too!
We received the L’Ecole, too. I am saving it for a dinner party in November. Can’t wait to try it. Sadly, it’s a vegan dinner. So, no flank steak to pair with it. But I’ll come up with something good.