“Queen” of the Valley — Merlot
In September, we celebrated Cabernet Sauvignon, the “King” of Napa Valley. This month, we turn to its elegant counterpart: Merlot, the “Queen” of Napa Valley. October also marks the 22nd anniversary of the release of the popular wine movie Sideways, a film that played a surprisingly dramatic role in the fate of Merlot in the United States. More on that below.
Merlot is the second most widely planted wine grape in the world and one of the most important varieties in Bordeaux, France. It is a dark blue-colored grape. The name Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French word for blackbird, likely referring to the grape’s dark color. Merlot’s softness, “fleshiness,” and earlier ripening make it an ideal partner for Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be firmer, more tannic, and later ripening.
Interestingly, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon share the same genetic father, Cabernet Franc, but have different mothers. In other words, they are half-siblings. In the Old World, particularly Bordeaux, Merlot is most often used as a blending grape. In the New World, including California, it is frequently bottled as a single-varietal wine. Merlot is one of the five principal red grapes permitted in the traditional Bordeaux blend, alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Although Merlot is produced all over the world, there are noticeable differences between Old World and New World styles.
New World Merlot, particularly from California, Chile, and Australia, is often riper, fuller-bodied, and higher in alcohol, commonly around 14–14.5%. It can resemble Cabernet Sauvignon, but typically shows more black plum, black cherry, and other dark-fruit flavors, while Cabernet Sauvignon is often dominated by black currant. Old World Merlot, particularly from France, is generally picked earlier, resulting in higher acidity, moderate alcohol—often around 13–13.5%—and a more medium-bodied, elegant style. It tends to emphasize red fruits such as raspberry, strawberry, red cherry, and red plum. This freshness and finesse make Merlot an especially valuable blending partner for Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux and for other varieties, such as Sangiovese, in parts of Italy.
Merlot became enormously popular partly because its name is easy to pronounce and, more importantly, because its softer, fruitier character made it approachable to many wine drinkers. Then came Sideways. In the film, one of the main characters, Miles, passionately praises Pinot Noir while famously expressing his disdain for Merlot. Following the film’s U.S. release in October 2004, Merlot sales declined while Pinot Noir sales increased, and the movie became part of wine folklore. Whether Sideways was solely responsible for the change is debatable, but its cultural impact was real. Merlot suddenly became the butt of wine jokes. But here is the bottom line: bad Merlot exists, and sublime Merlot exists too. And because of the latter, Merlot is making a comeback.
As a varietal wine, Merlot can produce wonderfully soft, velvety wines with generous plum flavors. Depending on where it is grown and how it is made, Merlot may show aromas and flavors of cassis, blackberry, black cherry, boysenberry, mulberry, and plum. With age and oak, it can develop more complex secondary and tertiary notes, including herbs, tobacco, leather, mushrooms, eucalyptus, bay leaf, chocolate, mocha, coffee, and vanilla. That combination of fruit, softness, and complexity is part of what makes great Merlot so enjoyable.
Fuller-bodied, Cabernet-like New World Merlots pair beautifully with many of the same foods as Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly grilled and charred meats, steaks, lamb, and hearty dishes. Softer, lighter, higher-acidity Old World Merlots can be wonderfully versatile at the table and pair well with chicken, turkey, pork, salmon, prawns, scallops, and lighter cheeses. I would avoid very strong blue cheeses and extremely spicy foods, which can overwhelm Merlot’s fruit and make its tannins seem more pronounced and bitter.
Let’s raise a glass—full of Merlot—to this amazing and celebrated red wine: big, bold and juicy when it wants to be, soft and elegant when it chooses to be, and always capable of opening doors and hearts. Merlot may have temporarily lost its crown, but the Queen is back—and she deserves a place at our table.
—By Len Tolstunov, WSET3, Founder of the Calistoga Wine Society, Tribune contributor
Len Tolstunov became interested in wines and took a WSET educational wine course and passed level 3 with honors in 2016. Winemaking was the next adventure for Len and, after planting Cabernet Sauvignon vines in his front yard of their new house, Len started to make wine in 2018, learning from books and from many great home winemakers in town ready to help with any advice. In 2022 at the end of the pandemic, Len conceived the idea of the Wine Society for our town as a unifying force for those who loved wine and wanted to meet more neighbors as well as learn more about wine.
