The reason merlot is so popular? It’s easier to pronounce than cabernet sauvignon.
That’s an old restaurateur joke, but sadly, there is some truth to it. Too much California merlot is, at best, ordinary, and at worst it’s made to taste like a lollipop with alcohol. These wines are full of blueberry fruit with a cola aroma, which is why I always recommend California merlot to people who are looking for sweet red wine. The wines aren’t sweet, but they’re fruity enough to make up the difference.
So what do those of us who want to drink wine, and not fruit juice, do? We look for winemakers who are more concerned with what’s in the bottle than how people pronounce what’s on the label. And it’s possible to find some interesting wines (and this doesn’t even include the infamous Chateau Petrus, a red Bordeaux that’s mostly merlot and can run a couple of grand a bottle, assuming you can find it).
Think of well-made merlot as cabernet’s younger brother — a little friendlier, a little less cranky, and a little easier to deal with. The tannins — the stuff that makes your mouth pucker — aren’t as harsh, and the flavors are a little softer. It pairs with most of the same food, though merlot is more likely to work with roast chicken or turkey.
These three wines offer a perspective of what well-made merlot should taste like:
• Chateau Gaberon Rouge 2005 ($15). This is a red Bordeaux with 40 percent merlot, and cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. That means it’s less fruity and more earthy than a California wine.
• Clos du Val Merlot 2005 ($27). Winemaker John Clews does a remarkable job producing a wine of this quality at this price. It’s very rich, but with a bit of Bordeaux style to balance the California fruitiness.
• HdV Belle Cousine 2004 ($60). A classic wine, regardless of vintage or name (it used to be called Napa Valley Red). It’s mostly merlot with some cabernet, but made to last for a decade or more — a rarity for Napa wines. It’s among the best wines I have ever had and would make an excellent Mother’s Day treat.
Chicken with red wine
The French call this coq a vin, and there are probably as many recipes for it as there are French who cook. This is a straightforward version, without many of the classic embellishments. Cook with a quality merlot, and serve it with the dish.
Serves 4, takes about 60 minutes (adapted from Mark Bittman)
3-4 pound chicken, cut into 8 or 10 serving pieces
1 1/2-2 cups red wine
1 onion, sliced
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 bay leaf
2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Remove the chicken skin, and brown the chicken over medium high heat in a heavy skillet in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, 2 1/2-3 minutes per side.
2. Remove the chicken, and sauté the onions and mushrooms in the drippings over medium heat. Add the garlic when the onions and mushrooms start to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir well.
3. After 30 seconds or so, add 1 1/2 cups of wine, the bay leaf, thyme and salt and pepper, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the chicken; cover and simmer until the chicken is done, 30-40 minutes. Check the chicken periodically, and add wine if it looks like it needs it. You can also turn the chicken pieces once halfway through.
Ask the wine guy
How many grapes does it take to make a bottle of wine?
One ton of grapes makes about 60 cases, and there are 12 bottles to a case. Which means it takes about three pounds of grapes to make one bottle of wine. Depending on the grape variety and the farming method, one grapevine can produce about two bottles of wine.
