Welcome Back to Merlot!
Fifteen years ago Merlot fell victim to an inadvertent smear campaign. A single line in a movie ignited such a strong cultural backlash that it caused Merlot sales to plummet. Almost overnight, hundreds of years of love and respect for the noble grape turned to aversion and disdain. The movie was "Sideways" and the line spoken by Miles, the fanatical Pinot Noir aficionado -- “If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving,” he blurts, “I am not drinking any *expletive* Merlot.” Shortly thereafter, sales of Merlot dwindled and the price of Pinot Noir skyrocketed.
Was "Sideways" the only reason Merlot suffered such an injustice? Well, probably not. In a lot of respects, Merlot suffered from its own success. In the 90s, Merlot was enjoying the pinnacle of popularity thanks to its easy-drinking quality and relative ease of production in the vineyard and winery. This eventually led to rampant overproduction and a market flooded with a ton of simple wines that were mediocre at best. What's really interesting is that it's entirely possible "Sideways" may have saved Merlot. Napa winemaker and owner of Frog's Leap Cellars John Williams has often been quoted over the years with remarks lending credence to this idea. He believes a lot of poor quality Merlot disappeared from the market when vineyards were ripped out post-"Sideways" in order to replant with the newest trendy grape.
Domaine de Couron
Over the last 15 years in France however, Merlot hasn't missed a beat-- never suffering the slightest whiff of unpopularity. For hundreds of years, Merlot has been grown all throughout France and is routinely found in some of the country's most expensive wines. In addition to a starring role in Bordeaux, Merlot is found in a huge range of everyday wines. Today's insider deal is a perfect example of why you need to welcome back Merlot!
The Dorthe family owns and runs Domaine de Couron, located in the tiny village of Saint-Marcel-d'Ardèche. The area is dripping in history and the quite often the family finds artifacts in their vineyards that date back to Roman times. The property is lovingly and sustainably farmed with minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery.
The Ardèche
The Ardèche is a little more than an hour drive from the Mediterranean coast. This close proximity provides mild winters, long, hot summers, and the cooling influence of Mistral, the cold, northwesterly wind that persists through the region. The area is home to Grenache, Syrah, Merlot and Viognier, however, close to 50% of the region is planted with Chardonnay.
In the glass...
This medium-bodied red offers notes of red berries and herbs on the nose leading to a palate that's all about velvety cherry and dark berries. There's a nice beam of earthy minerality that keeps the wine super clean and fresh on the palate. The key word here is fresh. This wine has beautiful lift and brightness, perfect to balance out the velvety smoothness of the fruit. While far from a lollipop, this wine has plenty of plush, velvety fruit, allowing enjoyment with or without a meal.
The sky's the limit for pairing this wine. It's lifted enough for roasted chicken, and, it's rich enough to hang with a steak or a roast. This is absolutely perfect to keep on hand for neighbors and drop-in guests!
I can't think of another French Merlot at this price that I can recommend this highly. It clicks all of the check-boxes -- great price/value, well made, sustainably farmed, cleanly vinified, small family owned,and incredibly yummy.
So, go ahead... Welcome Back to Merlot!
Regular price: $12.99 per bottle
$11.69 per bottle in a 6-pack
$11.04 per bottle in a solid or mixed case