+- WineBoard (https://www.wines.com/wineboard)
+-- Forum: GENERAL (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-100.html)
+--- Forum: For the Novice (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-2.html)
+--- Thread: Is Oak the reason I didn't like the Merlot? (/thread-19391.html)
- txkajun - 01-07-2002
Well, I tried that bottle of Merlot I bought. This was the third bottle I EVER bought in life, as I am so terribly new at this. I hate to say, I didn't really like it. I am not sure why. There was an overpowering "something" to it. I have never tried Merlot, but a thread from Sept about Oak may be on to something. The descriptive terms used by foodie are exactly what was on the bottle.
Should I give up on Merlot, or try others?
I KNOW the only alcohol I really like is sweet (Bailey's Kaluha, and even Sloe Gin). Should I try something sweeter?
Thanks for making me feel so welcome. I am so having fun here!
- Innkeeper - 01-08-2002
Don't feel bad. Didn't want to prejudice you in advance, but I don't like Meridian Merlot either. The reason is not just the oak, but the fact that wine had little else to offer. The primary raison d'etre of merlot is to tame down harsher grapes such as cabernet sauvignon through blending. By itself, with some exceptions, merlot is just a blah grape making blah wine.
Rather than go into a long song and dance about why varietal merlot is even around, or where you can find nice ones, there is plenty of time for that later; let's find you some red wine you will like. As we've mentioned to other newcomers around here lately, and over time, Beaujolais is a great place to start. Beaujolais Nouveau from 2001 is out there now, and will drink well through the end of this month. After that you can move up to regular Beaujolais, Beaujolais Village, and the Cru Beaulolais such as Morgon and Moulin-a-vent.
Other reds with fresh fruit flavor include Barbera d' Asti from Italy; Cotes Du Rhone, from Southern France; and syrah/shiraz from Western America and Australia. Just to prove that I'm not just down on Meridian, try their syrah. There's a good chance we'll be in their tasting room next month. We'll pass on the merlot.
[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 01-08-2002).]
- txkajun - 01-08-2002
What a great post. Thanks. And I truly appreciate you letting me learn on my own without prejudice on that one. I am going to try to find some of the ones you mentioned. Did you choose those because of the sweet alcohol I mentioned that I like?
I went right from work to the local "liquor store" that is close by, and couldn't find the BN 2001. They did have the Beaujolais Village, but I decided to wait. I am going to look for a better store to shop. I live on the side of town that will cater to beer and tequila, at least at this store. Nothing against those who like that, but I want to find some good choices. This place is not it.
- jezmund - 01-11-2002
[quote]Rather than go into a long song and dance about why varietal merlot is even around[/quote]
IK, when you have the time, I'd love to hear more about this.
- Innkeeper - 01-11-2002
Several years ago, well decades now, 60 Minutes ran a segment called "The French Paradox." The gist of the piece was that red wine let Frenchmen live longer than they otherwise deserved to. Almost immediately red wine became more popular in the U.S. than white wine for the first time in a long time. When folks went to restaurants looking for red wine they were presented with cabernet sauvignon. Cab had recently usurped red zinfandel as the most popular red wine. The reason for the later development was that zin producers had settled the argument about who could make the biggest zin in the world by consumers who turned to cab. So, the red zin producer turned their grapes over to white zin producers, and cab producers ruled the world. The problem was that the folks who flocked to restaurants looking for red wine and were served cab, found many iterations of it a little harsh. Then along came merlot.
Merlot had for centuries been a blending grape, primarily in Bordeaux. Even on the East Bank where people claimed the wine was made from merlot, the fact is that cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon were blended in. Franc in almost equal quantities, and it added much character and depth. Merlot is soft and singularly dimensional, and that is what it lends to most blends. There were and are a few tiny places in Europe where varietal (single grape wines) merlot does well because age of vines and terrior add dimensions to it. Collio in Italy is one on those, and I enjoy Collio Merlot to this day. Other Italian Merlot has been planted and made in the post French Paradox era, and is just as bad as American, Australian, and Chilean Merlot.
Back to post paradox America. Very little merlot was being grown, and consequently very little varietally produced. Some of it that was, was not too bad. Sort of like the little pockets in Europe. Then restauranteurs and their customers discovered that merlot was much more approachable than cabernet sauvignon. Then the race was on regarding who could grow and produce more merlot than anyone else could. Restaurants could not get allocations, people bitched, and more merlot was produced. The wine that people were clamoring for was singularly demential and loaded with oak. So why did people like it?
Simultaneously with development of merlot was oaky chardonnay. Originally chardonnay was made in a variety of ways, lots of them good. Then some producers discovered that the most expensive chardonnay in the world came from tiny little places in Burgundy that aged very special chardonnay in oak barrels. So New Word people led by America started oaking virtually all chardonnay. This has reached the point where even inexpensive chardonnay is treated with tea bags of toasted oak sawdust. Somewhere along the way restauranteurs and wine writers mutually got on this oak bandwagon. Oak marries well with multi demential wines like cabernet sauvignon. It overpowers wines that have little to offer like chardonnay and merlot.
So, now we have a country, if not a universe, that thinks that wine should taste like wood and not like grapes. That folks, is the problem with merlot.
- barnesy - 01-11-2002
In America, merlot is now synonimous with red wine and chardonnay with white. Dems must be the frenchy words for red wines and white wines.
Barnesy
- txkajun - 01-11-2002
IK,
I have seen a beaujolais I wanted to ask about. It has "Beaujolais" written prominently on the label, and also underneath are the words "Saint Louis".
Is this one that you would recommend? I think it was a '98, but I can't be sure.
Gotta start traveling with a notepad!
tk
- barnesy - 01-12-2002
I think the one you are seeing is a bottling by B&G. I would probably not buy this one. Look for ones by Louis Jadot or Georges Dubeouf. The former has a yellow parchment coloured label with a kind of angel/carving like picture on the bottom. The latter has flowers on it, usually.
Barnesy
- txkajun - 01-12-2002
Thanks, barnsey
- Innkeeper - 01-12-2002
Also look for 2000 Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages. 1998 Is fine for Crus such as Moulin-a-vent. This is drinking very well right now.
- txkajun - 01-12-2002
Again, IK, you have come through for me. I am trying to get some tasting done this weekend, and perhaps will visit a Texas winery within reasonable driving range.