
The other day I was talking to a colleague in the wine trade and the subject of "easy drinking" wines came up.
Specifically we were talking about wines that appealed to all palates, especially the beginner wine drinker.
Almost at the same time we both used a Merlot from the Languedoc in France as our example, although my use of it was a positive one and his not-so-much.
I have to give the person their dues as we were in an area not known for it's delicate and subtle wines.
We were in Madiran, where reds are big, bold and tannic and are what I call “hairy wines”. So I think a bit of bias had crept in…or had it?
Merlot has a bit of a poor reputation, a lack of respect if you will.
Anyone who has seen the movie "Sideways" will remember the famous scene where drinking Merlot was categorically dismissed as something never ever to be drunk.
It was this scene that brought the modern spotlight and a bit of stigma onto Merlot.
I find it amusing that Merlot is dismissed as a "simple" wine when it's the prominent grape variety in world renowned and sought after wines from Saint Émilion and Pomerol.
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