Wine of the Month: Merlot!
October is here and that means we have a new Paso Robles Wine of the Month! This month’s wine is Merlot or as the wine man puts it, “The Pit Bull of American Wines.” Merlot is one of the wines we have been making for over twenty years and as a result we have seen the wine transform, mature and come in and out of popularity. From the days when Merlot was a top seller to the days after the movie Sideways when Merlot took a major hit. This wine is truly a part of the California wine heritage.
As part of my job I get to travel around our beautiful state and taste our wines with a very diverse audience. The best part about it (aside from selling wine) is getting feedback and having a dialogue with all of these people. Often times when I have our Merlot with me people will say things like, “ehhh I think I’ll pass on Merlot, I’m just not really a Merlot drinker,” or “I’d love to try the Merlot but I just can’t sell it anymore,” and finally (my favorite) “I’ve been drinking your Merlot for ages and I love it!”
It’s important to note that people can be easily influenced and when a popular movie about wine portrays Merlot as “unsophisticated” people adopt that mentality. Instead of letting this mentality get me down, I like to look at it as a challenge and an opportunity to set the record straight. Our Merlot is one Dam Fine Wine and it’s a wine we are proud of! When I get the people who tell me they aren’t interested I always encourage them to try a small taste and keep an open mind. I assure them that our Merlot is not a “flabby” wine and in fact is a very structured, solid wine. Nine times out of ten (no lie) the result is two thumbs up! People are almost always shocked at how smooth and complex our Merlot is. One guy even told me our Merlot is “the best Cabernet he ever had.” At first I didn’t know how to respond to that comment but what he meant was that our Merlot contained structure and nuance often associated with a wine like Cabernet Sauvignon.
I know that probably seems like an odd interaction but it has always stuck with me. This wine does not mess around and “flip flop,” it knows exactly who it is. It is the “Pit Bull of American Wines” (you gotta watch the video) and deserves to be enjoyed. In honor of the Paso Robles Wine of the Month our 2009 Merlot (which is almost out of stock) is on special until it is gone for good!
Take my word and give this American classic a try!
I invite and look forward to your feedback.
Cheers,
Luke
