The New Year

The rain comes down sideways, in waves. The storm is off the coast, moving south at a slow clip. Little droplets fall in a uniform pattern upon my window in my dining room. And I am reading about Italy. I always think of Italy when it rains, and Italian Merlot in particular.

My familiarity with this beautiful Bordeaux varietal is a complicated affair. On the one hand, I constantly struggle in my own mind with my personal taste for the grape. On the other hand, Merlot is somewhat of a soapbox for me, as it is so roundly derided in California among "sophisticated" wine drinkers. The classic example which makes my blood boil is contained in the movie Sideways, where the main protagonist (Paul Giamatti's morose, tortured, depressed character) simultaneously worships Cheval Blanc (a wine primarily comprised of Cabernet Franc and Merlot)while holding an unabashed disdain for Merlot. So I am in a constant state of feeling compelled to defend Merlot against it's ignorant maligners, while second-guessing my stalwart support every time I am confronted with another inferior example of the varietal.

Because there are so many bad examples of Merlot. Merlot is considered inferior to the two Cabernet's in California, and is considered of lesser significance to top tier traditial Left-Bank Bordeaux. It is likewise, except for a few examples (I am thinking of Masseto in particular) also considered to play second fiddle to the great Maremma wines of Central Italy. However, this is not to say that Merlot based wines are not in the running for some of the greatest wines produced in the world, or that, without Merlot, the great First Growths would not be irremediably diminished. Merlot as a varietal possesses incredible potential to produce stunning wines, and not just from top-tier producers.

Italian Merlot is of such great interest to me because it is so uniquely expressive of place. There is a finesse and freshness (acid profile) to Italian produced Bordeaux varietals (very hot vintages excepted) generally that sets them apart from any other regional expression, and I think this is most apparent with Merlot. My Eureka moment with Italian Merlot came a few years ago when a Los Angeles based importer tasted me on a beautiful 2005 vintage Italian Merlot From Fruili, produced by Ronco Severo. I am going to do my best to carry this wine at La Tour. Another Eureka wine for me was the 1990 Vignalta Reserve, a gorgeous little Bordeaux Blend heralding From Colli Euganei, a high-altitude growing region sharing the same latitude as Bordeaux in Northwestern Italy (just under Fruili). I will also carry the Vignalta wines at La Tour. Vignalta also produces a gorgeous blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc called "Gemola", always one of my favorite wines to drink, and a fabulous value given the wines consistent quality.

Well, the rain has stopped...and so have my random ruminations on Italian Merlot. Come and taste it at the shop!