Merlot: My ‘Hate to Love; Love to Hate’ wine – James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez

I hate to love; love to hate Merlot; also known as a love-hate relationship.  I have said that I think Merlot is for people who have no defined interest in red wine.  I have seen a sign at Trefethen winery that said “Miles has not tried our Merlot!” I have always thought of Merlot as being so non-descript, middle of the road, dull, boring, uninteresting and such a popular choice amongst so many. I have accused Merlot as being a weak wine; a punch-like wine and not a serious wine though it is part of the Bordeaux wine making tradition.

Having a wine selection that I have always thought of lacked imagination and could rarely soar in my imagination or palette. I had tried for years to what I termed settle for Merlot.  I do realize it is a wine that is an important part of the Bordeaux wine experience as well as a constituent berry in a red Meritage.  And yes one of the most sought after wines Chateau Petrus is a 100% Merlot.

I gave Merlot another chance five years ago.  A former boss hosted a dinner and to my chagrin served a Merlot; my thought was “oh… no not a Merlot” but to my surprise it was lovely, a low pepper notes, sagebrush, stream mineral, blueberry and sweet spice.  It was a bottle of Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Merlot.  I must admit some the label is mysterious and alluring a deep pitch of black with a glowing “L” as it’s signifier of Lewis Cellars.

So I kept hearing very highly regarded Merlots from higher elevation areas in Napa.  Of note was Paloma Spring Mountain Merlot 2001.  I had to try it; of course it was nowhere to be found.  I kept hearing of how Merlot was being planted above the valley floor in Napa—up in the hills (or as Californians call “mountains”.  As it turned out Merlot thrived and it’s flavor abounded in ways few might have expected.

One day I was at my friends Bill and Lorrie’s House and I asked had they enjoyed Paloma Merlot?   They are big wine fans with a fine collection of Napa’s most lauded labels.  Even with their superb taste I figured that it would be unlikely they had something that Wine Spectator listed in their top tier wine choices for the year.  But I should have thought of course they did; Lorrie sprung out of her chair and disappears for about 15 seconds and out comes Paloma! Within 15 seconds more she has opened the bottle and has started to pour.

How special I felt – right?  My tongue was probably wading in the wine enjoying each note.  I was dazed and delighted with this lyrical Merlot; and yes it hurts to say that but alas I have to be honest and say I loved it.  I have become adventurous trying other Merlots including Carneros’s Merlots which to have a dynamic flavor profile; I do think that the best climate is probably the hills above the Napa Valley floor for red wine.

I am not so much like Miles as I used to be about Merlot; It is a wine that will be enjoyed by all those that taste itl.  As my wine tastes go I go through phases and ever since my Paloma epiphany I want to repeat that experience.

¡Salud!

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