+- 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: How to appreciate Merlot (/thread-18223.html)
- sforeman29 - 10-18-2001
I just started drinking wine about 3 years ago. It started with white zins, then I developed a taste for chardonnays, but Merlot and all the other red wines are just plain nasty to me. I would love to be able to appreciate a good red wine when I have pasta or steak, but all I taste is bitterness. Anyone have tips on how I can slowly develop a taste for merlot?
- Innkeeper - 10-18-2001
Hi Sforeman, and welcome to the Wine Board. There are some "easy" reds to start on. At the end of next month the 2001 Beaujolais Nouveau will hit the deck. This is more like a bottle full of fruit juice than the reds you've been tasting. Don't go out and get a 2000 Nouveau in the meantime. This wine fades fast. You can get a bottle of what I call plain ole Beaujolais. It won't have any other descriptors such as Nouveau or Villages on the label. Next step up is Beaujolais Villages.
There are other light bodied reds. Italian Bardolino and Valpolicella are both widely available and easy to drink. Once you get used to these you can start branching out to other things.
You do not have to have a goal of liking merlot. You should not drink a wine because others have told you you should. You should not think there is only one wine to go with one food. There are lots of wines that go with steak, including Beaujolais. I prefer cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and syrah to merlot with steak.
The same is true with pasta. In addition to the wines mentioned above, there are dozens of other Italian wines including, Chianti, Barbera, Dolcetto, and Salice Salentino. If you have a sauce that is high in tomatoes, you want a wine that is high in acid such as those mentioned here.
Most of the merlot produced in the world is lousy, so don't feel bad about not liking it. Most of the one's I drink are from Pomerol and St Emilion in Bordeaux, and from the Collio region of Italy. The numbers of so called New World Merlots that I care for are very small. I recently posted a diatribe about Chilian Merlot that was "supposed" to taste like green peppers.
[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 10-19-2001).]
- mrdutton - 10-18-2001
Start with other reds and then work your way towards Merlot and such like Cabernet Sauvignon. Try blends first, then work towards the specific varietal.
Try some light or medium bodied reds. Try Beaujolias from France or some of the wines from Southern France. Try Syrah or Shiraz from California or Australia. Try California or Oregon Pinot Noir. All of these are friendlier to the palate and more food friendly than a lot of Merlot, in my humble opinion.
- mrdutton - 10-18-2001
Looks like IK and I were working on replies at about the same time........!
- winoweenie - 10-18-2001
Fastest fingers in the East. WW
- travelin - 10-18-2001
"How to appreciate merlot"
Much simpler answer for most American versions is: from a distance!
cpurvis
- Drew - 10-19-2001
I'd suggest a nice red zin to start. Very fruity giving the perception of sweetness, it is a good "weening" tool.
Drew
- zenda2 - 10-19-2001
Beaujolais or Zinfandel are both good wines for those just learning to enjoy dry red wine. Light bodied Pinot Noirs, like Oregon's Firesteed or Bridgeview are also very tasty and don't overwhelm with tannins, etc... I also recommend a few inexpensive blends, 'REDS' zinfandel blend from Laurel Glen, or the Grenache/Syrah blend from Rosemont.
- mrdutton - 10-21-2001
Or for a few more bucks, get that wonderful GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blend from Rosemount. That juice is just plain wunnerful!
Drats I only have one bottle left........... gonna have to drink it soon!
- Drew - 10-21-2001
Mike, I still see a lot of the '98 GSM here locally for $20.
Drew
- mrdutton - 10-21-2001
Drew the level of wine sophistication in your locale is significantly higher than around here.
Folks here are stuck on the WS 100 - 96 scale and then only when it concerns CS and Merlot and really awful oakey Chardonnay.
GSM around here is a rare bird indeed.
Let me tell you something: the 1999 Corbieres Grand Cuvee from Castelmavre, a very nice juice for less than $10.00 sat in the local wine guy's place and dint sell.
I bought all of it.
These folks around here wouldn't know a decent Rhone or CdR or Languedoc or Corbieres or Gigondas or Beaujolais or any such juice even if they were force fed.
Bonny Doon Big House Red is a rare find around here as is anything named Cline.
On the other hand, they do manage to suck up the Chateau Beaucastle and the Caymus and the Rothkiddie stuff cuz the Speculum tells em that is the good juice.
Oops, maybe I should move this to Rants. But if one is going to learn to appreciate red wine, then one must drink more than Cali Merlot. At least in my humble opinion.
- freeds - 10-23-2001
Hello sforeman29
I know what you mean about red wines being sour. Some of the worst wines I've ever taisted was a Cabernet and A Syrah--Talk about puckering--WOW! I find it difficut to find a good sweet red that's not a port. Believe it or not some of the best sweet reds I've taisted is right here in Pennsyltucky. Not being from here I was pleasantly surprised. Keep taisting, you'll find one you like.
[This message has been edited by freeds (edited 10-23-2001).]
- Innkeeper - 10-23-2001
If you really want sweet red table wine, i.e. not just those that "taste sweet", almost any winery east of the Rocky Mountains produces it. That is along with frequently wonderful dry red wine. We just made this post a couple of days ago: http://www.wines.com/ubb2/Forum28/HTML/000043.html So, please don't say you can't find a sweet red wine anymore.
- Drew - 10-23-2001
Mike, sorry to hear that. I'd a thought your area would be big with wine but what do I know. I can't explain the abundance of wines in this area but glad I'm here.
Drew
- freeds - 10-24-2001
InnKeeper
I've been to the Nissley vineyards to see a big band concert and drank a few bottles of the Naughty Marietta. It was a fabulous wine. Clover Hill makes some real good sweet reds so does Blue Mountain, Vynecrest just down the road from Clover Hill makes outstanding sweet reds. Cherry Valley in Saylorsburg Pa. has some of the best sweet spumonte Iv'e ever tasted