differences between Chardonay and Merlot

[Innkeeper]

Randery is correct, but erred in not welcoming you to the Board. Welcome Bryan or Jeannie as the case may be.

The similarity that they share is that they are the most popular white and red wines in America. This reflects a lot on the taste of American winedrinkers and/or the influence of American and other winewriters.

Most chardonnay (a wine I love it its unadulterated state) is so loaded with the flavor of oak that it tastes more like trees than grapes. Even lower price chardonnay has toasted oakdust infused into the aging wine tanks by giant tea bags or just loosely thrown in and filtered out.

Merlot started out in the Old World primarily as a blending wine in Bordeaux. Varietal merlot came along as a result of the 60 Minutes revelation that Frenchmen lived longer because they drank red wine. Merlot was the mildest, most unassuming red wine available. Thousands of acres were planted, and bingo, it is the most popular red, and probably the worst red wine grape to bottle as a single variety in the world.

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 10-26-2003).]