Care and consumption of merlot

[HumbleSailor]

I've enjoyed many wines for over 30 years, but am relatively new to drinking merlot. I've heard that it keeps well unrefridgerated, and the one time I tried it chilled, it really stank! At room temperature, however, I've found it very nice. My question relates to my other favorite pastime, sailing. As some of you may be aware, refridgeration on sailboats is an extreme luxury, so having a wine that is drinkable at room temperature is an absolute must... however, it must also remain drinkable for reasonable periods AFTER opening! How long will a decent merlot survive opening at room temperature (that is, any un-consumed portion!)?

[Bucko]

Depends if you are sailing the North Atlantic versus the Carribean.... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

If you gas it with Private Preserve, it will keep for a few days, one day otherwise.

BTW, all of the sloshing around does not do the wines any good.

Bucko

[Thomas]

Beer is for sailing, wine is for partaking with your feet firmly on the ground. All that sloshing really does do damage to wine once it has been open. The stuff that comes across the oceans in containers needs time to settle down, and it has not been opened.

As to your specific Merlot question: it is impossible, in my view, to simply use the same rule for every Merlot; there are merlots and there are Merlots, and then there are those who produce Merlot under a proprietary name.

[Innkeeper]

Foodie, are you saying that wine that has been transported needs to settle down, i.e. rest?

Sailor, at the risk of being pommeled by others, suggest that some of the mass produced wines are as close to "homogenised" as wine can get. The trick is to find a decent brand. The Gallo owned Ecco Domani comes to mind. They make a Merlot, Delle Venezie that costs less than $10 and methinks could take a lot of sloshing around.

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 12-09-2000).]

[Bucko]

Yes, I believe in travel shock, i.e. sloshing around. HOWEVER, the younger the wine, the less the impact. Older wines can suffer for two weeks or more after being joustled.

Bucko

[Thomas]

IK, whenever I travel--air, land or sea--I need a rest when I return. Can't see why wine is any different--it lives you know. But giving a rest after a sloshing journey is not the same as giving a rest after the journey from shelf to dining room, unless of course your wine shop is in London, you live in Idaho and all airline flights have been canceled.

[Innkeeper]

Have always been an advocate of resting, but wasn't sure whether you were among those who thought I had rocks in my head.

[HumbleSailor]

So I gather that if I take a wine sailing, it should be a young one, and I should consume the entire contents of the container? Tough job, but somebody has to do it! I'm sure your kind responses will reassure my wife of my motives... Thank you much!

[winecollector]

Didn't we have that discussion about "resting" before on another thread? And as far as them rocks are concerned.... naaah, to easy....

[winoweenie]

Yeppo WC, We had a major discussion on resting wine about 4-6 weeks ago. I never open a bottle that I`ve branged back from the vallies for at least a month. No question that travel and wine aren`t made for each other. winoweenie