We at the Paso Robles CAB Collective are excited to introduce a new series in which we profile Paso Robles Bordeaux-style wines by variety. We’re calling it the CAB Collective Varietal Spotlight, and we hope it helps bring what we are all so passionate about to life.
First, a little background:
In the second edition of The Oxford Companion to Wine (1999), Jancis Robinson calls Merlot
“an extremely popular black grape variety associated with the great wines of St-Emilion and Pomerol by traditionalists and with “fighting varietals” [a term coined in the 1980s that refers to a varietal that can be made into good wine at an affordable price in less traditional regions] by followers of fashion. Merlot is Bordeaux’s most planted black grape variety, and has been enjoying unaccustomed popularity elsewhere.”
According to Karen MacNeil, Merlot is “very similar in flavor to Cabernet Sauvignon,” it’s big brother, and “is easily confused with it in blind tastings. Its aromas and flavors include blackberry, cassis, baked cherries, plums, chocolate, mocha and sometimes leather.”
She goes on to say that
“in Bordeaux and California, Merlot is often said to be more soft, fleshy, and plump than Cabernet Sauvignon. And that can be true – sometimes. Softness in wine is a complex phenomenon, dependent on many factors, including the ripeness of the grapes. When Merlot grapes from great vineyards fully ripen, the tannin in them can come across as relatively soft and round on the palate.”
As for the Paso Robles CAB Collective, several of our members are making varietal Merlot, the current releases of which we compared in a recent tasting. General similarities across Paso Robles Merlot included softness and notes of red fruit; as for differences, we very much enjoyed exploring the contrasts between these wines. A sketch of our notes:
B & E Vineyard 2009 Reserve Merlot
- Ruby color, aromas of cherries and raspberries, soft tannins, long finish
Record Family Wines 2010 Merlot
- Bright reddish purple color, toasty oak, plum aromas and flavors
- Brick red in color, balanced fruit on the nose, sweet red fruit, vanilla, blackberry cobbler, chocolate finish
- Concentrated ruby color, aromas of petrol, spice, broth, cola, flavors of caramel and vanilla, juicy black fruit with bright acids, plenty of tannic structure and a cherry cola finish
- Ruby-red in color, aromas and taste of black cherries and cedar, soft tannins on the finish
Stay tuned for our next CAB Collective Varietal Spotlight on Petit Verdot.
