Carafe WineMakers I started off (many years ago) drinking off-dry, white wine, then moved on to the world of dry reds. Nowadays, I like both red and white wine depending on my mood and, of course, what I am having to eat. Depending on the circumstances, I particularly enjoy a spicy Gewurztraminer (off-dry with plenty of fruitness) as much as a full-bodied Barolo. What is YOUR favourite wine?
Each Month, Carafe features
both a Red and a White
Six Week Wine
at $10.00 OFF
per 23 Litre (30 bottle) Batch.
FEBRUARY 2009
Pinot Noir - A medium bodied red wine with plenty of fruit and a warm, complex aroma. Excellent with hard cheeses or served slightly chilled with chicken, duck or game.
Riesling Auslese – An intensely flavoured, slightly off-dry German white with luscious flavours of green apple, peaches and tropical fruits. Great with spicy ethnic dishes.
MARCH 2009
Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon – This full bodied red wine is deep garnet in colour with a surprisingly smooth finish. It’s abundant flavour and berry nose is nicely balanced with mellow, toasted oak. Great with steaks, roasts, burgers and BBQ ribs.
White Merlot - This refreshing wine is created by its deliberately brief exposure of the crushed Merlot grape skins with the Merlot juice which results in an inviting salmon colour. White Merlot blush has a lush, fruity character making it an excellent choice for relaxing with friends.
APRIL 2010
Meritage Rouge – This is a traditional Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a touch of Syrah (Shiraz). It has abundant flavours of blackberry and plum with good tannins, nicely balanced with oak. An excellent table wine.
Chardonnay – A full bodied white with subtle tropical fruit aroma and crisp citrus flavours. A refreshing, clean finish with a toasty oak charm.
For the month of January, take advantage of our New Year Sale on these two great Classics:
Merlot This dry, full-flavoured red wine has generous, ripe fruitiness and a soft, graceful finish.
Pinot Grigio A crisp and flavourful, medium bodied white wine with delicate, tropical fruit aroma.
Make 1 Wine Save $15.00
Make 2 Wines Save $35.00
Available in both 4 and 6 week
23 Litre Batches
Offer valid until January 30, 2010
Not in conjunction with any other offers.
Prices include our full service, all taxes, corks & shrink caps.
Well, yes and no. Every year the LCBO offers collectors the opportunity to buy Bordeaux wine futures, to lay good money down today for wine still in barrels in France. One of the most expensive each year is Château Pétrus, at $1000 or more per bottle. Behind that pricey label is a very good Merlot, so yes, you can pay that much. Of course, there is also a lot of good Merlot for a lot less.
In the 2004 hit movie Sideways Miles famously threatens, as he heads out on a blind date, that “if anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any f***ing Merlot!” The movie had an immediate effect on California wine sales, as demand for Pinot Noir (Miles’ preferred red) soared and Merlot dropped. That effect didn’t last long, however, and Merlot continues to be one of the most popular red wines around the world.
Merlot is the most widely planted red wine grape in its native Bordeaux. In reputation Merlot is overshadowed by Cabernet Sauvignon, the most highly reputed of the Bordeaux grapes, but winemakers there have long understood that Merlot helps soften and balance Cab’s strong tannins and higher acidity, and blends are common. In parts of the region Merlot in fact dominates, and wines from St. Émilion and Pomerol (home of Pétrus) are almost pure Merlot.
Globally, Merlot is popular with both grape growers and wine drinkers. It grows well and ripens earlier than other varieties, and so is particularly important in cooler regions with shorter growing seasons. Washington State is one of the newer wine regions in which Merlot excels and is building an international reputation.
For the wine drinker, Merlot offers a range of styles, but it is typically a soft, medium-bodied wine with hints of berry, plum, and currant.
At the lower end of the price spectrum Merlot makes an approachable, easy-drinking wine that is versatile on the dinner table. At the other end, the makers of Pétrus have shown the richness & complexity that the wine can achieve.
Our January specials offer you two good Merlots for fairly immediate enjoyment. To experience more of the grape’s potential, ask about other Merlots we also have available for you to enjoy.
Article courtesy of Geoff Barley
