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I am not drinking any Fing Merlot
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I use this wine key: Forge de Laguiole Ebony
I have used the following glass in this video: RIEDEL Performance Riesling
I have tasted the following wines in this Video:
2019 Golan Heights Winery Yarden Merlot, Galilee, Israel
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/golan+heights+yarden+merlot+galilee+israel/2019?referring_site=KSB
2019 Moulin du Cadet, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/moulin+du+cadet+st+emilion+grand+cru+bordeaux+france/2019?referring_site=KSB
2021 Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot, Napa Valley, USA
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/duck+horn+merlot+napa+valley+county+north+coast+california+usa/2021?referring_site=KSB
2019 Barone Ricasoli Castello di Brolio `Caselferro` Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/barone+ricasoli+castello+di+brolio+casal+ferro+tuscany+igp+italy/2019?referring_site=KSB
2021 Kellerei-Cantina Andrian Gant Merlot Riserva Alto Aldige, Trentino-Alto Aldige, Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/kellerei+cantina+andriana+giant+merlot+rsrv+alto+adige+trentino+sud+tyrol+italy/2021?referring_site=KSB
2012 Charles Smith K Vintners Northridge Vineyard Merlot, Wahluke Slope, USA
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/charles+smith+k+vintner+north+ridge+merlot+wahluke+slope+washington+usa/2012?referring_site=KSB
The 100 Point Scoring System (from www.robertparker.com):
96-100: An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.
90 - 95: An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.
80 - 89: A barely above average to very good wine displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.
70 - 79: An average wine with little distinction except that it is soundly made. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous wine.
60 - 69: A below-average wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor or possibly dirty aromas or flavors.
50 - 59: A wine deemed to be unacceptable.
Merlot – is it the worst grape variety in the world? If you listen to some wine experts you might think that. Merlot bashing was almost as popular as Chardonnay bashing when both grape varieties experienced great success in the early noughties.
Chardonnay is still going strong while Merlot suffered a unique decline.
I mean tastes change and grape varieties fall out of favor – that is not uncommon – but Merlot’s fortune turned when a movie was released exactly 20 years ago.
The movie was called Sideways and for the 20th anniversary if you want to check whether it is time to revisit Merlot.
I know, I have talked about Sideways a few times but I recently bought the book the movie is based on and realized that the probably most famous wine-related movie scene ever. Does not even appear in it. I mean the main character Miles talks a LOT about how great Pinot is in the book and he also makes it clear that he isn’t a big fan of Merlot.
But the famous line from the movie originally was “They’re not going to order Merlot. They’re way too hip for that. And if they do, I am splitting.” In the book. This might be one good explanation for why the film grossed more than 100 million USD worldwide, while I only bought the book recently to hold it into the camera.
Regardless, the story had a strong impact on the US wine market and caused a drastic decline in interest in Merlot, while boosting Pinots image.