All about BC Merlot
I’ve talked about many different wines on this blog, and the time has come to focus on the number 1 variety in BC. The 2004 film Sideways caused a drop in this wine’s sales in North America, but the effect was neither substantial nor long lived. It’s just too popular, easy to say and easy to drink. A passing phase it is not - this wine will always be around. On November 7th we celebrate Merlot!
It is the most planted grape of either colour in BC, at 1,861 acres as of 2022. That’s more than 14.5% of all grapes, the largest share of any variety. Nearly three quarters of these acres are in Osoyoos and Oliver, where the warmer temperatures can produce optimum ripeness. Percentage-wise relative to other grapes, Merlot also appears predominantly on the Naramata Bench, as well as in the Similkameen valley and Lillooet.
Originating in Bordeaux, Merlot is a major component of blends especially on the right bank of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers where it ripens reliably in clay and limestone soils. Whereas Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec require a long, warm season and can have difficulty ripening in northern climes, Merlot is not in the business of breaking hearts. It is a stalwart friend of red wine producers everywhere, exceptionally good at being mediocre.
Photo credit: Wines of BC
The reason I say that is because Merlot is not well-endowed with unique character. Its wines are fruity, juicy, soft, and widely palatable. Acidity and tannins are reduced in comparison to other reds, which improve its approachability. However, this lack of character can often leave Merlot a little flat and forgettable. Inexpensive, high-volume versions certainly leave much to be desired for the discerning, but this is generally not a problem in BC.
Our Merlots are often blended in a Meritage as befits the nature of this grape, like I mentioned. If produced as a single varietal, it can be done so in a simple, fruity style without oak, and with medium body. By and large however it is grown to limited yields in order to concentrate fruit character, which in turn is very agreeable with oak barrel maturation. These medium- to full-bodied wines, rich in plush fruit, are then enhanced by woody spice, vanilla, and smoke. What sets an extraordinary Merlot apart from the rest has to be pronounced intensity, notable acidity, smooth, ripe tannins, or complexity of flavours (or a combination thereof). The first three are accomplished in the vineyard, the last in the cellar at the hands of the winemaker. Blessed with these attributes, the best Merlot can improve with age - for example prestigious wines from Apalta or Pomerol.
Its inability to offend anyone is the reason for its huge success. The most one can dislike is insufficient concentration of fruit, or lack of structure. If you look at Merlot as a generic red wine - which I don’t think is inappropriate at all - the food pairing possibilities are broad. The moderate tannic structure is more friendly towards umami-laden dishes. Stews and braised meat or roast chicken and mushroom sauce can work, as can many tomato-based Italian meals. To align textures, try with soft, ripened cheeses, creamy blue cheese, richly sauced steak, pork terrine, duck pâté, or frijoles. When it’s appy time, try bacon-wrapped scallops!
Merlot’s versatility goes beyond food to time and place as well. It can equally provide comfort on a winter’s eve by a fire, or pause for reflection on a warm summer patio beneath unveiled skies. It may be your choice on a weekday after work with takeout, or to celebrate a special occasion.
The wines
Haywire 2022 King Family Vineyard Merlot - New release!
40 year old vines of the King Family vineyard in Naramata provided all the grapes for this Merlot. Fermentation with native yeasts was carried out in concrete tanks as is Haywire’s MO, with twice daily punch downs to gently extract tannin and colour. Without any oak influence, you’d better have the best quality fruit that will radiate of its own naked virtue. Haywire has confidently accomplished just that. On the nose is bright cranberry-red currant jam, and a damp earthiness. Curiously, the grape’s own inherent spice is allowed to express itself here without the veil of wooden barrel maturation - a rare beauty. The texture is very soft and that fantastic fruit hangs on for a long finish. Not too heavy - perfect for lunchtime handhelds or BBQ salmon.
Upper Bench 2021 Merlot
Previous vintages used 30% new French oak to mature this wine for about 18 months, so I would assume something similar here. This is more dark-and-brooding South Okanagan style than bright and fresh Naramata, which may tell us where the fruit comes from as it’s not their estate bottling. No objections here - stormy, rich and velvety Merlots are always welcome, especially with intense structure like this one. Ready to drink now but with high acid and tannin, it will age well. Rich aromas and flavours of boysenberry, stewed plum, dark chocolate, cherry cola, and earth are precise and well integrated. They whirl and swirl along for a complex finish. Colour me dazzled.
Fort Berens 2021 Small Lot Merlot
Proudly Lillooet VQA, sourced from more mature vines in their Dry Creek Vineyard as well as younger vines in Red Rock Vineyard. Pre- and post-fermentation maceration along with multiple daily pumpovers during fermentation facilitate optimal extraction. French oak barrels concealed and nurtured this wine for 15 months. Blending is an important component even for varietal wines and Fort Berens has played a clever hand. Fruit character on the nose jumps out bright and fresh, accompanied by delicate wisps of rose petal and earthy undertones of dust and smoke. A fair and pretty expression where the oak is modest and supportive. The benefit of maximal flavour extraction is the bunches of tightly packed fruits in every mouthful, generous in their gifts.
Castoro de Oro 2022 Merlot
Well they certainly know how to make distinctive wines. I recently tasted their Gewürztraminer and this Merlot stands out as well. Potpourri aromas of dried berries and blossoms are overrun with cloves. There is lovely texture and the body is sprightly, with a structural balance that is well struck. Juicy and concentrated cranberries, raspberries, and geraniums are there beneath a shroud of clove spice. The long finish is facilitated by yet more clove. A beautiful wine no doubt is hidden in there - I remain open to what the next vintage brings.
Vasanti 2021 Merlot
Winner of a Silver medal at the 2024 Top BC Wine Awards, and Bronze at the 2023 All Canadian Wine Championships. Jason Parkes (Crown & Thieves, Hatch) has done it again for Vasanti. The Merlot grapes come from a single block in North Oliver, on soils with some rock and gravel to retain warmth and aid ripening. Cool nighttime temperatures slow the loss of acidity. After fermentation with daily pump overs, the wine was aged 19 months in 25% new American Oak and 75% neutral oak (combination of French and American). The fruits on the nose and palate are ripe and juicy - complemented, not overwhelmed, by the mocha of toasty oak. Baked in a pie are red and black plum, cherries, blackberries, vanilla, and spice. The moderate acid and ripe tannins match the intensity of the fruit, framing a delicate and supple wine.
I learned something from this tasting (I always do - otherwise what’s the point?). While plain and boring Merlot does exist, we are lucky that producers in BC favour more interesting styles. Fresh and exciting wines like those from New Zealand or South Africa are made right here, like at Haywire or Fort Berens. Rich and dark Merlots like from Chile or California are also commonplace in BC, exemplified by Vasanti or Upper Bench.
With a range of styles from medium-bodied and fresh to full-bodied and dense, this grape has mass appeal and faces no imminent threat of being overthrown from top spot in BC. Merlot may not be renowned for a savoury complexity, nor grippy tannins, nor bold acidity. Yet it nonetheless deserves its own celebratory occasion, in all its plummy popularity.
This Blog Post was written by our contributor: Matt Tinney with MT Wine Consulting (@mtwineconsulting).