Merlokay

I had a chance last week to watch a screener copy of the documentary Merlove with Sean from Washington Wine Report (thanks again for hosting, Lindy). The movie was a little muddled (to be fair, the version we watched was not the final edit), but I think the point of the film was to rebut Miles’ now-famous “I am NOT drinking any f***ing Merlot!” line from Sideways and rescue this noble grape. The filmmakers certainly managed to get access to a wide variety of wine-world luminaries, and taken as a series of interviews, there were compelling moments. Taken as a film, the piece doesn’t entirely hang together, but it does touch on interesting issues: Parkerization, Merlot in California vs Washington, and wine culture in America vs Europe, to name a few. And for lovers of Washington wine, there are lots of chances to hear some of our brightest stars share their insights.

You would be incorrect if you think we watched this movie without drinking Merlot (or to put a finer point on it, Merlot-dominant blends). Here are tasting notes from the bottles opened:

2003 Baer Ursa – Rating 4

Drinking beautifully right now, this had a minty, herbal nose hovering over deep, sweet scents of blue fruit. Incredible mouthfeel: grainy, chalky, muddy texture and brilliant acids. Fresh blue fruit. Delicious.

2005 Soos Creek Sundance – Rating 3(?)

This improved with time open, and I think it has the potential for improvement. On this night, the oak was a little too prominent for my taste. Still, this is technically-excellent wine, with red raspberry and brown spices on the nose and rich red fruit on the palate. With time, the oak flavors integrated, and the palate shifted to caramel, coffee, and Dr. Pepper.