Wine Styles – Meritage Wines
Meritage wines aren’t something you see too much these days; however, they do still exist and if you are lucky, you can find some really interesting ones at your local wine shop. Since Meritage wines aren’t commonly promoted on a large scale, the general wine consumer doesn’t know a lot about this wine style. I certainly didn’t until a couple weeks ago when some colleagues enlightened me with an educational Meritage wine tasting.
Meritage wines are American wines ‘blended in the traditional noble Bordeaux varietals.” These varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petite Verdot, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot, and Carmenere for the reds and the white varietals include Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert.
According to The Meritage Association Web site (www.meritagewine.org), a group of American vintners formed the association to recognize handcrafted wines blended from the aforementioned Bordeaux varietals. The name “Meritage”, which rhymes with heritage, was chosen as it combines the words ‘merit’ and ‘heritage’ and the members felt this term accurately reflects what their wines stand for.
Red and white Meritage wines have to be made from a blend of at least two or more of the previously mentioned varietals and no single variety can make up more than 90 percent of the blend. If a producer wants to include the name ‘Meritage’ on his or her wine label, then he or she must follow the red or white varietal blending rules as well as become a member of The Meritage Association.
The following are some exceptional examples of American Meritage wines that are definitely reminiscent of the traditional Bordeaux style. As such, these wines taste great now but will benefit from a bit of aging as well.
2005 Justin Isosceles, Paso Robles, $62
Justin Isosceles doesn’t technically say ‘Meritage’ on the label, but the blend in this wine is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Merlot, a classic Meritage style wine. This wine has garnered so much attention among the top wine critics as it never disappoints, and the 2005 Justin Isosceles is no different with beautiful deep purple hues and intense aromas of rich fruit. This wine is bursting with red berries and dark cherry flavors with a hint of spice and vanilla. The Isosceles may have a touch of VA* (volatile acidity), which I believe adds to its overall complexity. This wine has incredible structure and a strong, persistent finish.
14.6% Alc, www.justinwine.com
2004 Franciscan Estates Magnificent, $50
One of the original Meritage wines from the late 80s, the Franciscan Magnificent is made up of 50% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc. This moderately intense wine with grippy tannic structure exhibits ripe plum, dark cherry, raspberry, and cocoa aromas and flavors. This wine has great balance and complexity. You may need to decant this wine for ten to fifteen minutes before serving.
14.5% Alc, www.franciscan.com
2004 Rodney Strong Symmetry, Alexander Valley Red Meritage, $55
The Symmetry has opulent aromas of red lollies, blackberries, spice, chocolate, black cherry, and vanilla with flavors of raspberries, strawberries, cola and sweet vanilla. This wine has pleasantly drying tannins with the balance and complexity that give way into a rich, full finish. The varietals in this blend are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc; however, exact percentages could not be found.
14.6% Alc, www.rodneystrong.com
2004 Opus One, $170
The 2004 Opus One consists of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec. This luxurious wine has incredibly smooth, silky tannins with aromas and flavors of raspberry, red cherry, cassis, spice, and sweet vanilla. This full bodied, well-balanced and structured wine was made to age well, and at that price, you would definitely expect it to!
www.opusonewinery.com
As the above wines are a bit pricey, below are two more great examples of Meritage wines that have a much nicer price tag.
• 2004 Kendall-Jackson Meritage Red Wine, $30, www.kj.com
• 2005 Coppola American Meritage, $20
*All wine contains some VA or Volatile Acidity, which is formed by the oxidation of alcohol, mainly acetic acid and ethyl acetate. In small amounts, VA can be beneficial to a wine as it adds complexity, but in larger amounts, or when a vinegary aroma is detected, it is considered a wine fault.
Comments
Leave a Reply
