Australian Merlot is a tricky grape to characterize

August 28, 2011

Merlot
Merlot is mostly famous in its homeland of Bordeaux in France, where it is often used to comprise of the world’s most famous and most expensive wines. Some of the world’s greatest wines are composed almost entirely of Merlot, such as the sought-after Bordeaux wine Chateau Petrus; the most famous producer of French Merlot wines, whose 1990 bottling earned a perfect 100 score from Wine Spectator and its RRP is approx USD$1,700 per bottle. Most notable during the last ten years, is the increased of plantings which have rapidly increased throughout the world; most prominently into California, South America, Italy, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

Merlot is Australia’s 3rd highest produced red grape varieties, coming in after our Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Australia produces in excess of 90K tonnes of Merlot annually. This versatile grape has had a mammoth surge in plantings over the last decade, with production soaring by approximately nine-fold! Merlot blends very well and is also highly sought after straight varietal. Its finest expression is found in the delicate reds of the Bordeaux appellations of St Emilion and Pomerol. In the nearby Medoc it is used, however, not to make wines in its own right but to soften and fill tougher Cabernet. Merlot translation is “young blackbird,” a French name; often thought to have derived from the grapes dark colour or used to describe the blackbirds liking of it.

As Merlot is an early ripening variety, it is wonderfully versatile for growing throughout vineyards in Australia, as it will ripen before the winter weather sets in. This sometimes can be detrimental however, as it is susceptible to spring frosts. It tolerates and even thrives in poor conditions that first-rate Cabernet Sauvignon would not survive (including bad quality or moist soils and in cooler regions). Cooler climates produce wonderfully complex Merlots with lots of soft fruit flavours, not often present in warmer climate fruit. The berries are thin skinned, large and quite fragile, with a low tolerance to sunburn and birds and splitting or rotting as soon as any moisture finds the damaged berries.

Australian Merlot mostly thrives in hotter regions, with the largest amounts grown in the hot regions of the Murray Valley & the Riverina, satisfying the majority of Australia’s export market. Merlot is grown throughout most Australian vineyards; from a quality point of view, Australia’s best Merlot comes from well-managed vineyards in cooler areas such as the Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, Orange and the Limestone Coast (including Coonawarra). In Western Australia, it is markedly successful when blended with Cabernet Sauvignon.

Australian Merlot is a tricky grape to characterise – as its main identity is blurred and there really is no ‘one statement’ to effectively identify its character; from the medium to the full-bodied, from the lightly to the heavily-oaked; and from the soft, to the tough and tannic. A unique, quality Merlot is renowned for its plump & fleshy, supple mid-palate, and is the reason it makes such a good blending, building block. It is widely blended with a string of other grapes for its soft, luscious, velvety fruit characteristics, which soften the harsher varieties.

Most Australian Merlot is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlots flavours and structures complement Cabernet and it helps fill out any middle-palate holes. The tannins and structure are added by the Cabernet Sauvignon and a fruity rich middle-palate from the Merlot. Like Cabernet, Merlot maintains flavours of blackberries, cherries, plumbs, and chocolate and both Cabernets and Merlots are often confused at blind tastings. Merlots also possess a rich and ample softness that many Cabernets are without. However, as a straight varietal, Australian Merlot can often lack prominence of front and back palates which is why few great varietal Merlots exist. This makes for particularly drinkable young wines.

English wine judge Matthew Jukes says Australia makes a wonderful Merlot. “The two Australian Merlots worth drinking are Jim Irvine’s Grand Merlot and the Domaine A Merlot* from Tasmania,” he says. “The critical factor is getting it ripe,” says winemaker Jim Irvine, who’s been making straight Merlot since the ’80s. He says Merlot needs to be decanted for a couple of hours before drinking and enjoyed with food, if it is to show what it can do. “When it’s ripe you get umami – what the English call savoury, like walking into an old butcher’s shop with sawdust on the floor.” Irvine says good Merlot also offers plummy characters, ripe raspberries and leather and tobacco.

Merlot taste first-class when picked at optimum ripeness, close monitoring and correct timeframes can avoid the presence of herbal characters. In its prime, delightful flavours of plums, red currant, mint, earth and leather can be found. Its tannins are invariably soft, making Merlot a good early drinking style, but this does limit its aging potential. Being medium bodied and restrained in style, Merlot suits French oak over American oak, due to its more subtle influence.

One of the best qualities about Merlot is its ability to match well with all different types of food. Try favourite winter dishes like a beef stew, a roast, baked lamb chops or experiment with chilli dishes, rich, Italian-style, red sauced pastas, and even salads. It goes well with an array of dishes and many hosts turn to Merlot for a safe bet! The soft, fleshy nature of Merlot ensures it partners with all foods. The supple sweet fruit characters of some Merlots are best to match with pastas, roasted meats or Mediterranean vegetables and enhance flavours perfectly.

Source: http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/wine/merlot

Although wines are widely available in most Asian countries, especially in Hong Kong which has eliminated import tariff on wines altogether, the availability of fine vintage wines is still very scarce. Most wine merchants offer big names, young vintages and cheaper wines for everyday consumption. Wine lovers and connoisseurs looking for something special often travel to Clark Pampanga Philippines to do their shopping at this Wine Shop in Manila.

At Yats Wine Cellars we believe that a little bit of knowledge in wine goes a long way to developing expectations in the wines we choose to buy or drink. Without expectation, it is difficult to really enjoy wine to its fullest. With this in mind, efforts are made by Yats Wine Cellars to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for our clients to learn more about wine.

Birthday wine gifts is one of the most popular birthday gifts to give someone living in the Philippines. Fine Vintage wine from Yats Wine Cellars is a sure winner and it does not have to cost a great deal to send someone a bottle in Philippines

To avail of wine catering service of Yats Wine Cellars, just contact this wine supplier in Manila or Angeles Clark Philippines for a meeting to design a theme for the event. The venue for a wine event can be in the privacy of a home, the convenience of an office in Manila for example or in a clubhouse of a subdivision. Wine glasses and accessories necessary for wine service are included in the wine catering service. Moreover, interesting wine notes accompany the wine to help participants enjoy the event even more by learning a little bit about wine while enjoying the party. A wine steward will be present to serve the wine.

There is also an exciting collection of white wine from Burgundy at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Meursault, Chablis, Chassagne Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne and St. Aubin. Red wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhone are also available with a good depth of back vintages too. Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
(045) 841 4006 / 0922-870-5173 / 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

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While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.yatsleisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Yats Restaurant is the best restaurant for special dinner, best restaurant for dinner with friends near Manila, also the best place to celebrate special events.

Famous Restaurant in Pampanga, a place to dine with friends in Clark, cozy restaurant with a nice ambience, a nice function place for special occasions

Are you looking for an attractive restaurant or a nice place to eat with friends in Clark, Angeles City Pampanga? Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar is a restaurant with good food and good wines for dinner located at Clark Angeles City Pampanga. Perfect for exclusive dinner venues for groups, recommended for private dinner in Philippines. A Restaurant in Clark for business dinner meeting. Private dinner place or dinner restaurant in Clark Subic Near Manila Angeles City Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the Good Restaurant in Pampanga Angeles City Clark near Manila.

www.YatsRestaurant.com
Looking for interesting hotels near Manila Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga?
Trouble free hotels and well recognized hotels in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga
Clearwater Resort and Country Club offers a good place to stay in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga. In offers nice place to have rest in Subic Pampanga outside Manila.
One of the Philippines top hotels in north Luzon.

Where to go in Clark? Hotel Clark Philippines is a De Luxe Hotel in Clark and Subic, a risk free place to stay, cozy and nice ambience, a nice function place for special occassion

www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com