Just about everyone remembers the scene that crushed Merlot. For the few who missed out, it happened in the 2004 movie “Sideways,” when Paul Giamatti’s character goes into a partially unprintable tirade against the varietal.
The gist? He refused to sink so low as to drink the stuff.
In real life, Merlot suffered from a “beginner’s wine” complex. Although one of the most reliable grapes in Bordeaux, new world producers in California tended to boost its jammy, easy drinking qualities to the edge of Kool-Aid, at least up to the point when Hollywood crashed the market.
Chacewater’s 2012 Sierra Foothills Merlot — a Best of Class winner in San Francisco — shows off the wine at its post-Sideways finest.
On the nose it reveals little more than fresh, peaking fruit. Dark cherry dominates here, followed by mid-summer plum and just picked red berries. But just when the ‘hey, this ins’t Merlot’ thought creeps into your mind, hints of oak, vanilla and earthy black olive slips in to offer some reassurance.
Still, it’s a very distinct Merlot, bright and taught. Although cherries and berries are prominent with each taste, it would be wrong to label it fruit forward. Rather, it is alive with flavors plucked from trees and vines then tossed into a serving bowl, balanced by an herbaceous drum roll, a vanilla-scented hum from its time — two years — in barrels and a trill of spice.
“That’s definitely a Bordeaux-style Merlot,” observed winemaker Mark Burch. “When we bottled it I said ‘we better watch this one.’”
The grapes from Chacewater’s Sierra Foothills plot ripened to a spare 24 brix with a pH level well below normal. This allowed Burch to let the wine rest on sediment — or “lees,” to put the process in a better light — for a longer stretch. He also barreled twice, first in French oak followed by a spell in American, a whopping 30 percent of it new.
Burch attributes this opportunity to the pH levels.
“That’s probably one of the real structuring elements,” he pointed out.
Instead of wrestling some of the brawnier elements, Burch found himself with a surprisingly crisp wine at the start. In fact, he even added 5 percent Cabernet Franc into the Merlot, just to bring a recognizable herbal, grassy character to the finished product. But after several years working the foothills block, he is accustomed to the peculiarities.
“It’s one of my favorite wines to work with,” Burch said.
Chacewater hopes to put some of the cases away, as the winemaker believes this 2012 Merlot will age beautifully. A year from now it will approach its potential.
Yet it’s impressive enough now to have picked up one Best of Class, with more awards perhaps on the way — an achievement, considering the phrase “Best of Class Merlot” would have drawn chortles just a decade ago.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
