GotWines.net

What is a Meritage?  “Meritage,” pronounced like “heritage” is an invented word that combines the words “merit” and “heritage”.  A Meritage wine is defined by the Meritage association as a hand-crafted wine blended from the traditional “noble” Bordeaux varietals including: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot and Malbec. 

Geyser Peak Reserve ‘Alexandre Meritage’, Sonoma County, California, 2002

A deep, dark, entirely opaque color lends clues to the complexity of this wine. The aromas are of blueberry with surprising hints of herbaceous mint. Think dark on the front notes as I’ve noticed ripe cherry and blackberry. On the back there comes a battle of juicy fruit, versus tannin and oak.  Both add a multilayer complexity to a stellar wine.  Approachable, but expect a finish that keeps going as you let this Meritage breathe; and let it breathe you shall.
Trentadue  ‘La Storia’ Meritage 2003 
 
A Bordeaux blend of 74 percent Merlot, 17 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9 percent Cabernet Franc. This wine is well balanced, smooth and deep.  An “almost” Merlot with huge fruit and outstanding tannic structure. This choice displays Bordeaux grapes at their best.  Very dark, inky color, this Meritage exhibits dense and concentrated fruit with sweet oak flavors.  Normally ratings and awards don’t mean much to me, but these must be noted as they are from some of the best in the country.  DOUBLE GOLD, BEST OF PREMIUIM RED - San Francisco International Wine Competition   DOUBLE GOLD, BEST PREMIUM RED - 2006 San Francisco Competition  GOLD - 2006 Orange County Wine Competition  98 POINTS, BEST MERITAGE IN CALIFORNIA - 2006 California State Fair
Chateau Ste Michelle, ‘Artist Series’, Meritage, 2001
Wow, wow, wow…. I don’t know that there are better words to describe this pinnacle of true Meritage wines.  A nose of anise, roses, and rich cherry, this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon,  Merlot, and  Malbec, is an overpowering, highly dynamic wine.  Almost hard water-esque, it covers the tongue with notes of dark fruit, tobacco, and anise.  A full-bodied wine, this intense muscular finish will leave you wanting cases. Drink it for a decade with the best steak you can find!

Montes Alpha Merlot, 2003, Apalta Valley, Chile

As New World wines garner more and more popularity, they also inevitably become more and more expensive. Over the last ten years quality Australian wines, which used to be a bargain, are now priced comparably to similar French and California wines. There are some deals to be found in Europe, but for the most part, with French, German and Italian wines, you get what you pay for. In fact, world wide, it seems like you’re always getting what you pay for. Well I think we should get more than what we pay for. That’s where South America comes in…

Largely influenced by the Bordeaux varietals, respected producers world wide have invested in South American vineyards, perhaps most notably Chilean properties. With California producers like Robert Mondavi, Franciscan and Kendall-Jackson, and French powerhouses like Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and Lafite Rothschild, it seems likely that finding excellent values out of Chile may soon be a thing of the past. Hence, we must all exploit the situation while it is at hand. A great place to start would be Montes’ wines from Colchagua Valley, particularly their Alpha series.

The Alpha series merlot is rich and full, though velvety on the palate, just as merlot should be. Initially the nose is jammy, with lots of cooked fruit like black currant preserves, followed by roasted coffee as a secondary aroma. The earth is largely apparent on the palate, but well balanced by dark fruits like cassis and blackberry. Mineral and graphite give way to cocoa on the finish which is long and robust. Very accessible now, though it grows in the glass, and will certainly cellar well for at least five years.

For pairing, try grilled meats to accentuate the smoky tannins derived from the 15% of cabernet this wine carries. A greasy cheeseburger with fresh veggies sounds good to me. Other options are meaty pastas and heavy cheeses. Even rich, chocolate desserts followed by a fat cigar could be nice.

This bottle retails for about $20, but I wouldn’t expect it to stay so inexpensive for long. The long Chilean growing season, which is opposite from that of Europe and North America, stretches from November to April. Perfectly clear air and clean mountain snow, which melts to feed the Tinguiririca River and the Colchagua Valley vineyards, combine with Pacific maritime breezes and the rich loam clay and loam silt soil to create a brilliant terroir and in turn gorgeous wines. Experts have certainly begun to take notice, with Chilean wine rating high on such prestigious lists as Wine Spectators Top 100. All that’s left now is for the public to take notice before we can really get the prices to be unreasonable for these wines.