It’s hard to acknowledge but the cold weather is upon us so this week we are featuring Merlot, the perfect fall red. Merlot has gotten a bad reputation thanks in part to the movie Sideways. One simple quote by Paul Giamatti’s character (Miles) sunk the sales of Merlot and elevated Pinot Noir into the next trend. The movie was released in 2004 and even ten years later sales still reflect this attitude.

There are many reasons and many great wines that will win you back over to Merlot. Merlot makes a soft, supple wine that is medium bodied with notes of cherry, plum, blackberry, and blueberry; when you age it in oak you can get notes of vanilla, cocoa, and coffee to name a few. Merlot is incredibly versatile, and thus goes well with many different food pairings. There couldn’t be a more more perfect season for this wine, as it goes great with many fall dishes that include squash, pork, beef, chicken, duck, and even pizza. The tannins of merlot tend to be soft which makes it a great wine to have all by itself! This grape varietal also lends itself to Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux blends as well as California Meritage blends. You may just already love merlot but don’t even know it!

Here are a few merlots we recommend for your enjoyment:

Yalumba $11.99 Sale $10.79 (Australia) , Santa Ema $13.99 (Chile),

Marco Felluga $17.99 (Italy), The Velvet Devil $11.99 (Washington), L’Ecole $28.99 (Washington)