Top Merlot wines have excellent aging potential Philippines wine supplier Manila wine shop discusses wine by the grape variety Merlot.
December 15, 2010
About Merlot
Merlot, which enjoyed a meteoric rise to become the darling of the red wine world, has been planted widely on multiple continents, as the grape is very easy to cultivate. But, the grape tends towards high production, and if the viticulturalist is not rigorous about controlling yields, the resulting wines tend to be dull and insipid. We’re afraid that so much dull wine has now hit the market, many consumers have forgotten how remarkable excellent Merlot can be. At its best, Merlot makes a broad, supple wine with medium to full body, showing aromas and flavors of black cherry, plum, dark berries, chocolate and tobacco.
The classic expressions of the grape come from the Right Bank of Bordeaux in the appellations of St. Emilion and Pomerol. Here Merlot is the dominant grape, although producers will include some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon into the mix. These wines will be characterized by extravagantly rich, sweet fruit, and supple tannins. While in tiny Pomerol, land is scare and prices for wine are correspondingly high, St. Emilion is much larger and offers a greater share of satisfying bottles at affordable prices. Keep in mind that in the latter appellation, especially, these blends will have plenty of Cabernet Franc in addition to the Merlot.
But if Bordeaux is the classic home of Merlot-based winemaking, California provided the locale for the Merlot frenzy of the 1990s. A general rise in American wine consumption, combined with a growing preference for sinlge-varietal wines (and away from generic blends) led to a surge in plantings in California. We can’t help but think that some of the popularity came from the easy-to-pronounce nature of the grape’s name. It’s undeniably less of a mouthful than “Cabernet Sauvignon.” But since Merlot also provides a wine with aromas and flavors similar to Cabernet but also with a softer, fleshier character and fewer tannins, these qualities also likely contributed to its ascent. Unfortunately, many California producers responded to the boom by indiscriminately planting Merlot in wildly inappropriate locations, and a backlash against the grape ultimately occurred–nicely encapsulated by the attitude of the character Miles, in the 2004 film “Sideways.”
Still, many of California’s top Merlots come from plantings that predate the boom, and many of these wines are worth seeking out. We like the wines from Beringer, Duckhorn, and Havens Winery. Some quality Merlot is also planted in Washington State, as well as in Italy.
While some top Merlots have excellent aging potential, most are best enjoyed within four to eight years. Merlot’s fruity, easy-drinking character allows it to pair well with many foods: think charcuterie, roasts, and even hamburgers.
Snapshot:
Recommended Growing Regions: St. Emilion and Pomerol (France), Napa Valley (California), Tuscany (Italy)
Flavor Profile: Medium to full-bodied wines with flavors of black cherry, plum, and tobacco
Food Pairings: Roasts, hamburgers, other grilled meats
Other Notes: Merlot also shines as a blending grape in Bordeaux’s Left Bank and in Tuscany
Recommended Wineries for Merlot
• Chateau Petrus
• Tua Rita
• Arietta
• Chateau Pavie
• Le Macchiole
• Blankiet
• Tenuta dell’Ornellaia
• Bodegas Vina Magana
• Chateau Trotanoy
• Chateau L’Eglise Clinet
Source: http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/merlot
Are these articles useful for enhancing your wine and dine experience in the Philippines. Do they also help you with travel, leisure, vacation, dining out, nightlife and other leisure activities plans in Manila and other major cities of Philippines? Yats Restaurant hopes to provide you with ample information so you can plan your trips to Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone whether you are travelling from Manila or other Asian countries such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Malaysia or Korea.
Restaurant reservations in Manila Philippines, planning of menu, selection of wine for dinner and booking a private function and event in Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone can all be handled. Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar has been regarded by many to be the premier restaurant north of Manila Philippines. Its 3000-line award-winning restaurant wine list has kept many wine lovers happy dining in this restaurant in Angeles City Clark Philippines for over a decade.
Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar was built by Hong Kong-based Yats International in 2000 to provide a world-class cozy fine dining restaurant, business meeting facilities and venues for private dinners and functions in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone. Pampanga Angeles City Clark Philippines was selected for this restaurant because of safety, clean air, absence of traffic and proximity to Manila and Subic.
For comments, inquiries and reservations, email Restaurant@Yats-International.com or call these numbers:
(045) 599-5600 0922-870-5178 0917-520-4401
Http://www.YatsRestaurant.com
Getting to this fine dining restaurant of Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga Philippines
How to get to this fine-dining restaurant in Clark Philippines? Once you get to Clark Freeport, go straight until you hit Mimosa. After you enter Mimosa, stay on the left on Mimosa Drive, go past the Holiday Inn and Yats Restaurant (green top, independent 1-storey structure) is on your left. Just past the Yats Restaurant is the London Pub.
Pampanga is fast gaining the respect of food and wine lovers from Manila and tourists from all over Asia as a holiday destination that has good restaurants. Manila residents spending holidays in Clark often wine and dine at some of the best restaurants in Pampanga. Within Angeles City, there is one restaurant in Clark that is lauded by food and wine lovers as one of the best restaurants outside Manila to enjoy good wine and good food. This is also one of the good restaurants in Pampanga that is very child friendly also. Visitors to Clark Philippines rarely pass up in the opportunity to dine at one of the best restaurants in Pampanga.