US Merlot: Panel tasting results

Ronan Sayburn MS, Eugenio Egorov and Ben Gubbins tasted 49 wines with 3 Outstanding and 17 Highly recommended.

US Merlot: Panel tasting scores

49 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 3

Highly recommended 17

Recommended 27

Commended 2

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release Merlot red wines from any recognised US wine region, containing a minimum of 75% Merlot if in a blend with other varieties

It’s 20 years since the protagonist in the movie Sideways – Miles, a dedicated Pinot-phile – expressed his utter disdain for Merlot. Not long after the film came out, figures released by market analyst Nielsen showed a 16% jump in sales of Pinot Noir against the previous year, along with a 2% decrease in sales of Merlot. A study carried out by economist Stephen Cuellar of Sonoma State University and two colleagues, and released four years after the movie, showed a similar effect.

The small drop in Merlot sales, despite the devastating put-downs of Miles, may be an indication of the continued popularity of this variety with many consumers – it’s soft, approachable, easy to pronounce and can offer rich and deep, ripe fruit. At one time, it was even talked about as a potential contender for Cabernet Sauvignon’s crown.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the US Merlot panel tasting

Merlot is an émigré from Bordeaux, where it found fame post-phylloxera thanks to its ability to graft well (at a time when vineyards around the world needed replanting); prior to that, it was only a minor blending variety. The most widely planted variety in the Bordeaux region, it also marries well in a blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and thrives in the cooler, damper soils found in St-Emilion and Pomerol. Nowadays, it may be falling out of favour as winemakers question its ability to remain elegant in the slowly increasing temperatures now found in Bordeaux.

The wines we tasted were principally from California, but also from Washington and New York states. Eugenio Egorov commented that there were some rather predictable wines, with big alcohol and oak dominating in some cases. Most of the wines we tasted here were at 14%-15% alcohol, and the best of those balanced these levels with ripe but elegant fruit and fine tannins. Ben Gubbins commented that there seemed to be a lot of winemaking influence rather than pure fruit expression, and the cooler climates often fared better.

See all 49 wines from the US Merlot panel tasting

The Washington wines we tried showed very well, with six landing in our top 20 (90-95pts) and 14 more rated Recommended (87-89pts). Sadly, New York showed less well and its wines received some of our lowest scores. These wines showed a soft, jammy, quite simple style that was pleasant to drink but didn’t show a great depth or structure.

Washington showed an overall step up in quality and more harmony between nose and palate. Generally, the wines were quite fine and elegant, with tighter blackcurrant fruit and less weight and alcohol. California (12 in the top 20), and especially Napa, fared the best, with wines that were sweet and ripe on the nose, with elegant fruit and sage-like aromas, soft tannins holding up a broad, velvety palate.

As with many wine regions, it comes down to the producers, some of whom wish to make more commercial, easy-drinking wines and others something finer. At its best, Merlot from the US can show the elegant and generous fruit one would expect to find in a good Bordeaux vintage.

US Merlot panel tasting scores

The following wines all scored 90 points or above. Wines were tasted blind.

The judges

Ronan Sayburn MS is CEO of the Court of Master Sommeliers European chapter and runs his own consultancy and wine training company, RS Wine Academy. A Co-Chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards, he is also a previous winner of the UK Sommelier of the Year competition

Eugenio Egorov is head sommelier at AA five-star The Stafford in London. Born in Ukraine, he began his hospitality career in restaurants in Italy and Florida, USA, before moving to London in 2014, where he rose through the ranks as a sommelier at the likes of 45 Park Lane and The Dorchester

Ben Gubbins is general manager and WSET wine educator at Vagabond Wines in London. A native of Chile, he previously worked as UK & Europe sales director for Dos Andes Wines before joining Vagabond in 2013

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