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76-517: Lake Chelan is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Washington state. The appellation lies about 112 miles (180 km) northeast of Seattle located in north-central Washington's Lake Chelan Valley and is a sub- appellation of the vast Columbia Valley AVA . It lies east of the Puget Sound viticultural area and north or west of the other Washington State viticultural areas. It borders

152-418: A Muscat Ottonel x Babeasca negra cross with Merlot), Nigra (with Barbera ), Prodest (with Barbera) and Rebo (with Teroldego ). Over the years, Merlot has spawned a color mutation that is used commercially, a pink-skinned variety known as Merlot gris . However, unlike the relationship between Grenache noir and Grenache blanc or Pinot noir and Pinot blanc , the variety known as Merlot blanc

228-549: A component in Bull's Blood . It is also made into varietal wine known as Egri Médoc Noir which is noted for its balanced acid levels and sweet taste. In 2009, there were 1,791 hectares (4,430 acres) of Merlot planted across Hungary. Most of these hectares can be found in the wine regions of Szekszárd and Villány on the warm Pannonian Basin with significant plantings also found in Kunság , Eger and Balaton . In Romania, Merlot

304-526: A higher sugar content and lower malic acid . Ampelographer J.M. Boursiquot has noted that Merlot has seemed to inherit some of the best characteristics from its parent varieties—its fertility and easy ripening ability from Magdeleine Noire des Charentes and its color , tannin and flavor phenolic potential from Cabernet Franc. Merlot thrives in cold soil, particularly ferrous clay . The vine tends to bud early which gives it some risk to cold frost and its thinner skin increases its susceptibility to

380-491: A permitted grape to be blended with Tempranillo in the red wines of the region. In 2008, there were 13,325 hectares (32,930 acres) of Merlot, a significant increase from the 8,700 hectares (21,000 acres) that were being cultivated in the country only 4 years earlier. In 2015, this had dropped slightly to 13,044 hectares (32,230 acres), making Merlot the eighth most planted red grape variety in Spain. The largest concentration of

456-544: A primary component in Meritage blends. While Merlot is grown throughout the state, it is particularly prominent in Napa , Monterey and Sonoma County . In Napa, examples from Los Carneros , Mount Veeder , Oakville and Rutherford tend to show ripe blackberry and black raspberry notes. Sonoma Merlots from Alexander Valley , Carneros and Dry Creek Valley tend to show plum , tea leaf and black cherry notes. In

532-427: A slope. Pruning is a major component to the quality of the wine that is produced with some producing believing it is best to prune the vine "short" (cutting back to only a few buds). Wine consultant Michel Rolland is a major proponent of reducing the yields of Merlot grapes to improve quality. The age of the vine is also important, with older vines contributing character to the resulting wine. A characteristic of

608-592: A varietal or sometimes blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc. In other parts of Italy, such as the Maremma coast in Tuscany , it is often blended with Sangiovese to give the wine a similar softening effect as the Bordeaux blends. Italian Merlots are often characterized by their light bodies and herbal notes. Merlot's low acidity serves as a balance for the higher acidity in many Italian wine grapes with

684-606: A very limited amount of Merlot compared to the abundance of native Portuguese grape varieties with 556 hectares (1,370 acres) planted in 2010, mostly in the Portuguese wine regions along the Tagus river. In Greece , Merlot is one of the top six grape varieties planted in the eastern wine regions of Macedonia (86 hectares (210 acres))and Western Thrace (243 hectares (600 acres)). In central Greece, there were 74 hectares (180 acres) of Merlot in cultivation as of 2012. Merlot

760-643: A wine is labeled with an AVA, at least 85% of the grapes that make up the wine must have been grown in the AVA, and the wine must be fully finished within the state where the AVA is located. The boundaries of AVAs are defined by the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), a component of the United States Department of the Treasury . The TTB defines AVAs at the request of wineries and other petitioners . Prior to

836-401: A wine to be labeled with a state or county appellation, at least 75% of the grapes used to make the wine must have been grown within the boundary of the appellation, and the wine must be fully finished within the state in which the appellation is located. Some states have more stringent rules, such as California , which requires 100% of the grapes used to make the wine be from California and that

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912-533: Is a designated wine grape -growing region in the United States , providing an official appellation for the mutual benefit of wineries and consumers. Winemakers frequently want their consumers to know about the geographic pedigree of their wines, as wines from a particular area can possess distinctive characteristics. Consumers often seek out wines from specific AVAs, and certain wines of particular pedigrees can claim premium prices and loyal customers. If

988-534: Is a half-sibling of Carménère , Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. The identity of the second parent of Merlot wouldn't be discovered till the late 2000s when an obscure and unnamed variety, first sampled in 1996 from vines growing in an abandoned vineyard in Saint-Suliac in Brittany , was shown by DNA analysis to be the mother of Merlot. This grape, later discovered in front of houses as a decorative vine in

1064-884: Is also grown in significant quantities in Curicó , Casablanca and the Maipo Valley . Until the early 1990s, the Chilean wine industry mistakenly sold a large quantity of wine made from the Carménère grape as Merlot. Following the discovery that many Chilean vineyards thought to be planted with Sauvignon blanc was actually Sauvignonasse , the owners of the Chilean winery Domaine Paul Bruno (who previously worked with Château Margaux and Château Cos d'Estournel ) invited ampelographers to comb through their vineyards to make sure that their wines were properly identified. Genetic studies discovered that much of what had been grown as Merlot

1140-667: Is grown across the United States—as of 2015, it is the fourth most planted wine grape —with California and Washington growing the most. Other regions producing significant quantities of Merlot include New York State with 365 hectares (900 acres) in 2006 with most of it in the maritime climate of the Long Island AVA and multiple regions in Ohio . In Texas , Merlot is the second most widely planted red wine grape after Cabernet Sauvignon with 117 hectares (290 acres). In Virginia,

1216-419: Is made across the globe, there tend to be two main styles. The "International style" favored by many New World wine regions tends to emphasize late harvesting to gain physiological ripeness and produce inky, purple-colored wines that are full in body with high alcohol and lush, velvety tannins with hints of plum and blackberry. While this international style is practiced by many Bordeaux wine producers,

1292-420: Is not a color mutation but rather an offspring variety of Merlot crossing with Folle blanche . Merlot grapes are identified by their loose bunches of large berries. The color has less of a blue/black hue than Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and with a thinner skin and fewer tannins per unit volume. It normally ripens up to two weeks earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon. Also compared to Cabernet, Merlot grapes tend to have

1368-486: Is not always the case. See map on the right showing the outline of the Paso Robles AVA , California's largest in total area, and the eleven distinct AVAs contained within it. In 2018, the second session of the 115th Congress recognized the contribution of American Viticultural Areas to the economy. The Blunt-Merkley Resolution passed unanimously. It noted that an AVA allows vintners to describe more accurately

1444-580: Is one of the primary grapes used in Bordeaux wine , and it is the most widely planted grape in the Bordeaux wine regions . Merlot is also one of the most popular red wine varietals in many markets. This flexibility has helped to make it one of the world's most planted grape varieties. As of 2004, Merlot was estimated to be the third most grown variety at 260,000 hectares (640,000 acres) globally. The area dedicated to Merlot has continued to increase, with 266,000 hectares (660,000 acres) in 2015. While Merlot

1520-622: Is related to the Southwest France wine grape Abouriou , though the exact nature of that relationship (with Abouriou potentially being either a parent of Magdeleine Noire or an offspring) is not yet known. Grape breeders have used Merlot crossed with other grapes to create several new varieties including Carmine (an Olmo grape made by crossing a Carignan x Cabernet Sauvignon cross with Merlot), Ederena (with Abouriou), Evmolpia (with Mavrud ), Fertilia (with Raboso Veronese ), Mamaia (a Romanian wine grape made by crossing

1596-428: Is the country's 5th most planted grape), Algeria , California , Romania , Australia , Argentina , Bulgaria , Canada , Chile , Greece , New Zealand , South Africa , Switzerland , Croatia , Hungary , Montenegro , Slovenia , Mexico and other parts of the United States such as Washington , Virginia and Long Island . It grows in many regions that also grow Cabernet Sauvignon but tends to be cultivated in

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1672-516: Is the most commonly grown grape variety in France. In 2004, total French plantations stood at 115,000 hectares (280,000 acres). By 2017, that number had dropped slightly to 112,000 hectares (280,000 acres). It is most prominent in Southwest France in regions like Bordeaux , Bergerac and Cahors where it is often blended with Malbec. The largest recent increase in Merlot plantations has occurred in

1748-791: Is the most widely exported red wine grape variety with 10,782 hectares (26,640 acres) in cultivation in 2008. Most of these plantings are found along the Black Sea in Dobruja , further inland in the Muntenia region of Dealu Mare and in the western Romanian wine region of Drăgășani . Here the grape is often made a varietal but is sometimes blended with other international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and with local grape varieties such as Fetească neagră . In 2009, Ukraine had 2,820 hectares (7,000 acres) of Merlot in cultivation. Russia had 1,588 hectares (3,920 acres). Portugal , has only

1824-585: Is the second most widely grown red wine grape in the state (after Cabernet Sauvignon), following many years of being the most widely planted variety, and accounts for nearly one fifth of the state's entire production. In 2011, there were 3,334 hectares (8,240 acres) of Washington Merlot in cultivation. It is widely planted throughout the Columbia Valley AVA but has earned particular notice from plantings grown in Walla Walla , Red Mountain and

1900-503: The Central Valley with Colchagua leading the way with 3,359 hectares (8,300 acres) followed by Maule Valley with 3,019 hectares (7,460 acres) and Curicó with 2,911 hectares (7,190 acres). In Uruguay , Merlot is often blended with Tannat and is the 2nd most widely planted red grape variety, representing around 10% of total vineyard plantings. More widely planted than Cabernet Sauvignon, there were 853 hectares (2,110 acres) of

1976-589: The Cole Ranch AVA in Mendocino County , California, at only 60 acres (24 ha). The Augusta AVA , which occupies the area around the town of Augusta, Missouri , was the first recognized AVA, gaining the status on June 20, 1980. There are currently 276 AVAs spread across 34 states, with over half (154) in California. An AVA may be located within one or more larger AVAs. For example,

2052-703: The Eastern European countries of Bulgaria , Moldova , Croatia and Romania , Merlot is often produced as a full bodied wine that can be very similar to Cabernet Sauvignon. In Bulgaria, plantings of Merlot lag slightly behind Cabernet Sauvignon with 15,202 hectares (37,560 acres) in 2009 while Croatia had 1,105 hectares (2,730 acres). In the Czech Republic , most of the country's 87 hectares (210 acres) were found in Moravia while Moldova had 8,123 hectares (20,070 acres) in 2009. In Slovenia , Merlot

2128-556: The French Paradox and the potential health benefits of wine and, possibly, the chemical resveratrol . The popularity of Merlot stemmed in part from the relative ease in pronouncing the name of the wine as well as its softer, fruity profile that made it more approachable to some wine drinkers. In the late 1990s, researchers at the University of California, Davis , showed that Merlot is an offspring of Cabernet Franc and

2204-551: The Horse Heaven Hills . Washington Merlots are noted for their deep color and balanced acidity. The state's climate lends itself towards long days and hours of sunshine with cool nights that contributes to a significant diurnal temperature variation and produces wines with New World fruitiness and Old World structure. In Canada , Merlot can be found across the country from the Short Hills Bench of

2280-620: The Isonzo river. In the hot continental climate of many of Spain's major wine regions, Merlot is less valued than it is in the damp maritime climate of Bordeaux or the warm Mediterranean climate of the Tuscan coast. But as the popularity of international varieties continue to grow on the world wine market, Spanish wine producers have been experimenting with the variety with even winemakers in Rioja petitioning authorities to allow Merlot to be

2356-489: The Niagara Peninsula Ontario , where there were 498 hectares (1,230 acres) of the grape in 2008, to British Columbia , where the grape is the most widely planted wine grape variety of either color at 641 hectares (1,580 acres). Here Merlot accounts for almost a third of all red wine grape plantings and is used for both varietal and Bordeaux-style blends. In Mexico , Merlot is cultivated primarily in

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2432-577: The Paarl and Stellenbosch regions. Here the grape is the third most widely planted red grape variety, accounting for nearly 15% of all red wine grape plantings, with 6,614 hectares (16,340 acres) of Merlot in cultivation in 2008. The majority of these plantings are found in the Stellenbosch region with 2,105 hectares (5,200 acres) and Paarl with 1,289 hectares (3,190 acres). According to wine expert Jancis Robinson, South African Merlot tend to be made as

2508-660: The Santa Clara Valley AVA and Livermore Valley AVA are located within the boundaries of the San Francisco Bay AVA , which is itself located within the Central Coast AVA . In such cases, the wine may be labeled with any of the relevant AVAs, but winemakers generally label wines with the most specific AVA allowed for each wine. Smaller AVAs are often perceived to be associated with smaller production and higher quality wines, though this

2584-526: The Valle de Guadalupe of Baja California , the country's main wine-producing area. Plantings have increased substantially since the 1980s, and cultivation has spread into the nearby areas of Ojos Negros and Santo Tomás . The grape can also be found in the north eastern Mexican wine region of Coahuila , across the border from Texas. In Chile , Merlot thrives in the Apalta region of Colchagua Province . It

2660-403: The growing season and protects against frost damage in winter by re-radiating heat absorbed during the summer in the later months of fall and winter. This has an effect of extending the "hang time" of the fruit on the vine which allows sugars and acids in the grape to stay in balance as phenols develop that can add complexity to the wine. The AVA is located in north-central Washington, in

2736-571: The sandy , clay- limestone -based soils of Saint-Émilion , Merlot accounts for around 60% of the blend and is usually blended with Cabernet Franc. In limestone, Merlot tends to develop more perfume notes while in sandy soils the wines are generally softer than Merlot grown in clay dominant soils. Merlot can also be found in significant quantities in Provence , Loire Valley , Savoie , Ardèche , Charente , Corrèze , Drôme , Isère and Vienne . In Italy, there were 25,614 hectares (63,290 acres) of

2812-431: The viticultural hazard of Botrytis bunch rot . If bad weather occurs during flowering , the Merlot vine is prone to develop coulure . The vine can also be susceptible to downy mildew (though it has better resistance to powdery mildew than other Bordeaux varieties) and to infection by leafhopper insect varieties. Water stress is important to the vine with it thriving in well-drained soil more so than at base of

2888-539: The 1980s, Merlot helped put the Washington wine industry on the world's wine map. Prior to this period there was a general perception that the climate of Washington State was too cold to produce red wine varietals. Merlots from Leonetti Cellar , Andrew Will , Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle demonstrated that areas of the Eastern Washington were warm enough for red wine production. Today it

2964-553: The AVA. While there was a grandfather clause in the regulation for wineries existing prior to July 7, 1986, there were at least 5 wineries in the Lake Chelan AVA that contained the word "Chelan" on their labels and opened after that grandfathered cut off date. All of these wineries had to submit to the labeling regulation that less than 15% of the grape used in their wines is allowed to be sourced from outside Lake Chelan AVA. The TTB eventually lifted that freeze and approved

3040-600: The Columbia Valley viticultural area on is eastern side and does not include any portion of other Washington viticultural areas except the Columbia Valley AVA. Lake Chelan encompasses 24,040 acres (38 sq mi) in the southern and eastern portions of the valley and the surrounding Cascade foothills suitable for viticulture. As of 2009, only 260 acres (105 ha) were cultivated producing wine for fifteen wineries. While viticulture has existed in

3116-618: The Lake Chelan Wine Growers Association to establish a registered viticultural area named "Lake Chelan." The first wine grapes were planted in the Lake Chelan region in 1891, but it wasn't until the late 20th century when the area was becoming a popular tourist destination, that a modern wine industry began to develop. In 2002, a group of Chelan wineries started the process of seeking federal recognition as an American Viticultural area. The proposal process

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3192-743: The Mendoza region and in the San Juan Province . In New Zealand , plantings of Merlot have increased in the Hawke's Bay region , particularly in Gimblett Gravels where the grape has shown the ability to produce Bordeaux-style wine. The grape has been growing in favor among New Zealand producers due to its ability to ripen better, with less green flavors, than Cabernet Sauvignon. Other regions with significant plantings include Auckland , Marlborough and Martinborough . In 2008, Merlot

3268-399: The Merlot grape is the propensity to quickly overripen once it hits its initial ripeness level, sometimes in a matter of a few days. There are two schools of thought on the right time to harvest Merlot. The wine makers of Château Pétrus favor early picking to best maintain the wine's acidity and finesse as well as its potential for aging . Others, such as Rolland, favor late picking and

3344-772: The TTB regulations (27 C.F.R. § 9.12) prescribes the standards for petitions for the establishment or modification of AVAs. Petitions to establish an AVA must include the following: Once a petition is accepted as complete, the TTB may choose to seek public input on the proposal and at its sole discretion may approve the proposed AVA. Before the AVA system, wine appellations of origin in the United States were designated based on state or county boundaries. All of these appellations were grandfathered into federal regulations and may appear on wine labels as designated places of origin in lieu of an AVA, such as Sonoma County . In order for

3420-468: The TTB's creation in 2003, the Treasury’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) received and handled petitions for viticultural areas, wine production and labeling. Section 4.25(e)(2) of the regulations (27 C.F.R. § 4.25(e)(2)) outlines the procedure for proposing an AVA and provides that any interested party may petition the TTB to establish a grape-growing region as an AVA. Section 9.12 of

3496-559: The US after its release (and an even larger spike of interest in Pinot noir). By 2010, plantings of California Merlot had dropped slightly to 18,924 hectares (46,760 acres). Following that dip, Merlot plantings rebounded, totaling approximately 39,000 acres in 2020. In California, Merlot can range from very fruity simple wines (sometimes referred to by critics as a "red Chardonnay ") to more serious, barrel aged examples . It can also be used as

3572-464: The added fruit body that comes with a little bit of over-ripeness. Merlot is one of the world's most widely planted grape variety with plantings of the vine outpacing even the more well-known Cabernet Sauvignon in many regions, including the grape's homeland of France . Here, France is home to nearly two thirds of the world's total plantings of Merlot. Beyond France it is also grown in Italy (where it

3648-481: The blend. One of the most famous and rare wines in the world, Château Pétrus , is almost all Merlot. In Pomerol, where Merlot usually accounts for around 80% of the blend, the iron - clay soils of the region give Merlot more of a tannic backbone than what is found in other Bordeaux regions. It was in Pomerol that the garagistes movement began with small-scale production of highly sought after Merlot-based wines. In

3724-464: The cooler portions of those areas. In areas that are too warm, Merlot will ripen too early. In places like Israel , Merlot is the second most widely planted grape variety after Cabernet Sauvignon with 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) in cultivation, making very " New World -style" wines. The grape can also be found in Turkey with 429 hectares (1,060 acres) in 2010 as well as Malta and Cyprus . Merlot

3800-1132: The eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains above the Columbia River Plateau . The Lake Chelan region has a higher elevation and unique soil components that differentiate the area from other wine regions of the Columbia Valley located to the south. A wide range of grapes are planted in the Lake Chelan AVA-including Semillon , Chardonnay , Gewurztraminer , Malbec , Merlot , Orange Muscat , Muscat blanc , Grenache , Cabernet Sauvignon , Cabernet Franc , Sauvignon blanc , Pinot gris , Petite Syrah , Sangiovese , Viognier , Carmenere , Zinfandel , Tempranillo , Petite Verdot , Pinot noir , Riesling , Syrah , Tannat , Dolcetto , Pinot Meunier and Barbera . 47°50′06″N 120°04′51″W  /  47.83496220°N 120.0807498°W  / 47.83496220; -120.0807498 American Viticultural Area An American Viticultural Area ( AVA )

3876-422: The grape back to its blending roots with Bordeaux style blends. Others saw its potential as a stand-alone labeled varietal: The first wineries to market Merlot as a varietal in the post WWII period were Louis M. Martini winery, which made a non-vintage dated Merlot, a blend of the 1968 and 1970 vintages, and Sterling Vineyards , which issued the first Merlot with a vintage, 1969 —Sterling's winemaker, Ric Forman ,

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3952-513: The grape in cultivation in 2009. Brazil is home to 1,089 hectares (2,690 acres) of Merlot (as of 2007) with most of them in the Rio Grande do Sul region that is across the border with Uruguay. Other South American wine regions growing Merlot include Bolivia with 30 hectares (74 acres) as of 2012 and Peru . In Argentina , Merlot plantings have been increasing in the Mendoza region with

4028-466: The grape in the Libournais region as one of the area's best. In 1824, the word Merlot itself appeared in an article on Médoc wine which mentioned that the grape was named after the local black bird (called merlau in the local variant of Occitan language , merle in standard French) who liked eating the ripe grapes on the vine. Other descriptions of the grape from the 19th century called

4104-701: The grape is in the Mediterranean climate of Catalonia and the continental climate of Castilla–La Mancha , with significant plantings also in Navarra and Aragon . In Costers del Segre , the grape is often used in Bordeaux-style blends while in Aragon , Navarra , and Castilla-La Mancha it is sometimes blended with Tempranillo and other local Spanish wine grape varieties. In Germany , there were 450 hectares (1,100 acres) of Merlot growing in 2008 with

4180-972: The grape mostly planted in the warmer German wine regions of the Palatinate and Rheinhessen . In Switzerland , Merlot accounts for nearly 85% of the wine production in Ticino where it is often made in a pale "white Merlot" style. In 2009, there were 1,028 hectares (2,540 acres) plantings of Swiss Merlot. Plantings of Merlot have increased in recent years in the Austrian wine region of Burgenland where vineyards previously growing Welschriesling are being uprooted to make room for more plantings. The grape still lags behind its parent variety, Cabernet Franc, with 112 hectares (280 acres) in cultivation in 2008. Outside of Burgenland, nearly half of all Austrian Merlot plantings are found in Lower Austria . In

4256-565: The grape often being used in blends in the Veneto , Alto Adige and Umbria . Global warming is potentially having an influence on Italian Merlot as more cooler-climate regions in northern Italy are being able to ripen the grape successfully while other regions already planted are encountering issues with over-ripeness. According to Master of Wine Jancis Robinson , some of the higher quality Italian Merlots are often from vineyards planted with cuttings sourced from France. Robinson describes

4332-515: The grape planted in 2000 with more than two-thirds of Italian Merlot being used in Indicazione geografica tipica (IGT) blends (such as the so-called " Super Tuscans ") versus being used in classified Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) or Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wines. A large portion of Merlot is planted in the Friuli wine region where it is made as

4408-718: The grape showing an affinity to the Tupungato region of the Uco Valley . Argentine Merlots grown in the higher elevations of Tunpungato have shown a balance of ripe fruit, tannic structure and acidity. The grape is not as widely planted here due to the natural fruity and fleshiness of the popular Malbec and Douce noir /Bonarda grapes that often don't need to be "mellowed" by Merlot as Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc may benefit from. In 2008, there were 7,142 hectares (17,650 acres) of Merlot growing in Argentina, most of it in

4484-523: The grape tends to account for an average of 25% of the blends—especially in the Bordeaux wine regions of Graves and Médoc . Of these Left Bank regions, the commune of St-Estephe uses the highest percentage of Merlot in the blends. However, Merlot is much more prominent on the Right Bank of the Gironde in the regions of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion , where it will commonly comprise the majority of

4560-401: The grape was the most widely planted red variety with 136 hectares (340 acres) in 2010, most of it in the Monticello AVA and Shenandoah Valley AVA , while Oregon had 206 hectares (510 acres) in 2008 with most planted in the Rogue Valley AVA . In the early history of California wine , Merlot was used primarily as a 100% varietal wine until winemaker Warren Winiarski encouraged taking

4636-418: The origin of their wine, while helping vintners to build and enhance the reputation and value of the wines produced. AVAs also allow consumers to attribute a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic to a wine made from grapes grown in an AVA. AVAs also help consumers identify what they purchase. Merlot Along with Cabernet Sauvignon , Cabernet Franc , Malbec and Petit Verdot , Merlot

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4712-436: The petition for the Lake Chelan AVA in April 2009 with the designation slated to take effect in late May 2008. The approval made the Lake Chelan Washington's 11th AVA and the second wine region in the state to be recognized in 2009, following the January approval of the Snipes Mountain AVA . The climate of the Lake Chelan AVA is influenced by the lake itself which creates a " lake effect " that moderates temperatures throughout

4788-401: The region since 1891, the area was established as a federally designated wine region by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau {TTB) , Treasury on May 29, 2009 as the state's 11th AVA. The petition to TTB was submitted by Alan J. Busacca, PhD, a geologist licensed in Washington State and a nationally certified professional soil scientist with Vinitas Vineyard Consultants, on behalf of

4864-431: The south of France, such as Languedoc-Roussillon , where it is often made under the designation of Vin de Pays wine. Here, Merlot accounted for 29,914 hectares (73,920 acres), more than doubling the 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) devoted to Cabernet Sauvignon in the Languedoc. In the traditional Bordeaux blend, Merlot's role is to add body and softness. Despite accounting for 50-60% of overall plantings in Bordeaux ,

4940-433: The style of Fruili Merlots from regarded estates as having potentially a "Pomerol-quality" to them while Merlots from the warm plains of the Veneto can often be over-ripe with high yields giving them a "sweet and sour" quality. Robinson notes that the Merlots from Trentino-Alto-Adige can fall somewhere between those of Friuli and the Veneto. The Strada del Merlot is a popular tourist route through Italian Merlot regions along

5016-433: The traditional "Bordeaux style" of Merlot involves harvesting Merlot earlier. This maintains the acidity and produces more medium-bodied wines with moderate alcohol levels that have fresh, red fruit flavors (raspberries, strawberries) and potentially leafy, vegetal notes. The earliest recorded mention of Merlot (under the synonym of Merlau ) was in the notes of a local Bordeaux official who in 1784 labeled wine made from

5092-484: The variety lou seme doù flube (meaning "the seedling from the river") with the grape thought to have originated on one of the islands found along the Garonne river. By the 19th century it was being regularly planted in the Médoc on the "Left Bank" of the Gironde . After a series of setbacks that included a severe frost in 1956 and several vintages in the 1960s lost to rot, French authorities in Bordeaux banned new plantings of Merlot vines between 1970 and 1975. It

5168-469: The villages of Figers , Mainxe , Saint-Savinien and Tanzac in the Poitou-Charentes , was colloquially known as Madeleina or Raisin de La Madeleine due to its propensity to be fully ripe and ready for harvest around the July 22nd feast day of Mary Magdalene . As the connection to Merlot became known, the grape was formally registered under the name Magdeleine Noire des Charentes . Through its relationship with Magdeleine Noire des Charentes, Merlot

5244-480: The wine be fully finished within the state. Washington requires 95% of the grapes in a Washington wine be grown in Washington, although notably the Columbia Valley AVA , Columbia Gorge AVA , and Walla Walla Valley AVA are shared with Oregon. AVAs vary widely in size, ranging from the Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA , at more than 19 million acres (29,900 square miles (77,000 km )) across four states ( Illinois , Iowa , Minnesota , and Wisconsin ), to

5320-557: Was actually Carménère , an old French variety that had gone largely extinct in France due to its poor resistance to phylloxera . While the vines, leaves and grapes look very similar, both grapes produce wines with distinct characteristics—Carménère being more strongly flavored with green pepper notes and Merlot having softer fruit with chocolate notes. Today, "true" Merlot is the third most widely planted grape variety in Chile after Cabernet Sauvignon and Listán Prieto with 13,280 hectares (32,800 acres) in 2009. Most of these planting are in

5396-415: Was an early advocate of Merlot as a varietal bottling. Following the "Merlot wine craze" of the 1990s, sparked by 60 Minutes French Paradox report, sales of Merlot spiked, with the grape plantings of over 20,640 hectares (51,000 acres) in 2004. The 2004 movie Sideways , where the lead character is a Pinot noir fan who expresses his disdain of Merlot, has been connected with declining Merlot sales in

5472-641: Was dealt a significant delay when, in the summer of 2007, the TTB issued a "freeze" on approving any AVA petition due to controversy surrounding the proposal for the Calistoga AVA in the Napa Valley region of California . One roadblock that the Lake Chelan AVA petition encountered (which also affected the Calistoga's petition) was the requirement that any winery naming an AVA as a source on their wine labels must source at least 85% of their grapes from

5548-574: Was first recorded in Italy around Venice under the synonym Bordò in 1855. The grape was introduced to the Swiss , from Bordeaux, sometime in the 19th century and was recorded in the Swiss canton of Ticino between 1905 and 1910. In the 1990s, Merlot saw an upswing of popularity in the United States . Red wine consumption, in general, increased in the US following the airing of the 60 Minutes report on

5624-789: Was the most widely planted grape variety of any color in the Vipava Valley in the Slovene Littoral and the second most widely planted variety in the Gorizia Hills located across the Italian border from Friuli. In the Slovene Littoral, collectively, Merlot accounts for around 15% of total vineyard plantings with 1,019 hectares (2,520 acres) of Merlot in cultivation across Slovenia in 2009. In Hungary , Merlot complements Kékfrankos , Kékoportó and Kadarka as

5700-608: Was the second most widely red grape variety (after Pinot noir) in New Zealand and accounted for nearly 5% of all the country's plantings with 1,363 hectares (3,370 acres) in cultivation. In Australia , some vineyards labeled as "Merlot" were discovered to actually be Cabernet Franc. Merlot vines can also be found growing in the Barossa Valley , McLaren Vale and Wrattonbully in South Australia . In 2008, it

5776-625: Was the third most widely planted red grape variety after Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon with 10,537 hectares (26,040 acres). As in California, the global "Merlot craze" spurred an increase of plantings, most of it in the warm, irrigated regions of Murray Darling , Riverina and Riverland where the grape variety could be mass-produced. Recent plantings, such as those in the Margaret River area of Western Australia have been focusing on making more Bordeaux-style blends. In South Africa , plantings of Merlot have focused on cooler sites within

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