I love Merlot in the springtime...♫♪

You know when when you just have a feeling that you're not supposed to admit to something? Fancing Michael Bublé for example, or Felicity Kendall (Digiboy!)? Secretly wishing 'Jedward' were still in the X-factor? Well, that's a little like enjoying Merlot these days.

The 'Sideways Effect' saw Pinot Noir surge in popularity while Merlot sales plummeted after the film Sideways came out in 2004. Here, our friendly protagonist Miles screams at one point "If anyone orders Merlot I'm leaving, I am NOT drinking any F***ing Merlot!" He's referring to the gallons of cheap, sugary, unsophisticated Merlot-based glug-glug that can be found all over the US and elsewhere. Since then, millions have been sheepish about ordering it. What the film doesn't tell you however, is that there are stunning Merlots made around the world and occacsionally, just occasionally, Merlot is used to make some of the finest wines on the planet. Check out Chateau Pétrus in Bordeaux. You see, There's no need for embarrasment!

For me and Digiboy, Merlot is the singer-in-the-band. It has a voice as smooth as silk that washes over you with chocolatey tones and is easy listening, uncomplicated and as familiar as your comfiest pyjamas. Sure, there may have been some bad press in the past, but the following is now right back to where it used to be. Could the poster-boy for the Merlot grape variety be... Frank Sinatra?

If you pay attention, you'll realise that like Merlot, Frank isn't the most technically skilled and complex example of his type as he essentially just talks his way through songs (contraversial - but just my personal opinion!) And just like Merlot again, he had bad press in the past, but the formula still works. The man is a legend, a classic and millions have bought his records. Frank is a Merlot man we can all admit to liking!

Merlot produces soft, easy drinking wines with juicy red fruit flavours. Like Frank, it is the crowd-pleaser.

Wine Language Tasting Tour:
Chances are, you won't want to spend the £800-£6000 a bottle for Chateau Pétrus imediately, so try a few Italian Merlots (eg from Veneto, Friuli & Tuscany) and then move on to Australia and Chile. Next, try a St Emilion Bordeaux (from the right bank of the river) and enjoy a whole world of difference!

Hasta la Pasta,

Winebird x

Teach me how to read a wine list!

With another client dinner looming, this was the first question DB (Digiboy) asked me on our very first winebird 'date'. Over several glasses of red, white & rosé, we tackled this question by first considering:

What do you fancy drinking?

A gutsy red? A steely white? If you don't want to just ask the waiter at this point, start with the grape. While styles can vary all over the world, the general flavour profiles of the various grape varieties will be very similar anywhere so, get to know a few of the famous ones.

Here are some simple pointers for the best-known RED GRAPES:

• Chunky, dark, full bodied and blackcurranty = Cabernet Sauvignon
• Soft, chocolately, juicy red fruit = Merlot
• Big, warming, peppery and jammy = Shiraz / Syrah (same thing!)
  
• Lighter bodied and fine, stewed spicy cherries = Pinot Noir
• Silky, concentrated, blueberry and plum = Malbec

And some WHITE GRAPES:

• Dry, grassy, elderflower, cat pee (and sometimes tropical fruit!) = Sauvignon Blanc
• Richer, ripe melon & buttery = Chardonnay
• Steely, dry, crisp and chalky = Chardonnay when it's a Chablis! (more on this later)
• Weighty, floral, peaches and orange blossom = Viognier
• Zesty, lime-citrus and rubber = Riesling

Easy, no? No, because as mentioned above, many labels show no mention of a grape! Instead, they are named after areas. As the area itself denotes a particular grape and style, you need to get to know these. Here are some well-known ones. Print them out and keep them in your wallet!

• Chablis -Chardonnay grape (yes it is!) Named after the village where it's produced in Northern France. Steely-dry, chalky and very elegant.

• Sancerre - Sauvignon Blanc grape. Named after a village in the Loire valley famous for this style of Sauvignon: grassy, elderflower, dry and crisp.   

• Chateauneuf-du-Pape - a blend of red grapes, usually Grenache, Syrah & Mourvedre. Named after the region in Southern France. Big, warming, Christmas cakey & figgy.  

• Chianti - Italian region, famous for red 'food' wines made from Sangiovese.

• Burgundy - French wine region famous for reds made from Pinot Noir and whites made from Chardonnay. Some of the very finest wines come from here but they're not cheap! 

• Bordeaux - Another French region famous for fine red blends dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Like Burgundy, you usually have to pay big bucks for the good stuff.  
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• Beaujolais - Another French region famous for very light, soft reds tasting of bubblegum and strawberry that are drunk young. Made with the Gamay grape.

• Rioja- Tempranillo grape often with lots of oak aging from the Spanish region of the same name. 

So, Grape and / or Area are generally the two most important pointers on labels, so start with these! The other elements is Producer or Brand Name. As you get more into wine, you'll probably start to pick up which producers are best from an area and which should be avoided.

• Producer is often written as Chateau X or Domaine de X or international versions of that such as Bodega (Spain) and Finca (Argentina).   
• Brand Name. Self explanatory. Check out Fat Bastard or Bob. 

**Style Tip: Hot Climates= Bigger, fruitier and often more alcoholic wines. Cool Climates = Leaner, more elegant, usually with less alcohol**

The examples above are highly generalised, but it doesn't help to go into too much detail too soon. Start with this and we can move on later!

Until next time,

Winebird x

p.s. (Try this great page from the 'winedoctor' for more info on grapes...)