Ultimate  Challenge

Wine Trend: The Great Merlot Comeback

Merlot is an ubiquitous grape, planted and vinified all over the world into wines of varying quality. The fact that it is so pervasive has actually worked against it, earning it a reputation as an ordinary wine grape. True wine enthusiasts know that merlot is responsible for some of the world’s most lauded wines, and more importantly, that is is capable of making extraordinarily stunning and delicious wines.

After significant cultural backlash, winemakers are working hard to upgrade the global perception of merlot by releasing balanced wines with unique character. Producers are sourcing better, more ripe grapes for their 100% varietal expressions, and more interesting and high end wines are starting to come out of the merlot category. Nearly one third of all merlot submissions in 2017 scored over 90 Points.

This worldwide phenomenon extends to all wine producing regions. While most of our top scoring merlots come from the United States, countries including France, Italy, Spain, and Australia all had representing wines. As consumer attitude towards merlot starts to swing back in the other direction it will only provide more momentum for better quality merlots across the board.

 


Leave a Comment

Additional Blog Posts

Filter by
Past Posts