Favorite Wine
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While my family was in town, we were able to go on a winery tour at the Robert Mondavi Winery. We had a lot of fun and I am now a fan of their wine. Ended up buying a couple of bottles : 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Fume Blac and Moscato D'Oro.
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I love plum wine, dont ask me which one because I dont know. lol. I have tried it in Chinese restaurants, some of them have a good one and some are just ok.
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The Fume Blanc is really good. Its another name for Sauvignon Blanc. There is a story behind the name. At first, it has a lemony flavor to it but once you let it breathe, it has like a pinapple smell to it. You can even taste the difference.
The Moscato D'Oro is like a port. It has a peach flavor to it.
The Moscato D'Oro is like a port. It has a peach flavor to it.
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White Merlot
April 7, 2002
by Dennis Manuel
What is white Merlot?
White Merlot is the same as white Zinfandel, except it is made from the Merlot grape.
There was a time when pink wines were known as "rosé" wines. Now they are known as "blush" wines. As with white Zinfandel, white Merlot derives it's color by leaving the grape juice in contact with the red skins of the grape for a short period of time, usually hours or days. A deep red wine has the juices in contact with the skins for weeks.
So, how did white Merlot come about?
It started in the Languedoc region of France, which is located Southwest of the Rhòne region, along the Mediterranean Sea. That region does not grow the Zinfandel grape. Wanting to get into the white Zinfandel market, ten years ago Fortant Winery, of the Languedoc, invented the category of "white Merlot".
Blush wines are tremendously popular during the hot months of the year, because they are served chilled, and they can be drunk with fish or meat, and are generally inexpensive. Data from ACNielsen/Adams indicates that Chardonnay is still the leader in sales in the U.S., holding 19% of the market. But right behind is white Zinfandel, with 13% of the market. That's a big market, and the Languedoc region of France, (no pun intended) was languishing. So, not to be left behind, it created its own category, i.e. "White Merlot".
One of the big reasons white Zinfandel is so popular in the U.S. is that many newcomers are moving into the wine drinking category. Per capita consumption in the U.S., and around the world is going down. Not so much in the U.S., which over the last twenty years has gone down from 2.11 gallons per capita in 1980 to 1.95 in 2000, but in Europe substantially. France is down from approximately 24 gallons per capita in 1980 to about 16 gallons per capita today. That's quite a drop.
Nonetheless, in the U.S. overall wine consumption has almost doubled. Which means that newcomers are coming into the market, and the bridge between a Coca-Cola and a tannic Cabernet Sauvignon is oftentimes a white Zinfandel.
Americans do not grow up with the same palate as Europeans, although with the MacDonaldisation of the world, that will soon change. Americans drink about 58 gallons of soft drinks per capita, which means our taste buds are accustomed to sweet drinks, and when we move to wine, we have to be weaned from the sugar. Hence the incredible popularity of white Zinfandel, which is usually sweet.
Fortant's white Merlot, on the other hand, is not sweet, and can be a wonderful summer drink. It's slightly sweet, inexpensive, selling for about $6 a bottle.
Other producers are jumping on the white Merlot band wagon.
Beringer (never to be outdone) is producing a white Merlot for $5 a bottle, although theirs is quite a bit sweeter, and therefore more along the line of the classic white Zinfandel. Sutter Home is making a Merlot Rosé ($7), slightly sweet, and Napa Ridge is making a white Merlot ($8) that is really sweet.
There is a surplus of Merlot grapes in California this year, so white Merlot could be the perfect use of this very popular varietal. Look for substantial growth in this category, especially if they offer both sweet and dry choices. Many long time wine drinkers do not like overly sweet wines, but would like nothing more than a bottle of fresh blush wine, such as Fortant's White Merlot on a hot summer day, especially if it doesn't break the bank!
April 7, 2002
by Dennis Manuel
What is white Merlot?
White Merlot is the same as white Zinfandel, except it is made from the Merlot grape.
There was a time when pink wines were known as "rosé" wines. Now they are known as "blush" wines. As with white Zinfandel, white Merlot derives it's color by leaving the grape juice in contact with the red skins of the grape for a short period of time, usually hours or days. A deep red wine has the juices in contact with the skins for weeks.
So, how did white Merlot come about?
It started in the Languedoc region of France, which is located Southwest of the Rhòne region, along the Mediterranean Sea. That region does not grow the Zinfandel grape. Wanting to get into the white Zinfandel market, ten years ago Fortant Winery, of the Languedoc, invented the category of "white Merlot".
Blush wines are tremendously popular during the hot months of the year, because they are served chilled, and they can be drunk with fish or meat, and are generally inexpensive. Data from ACNielsen/Adams indicates that Chardonnay is still the leader in sales in the U.S., holding 19% of the market. But right behind is white Zinfandel, with 13% of the market. That's a big market, and the Languedoc region of France, (no pun intended) was languishing. So, not to be left behind, it created its own category, i.e. "White Merlot".
One of the big reasons white Zinfandel is so popular in the U.S. is that many newcomers are moving into the wine drinking category. Per capita consumption in the U.S., and around the world is going down. Not so much in the U.S., which over the last twenty years has gone down from 2.11 gallons per capita in 1980 to 1.95 in 2000, but in Europe substantially. France is down from approximately 24 gallons per capita in 1980 to about 16 gallons per capita today. That's quite a drop.
Nonetheless, in the U.S. overall wine consumption has almost doubled. Which means that newcomers are coming into the market, and the bridge between a Coca-Cola and a tannic Cabernet Sauvignon is oftentimes a white Zinfandel.
Americans do not grow up with the same palate as Europeans, although with the MacDonaldisation of the world, that will soon change. Americans drink about 58 gallons of soft drinks per capita, which means our taste buds are accustomed to sweet drinks, and when we move to wine, we have to be weaned from the sugar. Hence the incredible popularity of white Zinfandel, which is usually sweet.
Fortant's white Merlot, on the other hand, is not sweet, and can be a wonderful summer drink. It's slightly sweet, inexpensive, selling for about $6 a bottle.
Other producers are jumping on the white Merlot band wagon.
Beringer (never to be outdone) is producing a white Merlot for $5 a bottle, although theirs is quite a bit sweeter, and therefore more along the line of the classic white Zinfandel. Sutter Home is making a Merlot Rosé ($7), slightly sweet, and Napa Ridge is making a white Merlot ($8) that is really sweet.
There is a surplus of Merlot grapes in California this year, so white Merlot could be the perfect use of this very popular varietal. Look for substantial growth in this category, especially if they offer both sweet and dry choices. Many long time wine drinkers do not like overly sweet wines, but would like nothing more than a bottle of fresh blush wine, such as Fortant's White Merlot on a hot summer day, especially if it doesn't break the bank!
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Hello plafleur10!
Yes, you are right about the wine name. My bf just informed me that I am an ignoramous who should check her spelling before she posts.:icon_redf He is really the wine "expert" of the family. He wants to go on a wine tasting tour of these regions and take classes as well. I, however, only just tell him "just bring me something good." I have a terrible time describing wine nuances, such as fruity, oaky, whatever. I just know when something tastes good. Medocs are the ones I like from Bordeaux. I would also love to go on a wine tasting tour of these regions in France, but there are so many other places in the world I would like to go first, so alas, unless I am motivated by an outside force.....
Thank you for the correction!
Elisabeth
Yes, you are right about the wine name. My bf just informed me that I am an ignoramous who should check her spelling before she posts.:icon_redf He is really the wine "expert" of the family. He wants to go on a wine tasting tour of these regions and take classes as well. I, however, only just tell him "just bring me something good." I have a terrible time describing wine nuances, such as fruity, oaky, whatever. I just know when something tastes good. Medocs are the ones I like from Bordeaux. I would also love to go on a wine tasting tour of these regions in France, but there are so many other places in the world I would like to go first, so alas, unless I am motivated by an outside force.....
Thank you for the correction!
Elisabeth
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Ok. Plafleur10. I also just saw the Canada on the bottom of your whatever and realized that you are probably from the French speaking part of Canada and now I feel really stupid for so misspelling your native language. Believe it or not, I was actually fluent in French when I was about 17. I have since lost it because now all I speak is German, and whenever I try anymore to speak French, it comes out all gibberish. I could never really write the language, either, as I am a speaker, not a writer. Sorry.
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To anyone who is interested and wants to check it out...the jan 8 issue (yesterday) of the San Francisco Chronicle rated its top 100 wines of 2005.
They have the best whites and reds from California, Oregon and Washington state..rated by their wine editor and some Bay Area local chefs and others.
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They have the best whites and reds from California, Oregon and Washington state..rated by their wine editor and some Bay Area local chefs and others.
/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
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I'm an Arbour Mist girl too :icon_redf
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i like wine holders but not wine. i dont know its not my thing. im more in favor for cocktails.
