As part of an excursion around the outskirts of Bordeaux, I happened to visit the wine capital of Saint-Emilion. The town is famous for its old church, beautiful views and, of course, its wines. The cellars are quite cold, but very interesting.
Inexperienced visitors learned to twist their glasses meaningfully, to observe whether the wine was flowing down the walls quickly or not, and to try to capture the subtlest aromas. It was there that I first tasted Merlot wine.
The story was sent by my subscriber Pavel.
Overview
The famous wine company Ginestet (Ginestet) began its activity more than 100 years ago in Bordeaux. Gineste was the first in the province to use the word “marketing”, which the neighbors perceived as nothing more than a curse.
Interesting: Merlot is the most grown grape variety in France today. More than half, namely 60%, of the vines in Bordeaux are Merlot.
A bottle of dry red wine Tour de mandelotte Bordeaux AOC Rouge (Tour de Mandelotte Bordeaux) from the manufacturer Gineste was bought by me at a discount for 498 rubles, although the average price tag is in the range of 700-900 rubles.
Interesting: it is assumed that the name of the variety comes from merle, which means “blackbird” in French.
A blue-black bottle with a thick concave bottom speaks of the quality of the drink. The label is made in soothing colors. The image of an eagle is embossed on the capsule. It also repeats on the sides of the skirt.
It contains Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. The latter contains no more than 5%. Merlot is considered less aggressive and tart than Cabernet Sauvignon.
Interestingly, there are 18 different varieties called “international”. Only by tasting all types can you decide on “your” wine.
Like a drink in appearance
As they say, when I eat I am deaf and dumb, when I drink I am more sociable.
No matter how hard the winemakers of the New World try to surpass the titans of winemaking like France, Italy and Spain, they are unlikely to succeed. It is these countries that are the parents of the most popular varieties and produce most of the volume of wines.
But let’s not dwell on the statistics. I pour wine. The luxurious ruby color of this drink looks interesting in a wide glass.
When tilted away from oneself, a transparent rim can be traced, which indicates the aging of the wine and gives the drink a special piquancy.
In the light, the drink is transparent, sparkling, shiny, which indicates the completeness of the technological process. When rotating the glass, it easily flows off the walls.
Tales: A curious person at a wine tasting asked a seemingly simple question: “Why is wine called white if it is yellow?”. He better not ask!
“Wine is yellow from green grapes, which is why it is called white. But red is made from black grapes. He didn’t say another word during our trip. Apparently thought about it.
How does it taste
It is preliminary recommended to cool the drink to a temperature of 14-16 degrees.
Without decanting, the wine gives off the smell of oak and alcohol compounds. This indicates aging in oak barrels. Sufficiently long exposure gives the wine a noble classic taste and delicate rich aroma.
After pouring into a decanter, after 30 minutes, the bouquet is fully revealed with bright fruity tones with a soft velvety taste. The alcohol notes are gone, the wine turned out to be pleasant to the taste, with low acidity, easy to drink. At the end, it leaves a harmonious chocolate aftertaste.
Dry wine often leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. This indicates the presence of tannin. It is he who is responsible for astringency and bitterness. Everything is in moderation here, soft tannins do not focus attention.
Interesting: Chateau Petrus is considered the leader of Pomerol, consisting of almost 100% Merlot.
On the back label, the manufacturer recommends choosing red meats and cheeses for appetizers.
Don’t be afraid to experiment! With this drink, you should try chicken barbecue, panini with bacon and mushrooms, rustic ratatouille, as well as aged goat cheese.
In my opinion, Polder-kaas Duo cheese nicely set off the taste of merlot. It contrasts well, but does not discord with the steak.
My verdict
“People are like wine – if they get better with age, then they are of very high quality.” Philippe Bouvard, actor
The region in which the grapes grow significantly affects the taste of the wine. So, the Argentine malbec will be much sweeter than the French one due to the characteristics of the grapes and the aging of the oak. Tour de mandelotte has a classic taste.
Merlot is one of my favorite wines. Moderately tart, rich drink. Not sour, but not cloying either. If I buy merlot, then most often it is wine from Gineste.
And the price and quality are, I think, in balance. I recommend a leisurely candlelight tasting with your loved one. Have you been to tastings?