Cabernet Merlot Wine
There are many wineries that produce a good cabernet merlot wine there days. This is partially because merlots have soared in popularity due to their excellent flavor and reasonable price in the last decade. For a great many years Merlot is the most widely planted grape varietal in the Bordeaux wine region in France. But in the last few decades it has expanded into many other regions. That is now quite widely planted in wine regions in the United States and other areas. California has the most vines in the country. There used to be only 2000 acres of Merlot in 1985. But because of the expansion of the wine drinking over the years, the area of merlot has grown to 50,000 acres in 2003.
The flavors and essence of the wine have made good merlot wine very drinkable. This is because Merlots tend to be quite often slightly softer and also more lush than the harder to drink Cabernet Sauvignon. But the merlot wine is still often full-bodied and will be deep in color. The wine will also be fairly high in alcohol and can include the flavors of cherry, plum and chocolate to the experienced palate. One of the characteristics of Merlot is that it matures in the bottle earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon. This make the wine able to be consumer earlier. That is why Merlots are generally held in higher esteem by wine drinkers. But this gives merlots a bad name to wine collectors since they do not keep as well and do not get much better when they age. The characteristics of merlot make it perfect to blend with other varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon. This will often soften the Cabernet flavor and create a more complex wine for people to enjoy.
There are a couple of things to remember when serving Merlot. People should know that it should be slightly below room temperature when poured. Therefore a person can place it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before serving. That will bring it to the correct serving temperature so that people can enjoy the wine. It should also be known that merlot pairs well with many foods. The most common foods include red meat, pork, poultry, and even pasta. That makes merlot and easy choice to serve with a dinner.
In the movie Sideways, merlot gets a bad name in favor of pinot noir. And since Merlot has been utilized in blending with other wines, people have not considered it as a serious wine. But cabernet merlot wine is beginning to be appreciated on its own.