Bringing Merlot Back – Episode #285

July 31, 2007

Gary is trying some Merlot and seeing if Hollywood was right to diss this grape!

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Comments on this episode(258) Leave a comment ›

“I wasn’t drinking wine when I first saw Sideways. When I did start, I…” by ulu ulu ulu ulu
“Bummer about the Souverain. Such a nice label.
QOTD: I wasn’t a hu…” by Phredd
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Falesco Merlot Dell UmbriaUmbria IGT
2004 Chateau Souverain MerlotSonoma Merlot
2004 Charles Creek Merlot PasatiempoOther California Merlot
2002 Beringer Howell Mountain Reserve Merlot Bancroft RanchNapa Merlot

Links mentioned in todays episode.

Oak Monster Tee

258 Responses

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August 1, 2007

Kara E.
Sideways SUCKED!!! There’s a reason it was nominated for a bunch of awards and didn’t win except for best adapted screen play!! I wouldn’t listen to anything they said in that crapy movie.
Got the Tivo set for Conan….good luck.
Signing off…as a friend of a friend of a friend…
Kara
August 1, 2007

wmole
Exactly right RandyB. Hence the title SIDEWAYS
August 1, 2007

Chris C
QOTD: I hated the movie Sideways. I thought that it made wine drinkers look like freaks and buffoons. Merlot is still one of my favorite wines and I am glad that because of the movie, Merlot is more available and less expensive than in the past.

GV: Convince Conan to join the Vayniak nation. Have fun on the show!!
August 1, 2007

RandyB
Thanks, TR I couldn’t remember the ‘61 Cheval Blanc.
August 1, 2007

RandyB
Help me out movie fans, but wasn’t the ironic twist to this movie that Miles’ most prized possession, a bottle of wine that he had passionately guarded and which formed the psychological link to a much happier time in his life, a merlot?

The movie had no affect on my buying or drinking habits except that I purchased fewer Pinot Noir’s because their QPR no longer made sense.

GV, I set the DVR just in case I can’t stay awake to watch Conan live. We’ll be rooting for you.
August 1, 2007

DrEdwardo
I was already avoiding most merlots well before “Sideways”. There were way too many overpriced and bad merlots that made it a pass.

The same thing is happening with both Shiraz especially and Pinot Noir.

Edwardo
August 1, 2007

TR
Sideways was intended to be toungue in cheek in regard to Merlot as many people know the Prized wine of the recitivist protaganist was a mostly Merlot ‘61 Cheval Blanc.
The best Merlot I’ve ever had is the Chappelle de Ausone 2000 St Emillion. I can only imagine how good the $600 1st wine from that vintage is.
I drank a bottle of Robert Sinsky 2003 Los Carneros Merlot last night, look Ma, no Hangover! This was real wine in a nice place in between New and old World style and a decent bargain at $24. It went great with the KFC my talented wife cooked up for me.
August 1, 2007

LushOsMEl
As a Server, can I just say how much I hated this movie! Jeez, I love Paul Giamatti and all but if I had to hear one more bumpkin from Kansas come in and make a joke about Merlot I was gonna throttle someone! There are some amazing Merlots out there and if the “hop-on-the-bandwagon” crowd wants to race after Pinots than fine, more for the rest of us. I just think that its unfortunate that many restaurants do not offer them by the glass anymore.

Oh, and Gary, best of luck tonight (or this afternoon, I never know when they tape that stuff…)
August 1, 2007

El
Loved this episode but HATED the big glass. I liked Sideways and it did not change my drinking-in fact I might have seeked out Merlot more as I really like Cabs and Pinots.
Good luck with Conan-I’ll try to stay up….
August 1, 2007

Elliot Essman
Sideways made me want to seek out the true essence of Merlot instead of avoiding it. The movie had a point, however, in that so many California Merlots, manufactured in industrial quantities to respond to fashion, tasted to me like cement.

The other side of the story is that the movieâ€™s championship of Pinot Noir may put that grape in an even worse position. Pinot Noir is much harder to grow than Merlot. Merlot, being a Bordeaux grape, at least has the aspect that it is usually improved by blending. This is not so with Pinot Noir. A California â€œPinot Noirâ€ filled out with 13% Syrah? Donâ€™t chuckle â€“ you may well be drinking just that.

All that said, Sideways at least brought the subject of individual taste to the fore. We may not imitate Miles by stealing cash from our mothers, or let ourselves be pushed around by our crass and tasteless buddies, but a little bit of his passion for wine wonâ€™t hurt us. So if the movie was unfair to Merlot, it was still good for wine in general.
August 1, 2007

Robin
P.S. Good luck on Conan. I really like him.
August 1, 2007

mjhch1
I like Merlot. I like Pinot Noir. I like lots of stuff. And, I particularly hate when I’m told I should like something..by whoever or whatever that may be. Unfortunately so much is influenced by persons such as RP, and other entities WS, F&W, etc… and of course, Hollow-wood.
I am majorly disappointed to spend my $$$,open a bottle of wine and get totally blown away with oak, major fruit bombs, and burned w/ alcohol, then read that someone gave it 93 points. (which has recently happened, unfortunately)
Gary, I don’t care if you ever “rate” another bottle again, but I do enjoy your tasting notes, and have found some wine, via your show, that I really like.
BTW I loved the movie Sideways.. particulary the ballsy character played by Sandra Oh. She kicked ASS!
Anyways..this is a rant topic for me.. so I’ll spare you, and get off my soapbox.

Salut!!
August 1, 2007

Robin
QOTD: I was totally in sympathy with Miles. I couldn’t stop laughting. Merlot is a soft, squishy, formless wine that is best used in blending. Maybe I should have been looking in the 90+ ratings to find a decent Merlot. I think the movie was really more about severely dysfunctional males and the women who put up with them (or not) though. I will look up the Charles Creek merlot, as we are very fond of the Charles Creek Patolitas chardonnay – so even in Albuquerque, there’s a chance that we can obtain and try that merlot.

Still trying to unload the Oak Monster T-shirts? You owe me a couple of shirts but don’t even think about sending those.
August 1, 2007

ciaobarbara
Yes…I was on my way out of drinking Merlot. But this movie confirmed it. Merlot became something like white zin…only people that don’t know wine drink this stuff cuz everyone else does. Ok, not quite the same as the Merlot – however the movie encouraged diversity and I went with it…so thank you Hollywood!
August 1, 2007

Orion Slayer
Awesome! WLTV hosts Conan O’Brien. That guy was a little stiff though. Hope he loosens up tonight.

QOTD: Hollywood did effect my Merlot drinking, I drank more of it! I hate to be told what to do or to follow trends. I drank Merlot before Sideways and have not changed after seeing the movie (which I enjoyed, especially the scene where he drinks from the spit bucket!) I ordered two bottles of the Charles Creek Miradero Merlot you featured in episode 89 back in September last year.

Good luck tonight with Conan! Have a great time and be yourself!!!
August 1, 2007

Susan
Gary-Will be praying that you stay calm and focused for the Conan interview!!!
We are all sure you will do great!!!
August 1, 2007

The Godfather
What goes around … comes around. Pinot is going, mostly because there is way too much mediocre juice fetching way too high prices. The QPR for (good)Merlot makes it a (comparative) bargain in today’s marketplace. One of the true joys of a wine cellar is enjoying expensive wine today that cost a pittance years earlier. Cheers!
August 1, 2007

TommyBoBo of WI
Try Pride Merlots,,, they usually put a dash of Cab in them,, the 1996’s are drinking really well right now.
August 1, 2007

Billman
QOTD: I don’t think so, but I never really drank a lot of merlot.
August 1, 2007

john ripperger
Gary, I didnt drink a lot of merlot before Sideways and still don’t now. If anyone is interested in good merlot from Cali however, Jarvis and Etude make the two best I’ve had from the Napa area. Both are inky black in color, very fruity, have long finishes, and age worthy. To finish up the QOTD, before Sideways I didn’t drink much pinot but now 3-4 years later, I drink a ton. In the last year I have probably drank more pinot than I have cabernet, which is a first.
August 1, 2007

E
Now that I think about it, the last really great non-French merlot I had was from Washington State …
August 1, 2007

Rob B.
Nice episode.
Qotd: I like Merlot occasionally, and always will. I have yet to find a pinot that is a really good QPR, so I don’t drink it too much.

I know you didn’t attempt to compare the real LT to Lagerman. That is too funny, watch yourself with those comments.
August 1, 2007

e TRAIN
GV

What about the other merlot families? For all those folks who are embarassed to pull that Merlot from the bargin close out basket in many retailers or to bring that bottle to the counter because the sales clerks give you that look like you are from a by gone era. The Merlot alternatives: Rustic Malbec from France in Cahor, or Cot from the Loire or the juicy Malbec’s from Argentina. For the Merlot drinker who still doesn’t know what Sideways is there are options!:]
August 1, 2007

hasbeen
My wife has always enjoyed Merlot and I have found some over the years that I liked though I buy the ones that my wife likes. We have not changed anything about our wine preferences do to the movie which we thought was a pazzzzzzz.

I liked hearing that you used to hang with the oak monster. Years ago I used to buy Kendall Jackson Chardonnay by the case because the oak monster lived in that bottle. Now I seldom buy chardonnay and when I see the oak monster I walk the other way and try not to let others know of our previous relationship.
August 1, 2007

FTboomer
QOTD:

Hated the movie, hated Merlot & hated Pinot prior to the movie. Now I still hate the movie, drink a little merlot and a little pinot.

Have fun tonight and twitter us up.