November's Featured Varietal - Merlot

Friday, November 1, 2013 - Saturday, November 30, 2013



Each month, Livermore Valley Wine Country highlights a varietal in our region.

VISIT, LEARN, TASTE and PAIR from one of our 40+ wineries!

Merlot
Mer  |  loh

Visit:
Bodegas Aguirre Winery
Concannon Vineyard
Cuda Ridge Wines
Darcie Kent Vineyards
Ehrenberg Cellars
Elliston Vineyards
Fenestra Winery
Garre' Vineyard & Winery
Little Valley Winery
Longevity Wines
McGrail Vineyards and Winery
Mitchell Katz Winery
Murrieta's Well
Occasio Winery
Page Mill Winery
Retzlaff Vineyards
Rios-Lovell Estate Winery
Stony Ridge Winery
The Singing Winemaker
The Steven Kent Winery
Thomas Coyne Winery
Wente Vineyards Estate Winery & Tasting Room
Wente Vineyards Vineyard Tasting Room
Westover Vineyards, Winery and Event Center
White Crane Winery
Wood Family Vineyards

Learn:
Merlot can be described as a dark blue colored grape.  Its name originates from France in which it is translated to "young blackbird."  This translation is said to be used to identify the color of the grape itself.  This grape is predicted to be the third most widely planted variety in the world.

Taste:
Luscious and approachable, this classic varietal is known for its fruity aromas and hints of herbs.  But don’t assume it's all soft; the right Livermore Valley Merlot can go glass-to-glass with the biggest, boldest Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pair:
Try Merlot with sautéed duck breasts or roasted pork tenderloin.

To learn more, visit LVwine.org or discovercaliforniawines.com © Wine Institute