Best Merlot in the USA - By United States Open Wine Competition

Merlot
As a varietal wine, Merlot can make soft, velvety wines with plum flavors. While Merlot wines tend to mature faster than Cabernet Sauvignon, some examples can continue to develop in the bottle for decades. There are three main styles of Merlot-a soft, fruity, smooth wine with very little tannins, a fruity wine with more tannic structure and, finally, a brawny, highly tannic style made in the profile of Cabernet Sauvignon. Some of the fruit notes commonly associated with Merlot include cassis, black and red cherries, blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, mulberry, ollalieberry and plum. Vegetable and earthy notes include black and green olives, cola nut, bell pepper, fennel, humus, leather, mushrooms, rhubarb and tobacco. Floral and herbal notes commonly associated with Merlot include green and black tea, eucalyptus, laurel, mint, oregano, pine, rosemary, sage, sarsaparilla and thyme. When Merlot has spent significant time in oak, the wine may show notes of caramel, chocolate, coconut, coffee bean, dill weed, mocha, molasses, smoke, vanilla and walnut.

1. Balduzzi 2007 Reserva Merlot - Glendale, CA
2. Jarvis 2006 Merlot - Napa Valley, CA
3. Maryhill 2006 Proprietor's Reserve Merlot - Goldendale, WA

   
Merlot Food Pairing
In food and wine pairings, the diversity of Merlot can lend itself to a wide array of matching options. Cabernet-like Merlots pair well with many of the same things that Cabernet Sauvignon would pair well with such as grilled and charred meats. Softer, fruitier Merlots share many of the same food pairing affinities with Pinot noir and go well with dishes like salmon, mushroom based dishes and greens like chard and radicchio. Light bodied Merlots can go well with shellfish like prawns or scallops, especially if wrapped in a protein-rich food such as bacon or prosciutto. Merlot tends not to go well with strong and blue veined cheeses that can overwhelm the fruit flavors of the wine. The capsaicins of spicy foods can accentuate the perception of alcohol in Merlot and make it taste more tannic and bitter.

Winery and Wine Web Sites

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Wine Enthusiast Magazine - Up-to-date coverage of the major wine regions of the world, information on new releases and over 300 ratings and reviews.

Wine & Spirits Magazine - Consumer magazine promoting the greater appreciation and enjoyment of wine and fine spirits. Features include articles on food and travel as well as results of the American Wine Competition, and restaurant and retail surveys.

Wine-Searcher.com - Wine-Searcher's daily updated database of 6521 wine merchants' price lists saves you money when buying wines. The site provides the fastest and easiest way to find who is selling a wine, to compare prices between wine stores, and to value wines.

USA Wines - Listing United States wines, wineries and shops. Also features regional maps, information on lodging, dining and events.

Niebaum Coppola Wine Estates - Offers a selection of wines plus information and a tour of the estate.

Avalon of Oregon - Oregon, Washington and Idaho wines and gourmet foods along with articles and reviews.

California Wine - Providing a selection of premium California wines.

New York Wine Cork - A guide to New York vineyards, with a list of wineries, calendar of events, news, tasting notes, and recipes.

Los Olivos Wine and Spirits Emporium -  Santa Barbara County wines.

Winetasting.com - California wineries offering products and information. News, events, and clubs.

WinoWorld.com -  Wines from Washington and the Pacific Northwest including Syrahs from Glen Fiona and Seven Hills wineries.

The Wine Reserve - California and limited production wines.

Signature Wines - A selection of US produced wines with custom labeling.

Villa Toscano -  Wines by a "Tuscan" winery in the Sierra Foothills of California.

Wine Online - A tasting Panel of wine industry professionals and culinary advisors.


 

This listing of the America's Best Merlot was compiled with the help from a Wine Group called Wine Addiction. This list is constantly being revised as we experience and learn about more of America's Great Wine. So, if you feel you we have missed a great Chardonnay, please send us a bottle.