Winemaker Sue Hofmann

Despite its popularity, Merlot has not been high on our wish list for the last few years. Like Chardonnay, the wine has often become overplanted, overproduced, overpriced, and, worse, mundane. One reason why Merlot lost its glory was because it was planted in hot areas, lacking minerals and prompting early bud break; thus, the wine lacked sufficient acid and tannin, the very backbone of the wine. Most Merlot has become a clone of this style, and they’re beginning to taste that way. Witness our annual Best of The Best in California blind tastings: for the last 23 years we stuck by the varietal; however, the last two years (2008 and 2009 tastings), we gave up on it, foregoing it for the very reasons above. The heritage of a grape that has its roots in Pomerol, in the glory of Château Pétrus, has forsaken itself amidst a haze of non-identity.

There is hope for the varietal, at least for Merlot in the important “best value category” — $15 and under. During a recent blind pre-tasting of current “value” releases, we came upon a Merlot that earned the admiration of most of the tasting team: the 2008 181 Wine Cellars Merlot, produced by DFV Wines. It’s not difficult to gauge its success. As with all good wine, soil is everything. Location is as vital as vintage. The 181 comes from Clay Station Vineyard in Lodi, now one of the “hot” spots in California, where the region’s clay soil of the Sierra Nevada foothills makes for good Merlot. The 2008 vintage, moreover, is a good one, noted for its coolness, which Merlot needs. Weather, soil, and grape ripeness were all aligned, hence a successful vintage.

Technicality aside, the 2008 181 Merlot has what we insist on in selecting and writing about a new release: cost, taste, and availability. The wine retails for $14 (we purchased 181 Merlot at a restaurant recently for $32, the kind of prices all bistros need to encourage). The flavors are forthcoming and fetching, and an apt representative of its Bordeaux brethren. Thus, it characteristically offers red berry notes, nice earthiness, some cinnamon spice, currant tones, black cherry and balanced acidity. It also has a soft texture (as good Merlot must), engaging ripeness, easy tannins, and a fairly substantial finish — the ultimate test of a good wine. In short, this is Merlot that delivers. According to the winery, there are more than 16,000 cases available nationally. Of the 27 samples of Merlot tasted blind at this price point, the 181 showed that Merlot may be returning to its roots in more ways than one. (For more information: 181wine.com)