Merlot Pairings for #MerlotMe Month

It's been a whirlwind start to October.  October holds a number of reasons to celebrate for me.  For personal reasons it's my birthday, wedding anniversary and one of my favorite holidays.  On the flip side it’s Italian Heritage Month and #MerlotMe month.  This year I was completely honored with the samples that I received from participating wineries.  This meant lots of sampling and brainstorming for pairings to go with each.  On top of it all I leave Sunday for my 10th trip back to Italy for a press trip to the island of Sicily.  Happy Birthday to me! 

So what is #MerlotMe month?  October is International Merlot Month and the hashtag #MerlotMe was created to spread love across the wine world for this beloved grape.  #MerlotMe is celebrating it’s 7th year since it was started and our Wine Pairing Weekend group has teamed up to provide a wide variety of samples pairings to go with merlot.  Let’s get started! 

Thirteen bottles later I wondered what was the best way to tackle this.  To say the least lots of cooking, crazy kids running around the kitchen and lots of wine pouring.  It was a feast of merlot!  I paired up 2-4 bottles per dish and although they really all were great in their own way I had my favs of each night.  There was no method to the wine pairing selection as many of these wines were new to me.   

As a sipper to get things started I began with the 2018 Rutherford Hill Merlot Rosé.  Rutherford Hill is located in Napa Valley and is part of the Terlato Family Winery.  Although we’re in the heart of fall here in New England it doesn’t mean that we need to stop drinking rosé.  This was a dry rose’, refreshing, very smooth on the palette with lots of peach and some citrus.  A slight tingle of acidity on the finish leaving a nice crisp lingering flavor.  ABV 13.5% SRP $34 

Merlot Pairing #1 ~ Pulled Pork 

I’m not ashamed to admit that being short on time this past week called for a slow cooker night.  Having participated in a number of these #MerlotMe events I felt pork was the way to go with a couple of my dishes this year.  Going lighter on the sauce with the pulled pork allowed these wines to shine.  With lots of vegetables from our CSA farmshare I was able to prepare some zucchini with a couple of my dishes as I’m trying to encourage my little ones to eat them.  #failure 

• 2015 Rutherford Hill Merlot – This merlot is blended with cabernet sauvignon and syrah.  Ripe black cherries on the nose.  Medium-bodied with moderate tannin and beautiful cherries and plums on the palette with some vanilla.  A well-balanced wine.  ABV 14.5% SRP $34   
• 2017 J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot – This wine comes from Paso Robles made of 82% merlot, 16% malbec and 2% cabernet sauvignon.  Aromas of cherry and blackberries.  I enjoyed the fruit on this one.  Medium-bodied and balanced displaying violet, blackberries with a touch of tannin and oak on the finish. ABV 14% SRP $15 

• 2017 Decoy Merlot – Decoy falls under the Duckhorn Vineyards brand and this Sonoma County wine comes from quality that can be enjoyed in its youth.  Made of 96% merlot with 4% cabernet sauvignon aged in 100% french oak.  Lots of licorice and herbal notes on the nose.  An interesting palette, almost a cherry cough syrup taste.  Not what I’ve experienced in the past with this brand.  ABV 14% SPR $25  
• 2016 Seven Hills Winery Merlot – Coming from the Walla Walla Valley of Washington. The nose was initially lighter making it tricky to decipher some of the aromas, but with time opened up to green pepper, raspberry notes.   Bright fruit, plums, currants and blackberry with nice acidity and spice.  A nice silkiness with some tannin and oak showing up on the finish.  I actually didn’t taste this one with the pulled pork as it came in too late, but I wish I had a chance to pair it with a dish.  ABV 14.% SRP $25 
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Merlot Pairing #2 ~ Classic Meatloaf 

Nothing says home cooked meals like some comfort food.  What I love about meatloaf is that you can always play with the way its prepared with adding ingredients or how it is dressed on the top. Nothing far outside the norm on this dish, but I loved how these 2 choices went so well with it. 

• 2017 Bonterra Merlot – It's been years since I’ve had a Bonterra unfortunately and won’t be the last.  Made from organic grapes and a SRP of $16 this was definitely a favorite of mine in the lineup.  With a small blend of petite syrah and malbec added the wine was aged 1 year in French and American oak.  With aromas of plums and blackberries on the palette this wine was rich in dark fruit with toasty, vanilla and spice nuances.  ABV 14% 
• 2016 L’Ecole Walla Walla Valley Merlot – I enjoyed both of the merlot wines from L’Ecole in  Washington state.  This wine hails from 2 of L’ecole’s prime vineyards, Ferguson and Seven Hills Vineyard.  A dense wine rich in dark fruits and tobacco notes with a solid backbone of acidity.  ABV 14.5% SRP $37 

Merlot Pairing #3 ~ Boneless Pork Chop with a Fig Sauce and Risotto 

I love when a dish comes out like I was hoping and this was my favorite pairing of all.  The fig sauce stole the show and combined with the pork and these wonderful merlot selections it was a win wine all around.  Although it was a close call on my favorite pairing of the three the Duckhorn inched out to lead the pack.   

• 2016 Seavey Vineyard Merlot – This merlot from Seavey Vineyard in Napa Valley is blended with 5% cabernet sauvignon and aged 100% in french oak.  Lots of layers to this full-bodied wine.  Aromas of blackberries and blueberries.  Silky and round on the palette with a hint of green bell pepper.  ABV 14.% SRP $65 
• 2016 Duckhorn Merlot – Duckhorn is a wine I’ve tried over the last few years and always seems to impress.  Duckhorn Vineyards is located in Napa Valley and this wine is a blend of grapes from their own estate as well as select independent growers.  Plums, raspberries with toasty notes a rather full-bodied wine with elegance.  ABV 14.5% SRP $56 
• 2015 Markham Vineyards Merlot – Another winery I’m familiar with in prior years and I was a big fan of the red fruit aromas in the glass on this one.  A wine with structure displaying black cherry and ripe raspberries, vanilla, tobacco, cedar notes and moderate tannins.  ABV 14.5% SRP $55 
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Merlot Pairing #4 ~ Turkey Burger topped with swiss cheese and sauteed portobello mushrooms 

I wish I paired this dish with angus burgers instead of the turkey burgers as they turkey lends a certain taste to the dish and I feel the other flavors would have paired better.  The portobello mushrooms were a must though as this always seems to be a natural pairing with merlot.   

• 2018 Casillero del Diablo Merlot Riserva  - This was the only wine I tasted out of country coming from The Central Valley appellation in Chile.  It was noticeable the difference in taste where the other wines were more fruit forward.  Medium in body displaying blackberries, currants, raspberries and spice with vanilla and oak showing on the finish.  ABV 13.5% SRP $12 
• 2016 L’Ecole Merlot - This other merlot from L’Ecole comes from the Columbia Valley, the largest in eastern Washington state.   A blend of 78% merlot, 16% cabernet franc, 3% petit verdot and 3% malbec. Aged for over 18 months in small oak barrels.   In comparison to the L’Ecole Merlot from the Walla Walla Valley I found this wine to shower brighter red fruits.  Nice acidity and well balanced.  Both beautiful wines and this one only priced at $25.  ABV 14.5% 
• 2014 Northstar Merlot - A second time for me featuring this wine in a different vintage.  Also coming from the Columbia Valley of Washington state.  Made of 76% merlot and 24% cabernet sauvignon.  More towards fuller bodied lending on the side of dark fruits including lush black cherries and plums with some herbal notes and spice.  ABV 14.5% SRP $41 

Plenty of merlot food and wine pairings with my fellow food and winelovers below.  Join us live on Twitter this Saturday 11am EST with #WinePW and enjoy some Merlot throughout the month of October.  I can't wait to hear some of your favorites!

• Jane at Always Ravenous posts Food Pairings with Merlot.
• Jill at l’Occasion offers Foolproof Pairing for #MerlotMe Month.
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla says This Food-Friendly Varietal Takes You From Savories to Sweets, Snacks to Cakes.
• Deanna at Asian Test Kitchen has 6 California Merlots Paired with Mexican Food Favorites.
• Lori at Dracaena Wines makes Onion Pastry on My Plate Makes #MerlotMe So Great.
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm is on A Month Long Merlot Extravaganza.
• Martin at Enofylz Wine Blog is Exploring Meatless Merlot Pairings for #MerlotMe.
• Kat at The Corkscrew Concierge tells us Merlot is the Perfect Dining Companion.
• David at Cooking Chat matches Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash with a Napa Merlot.
• Pierre and Cynthia at Traveling Wine Profs pair A Very Well-Traveled Merlot with Vietnamese Bò Kho.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares It’s #MerlotMe month. Where’s the Umami?
• Rupal at Syrah Queen is Celebrating Merlot with L’Ecole No 41.
• Sarah at Curious Cuisiniere gives us Hachis Parmentier and Merlot Pairing.
• Nicole from Somm’s Table is Exploring California in 5 Merlots.
• Cindy at Grape Experiences says Game Day? #MerlotMe with Ham and Cheese Sliders.
• Gwen at Wine Predator compares California vs. France #MerlotMe with Squash, Chard, and Bow Tie Pasta.
• Susannah at Avvinare matches Brazilian Merlot with Mushroom Risotto.
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! writes Young Professionals Explore Merlot.

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*All wines were provided as samples, but opinions are strictly my own.

The Variety of Abruzzo Wines

The wines of Abruzzo are best known for their montepulciano d’abruzzo, but there is so much more.  Today I’m highlighting some wines I recently received to try and others I had at some tastings earlier this summer from Abruzzo that I’ve been waiting to share with you.  Our Italian Food, Wine and Travel group this month takes you all through the wines of Abruzzo with some suggested pairings along the way. 

The Land ~ Abruzzo 

Abruzzo is located in central Italy located on the east coast along the Adriatic.  Bordering Le Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and Molise to the south.  It’s about 2/3 covered in mountains and is one of the most if not the most mountainous region in central and southern Italy.  The Apennine mountain range runs through it plus the Gran Sasso in northern Abruzzo with Monti della Lago and Massif of Mariella as well.   

The Wineries 

The first three wines I share below come from Codice Citra.  Codice Citra is a winery founded in 1973.  Three of the wines today including the Citra, Caldora and Ferzo are all part of this overarching brand.  Codice Citra is made up of a bunch of small families combining a variety of terroirs and climates in the province of Chieti.  The winemaking is overlooked by the famous Italian enologist, Riccardo Cotarella, whom I’ve talked about in previous posts assisting other wineries throughout Italy.  The grapes grown in this area benefits from the “brezza di terra” as their website mentions which creates the perfect climate with cold air traveling from the mountains with the warm air from the sea. 

The Grapes 

No matter how many wines you try I feel there is always something to learn, especially when it comes to Italian wine.  This month I tried a wine from a grape I actually hadn’t even heard of, cococciola.  Cococciola is a grape native to southern Abruzzo almost all hailing from the province of Chieti.  It is a grape that has been typically blended with trebbiano, but in the wine I present today it stands alone.   

White wines only make up about 40% of Abruzzo’s wines with reds dominating the pack.  Trebbiano is the leading white grape, but there are others like cococciola and pecorino.  Montepulciano leads the charge of red grapes with dominating over half of the production. 

The Wine 

2017 Ferzo Cococciola IGP Terre di Chieti - This wine is made from 100% cococciola.  The grapes are gently pressed and fermented in stainless steel.  This is the wine’s 3rd vintage.  Straw colored and rather light in body.  Stone fruit on the nose with a refreshing palate with crisp acidity up front and lingering citrus and apple notes through the finish.  ABV 13% SRP $26 

2017 Citra Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOP – A brand many are familiar with and I actually remember an Italian restaurant that I worked for when I was young using this wine in their cooking.  Citra produces 24 million bottles so to say they are quite large is an understatement.  This wine is deep ruby in color.  Full bodied and fruit forward, rich in dark berries.  A great every day, easy drinking wine.  It’s hard not to beat when it’s only about $8 a bottle.  ABV 13%  

Pairing: I paired this wine with a classic chicken parmesan dish with a side of eggplant parmesan.  To be honest I feel that either this or the Caldora Sangiovese would've worked out just as well.

2016 Caldora Sangiovese Terre di Chieti IGT – I'm a sangiovese lover as you may know so was excited to try this from the Abruzzo region.  Dark dark ruby and dark cherry on the nose.  The fruit was more pronounced and not as dry as their counterpart and comparison to some of the Tuscan wines.  More round with softer tannin.  Notes of vanilla and well-balanced.  Another easy drinking wine and only about $10-12 bottle.  ABV 12.5% SRP $10-12 

My personal selections from tastings earlier this summer are: 

2015 Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva DOC– From the esteemed Masciarelli winery this line of wines is named after the founder, Gianni Masciarelli’s wife, Marina Cvetic.  The 100% montepulciano grapes that produce this wine come from their prized San Martino sulla Marruccina estate in the Chieti province.  Rich, lush raspberries with vanilla and baking spice notes.  Well structured with balanced acidity and moderate tannin.  This wine is aged 12-18 months in French barrique before being bottled.  ABV 14.5% SRP $26-30 

2015 Orlandi Contucci Ponno Podere La Regia Specula Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG – Under the Agricole Gussalli Beretta the Orlandi Contucci Ponno winery is situated about a mile from the Adriatic and rather close to the Gran Sasso.  Made from 100% montepulciano this wine spends 12 months partially in tonneaux and partially in 20 hectolitre barrels plus 6 months in the bottle.  Full-bodied showing cherries and red fruits with some tannin showing through on the finish.  ABV 13.5% SRP Wine Searcher says this bottle goes for $9 and I couldn’t find any other pricing, but if that is the case it’s one heck of a deal.

Below are the the fellow Italian Food, Wine and Travel participants with their food and wine pairing selections.  Join the live Twitter chat this Saturday October 5th at 11am EST at #ItalianFWT.  

• Steven from Wine and Food Pairings discusses Cioppino – Red or White Wine? #Italian FWT"
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm shared about The Food and Wines of Abruzzo"
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla will brings us Scrippelle 'mbusse + Ferzo Passerina"
• Deanna from Asian Test Kitchen reveals 5 Iconic Abruzzo Wines to Try from Torre Zambra" 
• Gwendolyn from Wine Predator shares "Beautiful Abruzzo: 3 Montepulciano and 1 Trebbiano with simple Italian cuisine" 
• Cindy from Grape Experiences suggests that you "Immerse Yourself in Wines from Abruzzo for a Genuine Taste of Italy" 
• Pinny from Chinese Food and Wine Pairing is “Celebrating Abruzzo Wines with the Ferzo Passerina, Citra Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Caldora Chardonnay”. 
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass suggests Fresh Abruzzo wines to pair with fall produce (#ItalianFWT)” 
•  Jeff of Food Wine Click brings us "Pairing Magic with Ferzo Pecorino and Squash Risotto" 
•  Nicole from Somm's Table shares "Cooking to the Wine: Lammidia Anfora Rosso from Abruzzo & Pot Roast with Tomatoes and Chickpeas" 
• David from Cooking Chat shared "Baked Haddock with Pasta and White Wine from Abruzzo".
• Susannah from Avvinare takes "A Fresh Look at the Wines of Abruzzo" 
• Rupal from Syrah Queen shares "Exploring The Wine & Gastronomy of Abruzzo" 
•  Katarina from Grapevine Adventures wrote about San Lorenzo Winery - Montepulciano d'Abruzzo between Sea and Mountain  

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*All wines were provided as samples, but opinions are strictly my own.