In the wake of a certain movie, everything went sideways -- actually, more like backwards – for merlot. But was Miles' proclamation about "#%@^-ing merlot" the tipping point, or did it just come along at a time when people already were tiring of the varietal?
"Merlove," now out on DVD, sets out not so much to answer that question as to herald the merits of merlot. Along the way, we hear from some stellar winemakers and growers on the past, present and future of the grape. Some participants have a bit of a chip on their shoulders about "Sideways," but the general theme is that Miles had a point. In fact, Rubicon general manager Larry Stone and others completely own up to why the backlash really happened: overplanting of the grape in all too many wrong places.
Indeed, in interviews conducted in France, California and Washington, Rudy McClain's documentary gets at the notion of terroir as well as any book I've encountered, showing that vit really does matter where a grape is planted, but that different soils can produce distinctive, wide-ranging versions of the varietal. McClain has found a great array of fun, smart people to discuss the topic, and shows nice restraint in saving the ultimate punchline – that Petrus and Cheval Blanc, two of the world's absolute best wines, are nothing without merlot – for the end. I also like the notion, expressed late in the movie, that "the wood is just clothes," that oak barrels should enhance rather than overwhelm the juice. I've always felt that the "Sideways" effect was more about pinot noir than merlot, that the backlash had started, and would have continued, without it. Since then, savvy drinkers have stuck with the worthy versions of this varietal, and watching "Merlove" made me thirsty for more. (To see trailers for "Merlove" and to purchase a DVD, go here.)
