Late this summer there
were at least two terrific “Winemaker” dinners at Ravines Wine Cellars overlooking
Keuka Lake — Chasing Pinot: In Search
of the Perfect Pinot Noir and Meritage:
The Art of Blending.
“Meritage”? Is that
another one of those snooty French terms? Actually, meritage is an American
neologism that combines the words “merit” and “heritage” and is pronounced like
the latter. In 1988 a group of American vintners formed an association that would
reflect a winemaking tradition in Bordeaux, France: to make blends from wines
grown in that region.
Cabernet Sauvignon and
Merlot are two grape varieties that go into these blends. Most American
consumers know these varieties quite well. Other varieties that can be used
include Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec for the red wines, and
Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion and Sauvignon Vert for white wine.
So why blend? You’d
think that wines made from single varieties are better than a hodge-podge of
different grapes. But in the case of a Meritage, the best characteristics of
each grape variety are blended together to create something new and different,
and often extremely sophisticated.
When Peter Bell, the
winemaker at Fox Run Vineyards (www.foxrunvineyards.com), makes a Meritage, he
begins with samples from as many as 80 barrels. These barrels contain different
versions of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. Sometimes the grapes
in those barrels may be from different vineyards, therefore, from different
soils, which also can impart different flavors. Other barrels may have been
toasted differently, which in turn produces a varying amount of carmelization,
and so on.
Bell will smell and
taste all the samples and, eventually, come up with the ones he feels work best
together to produce an outstanding and unique wine. For this reason, a Meritage
usually is produced in small quantities so as to insure its quality.
The Meritage
Association expects no less from wines given that designation. To be able to
put Meritage on a wine label, the winery has to pay a $1.00 per case fee, not
to exceed $500. (If you want to know more about the strict guidelines of the
association, you can visit their web site at www.meritagewine.org.) Of course,
there are exceptional blends that don’t exactly follow the guidelines but then
they can’t be designated as Meritage, which is becoming increasingly known as a
sign of quality.
Although most Meritage
comes from California, you can find wines from Australia, Canada, and a few
other places in the United States that are registered members. There are 12
wineries in Finger Lakes region that are members. Among them are Ravines Wine
Cellars (www.ravineswinecellers.com) and Fox Run Vineyards where Morten
Hallgren and Peter Bell, respectively, produce some excellent Meritage.
In addition, Richard
Figiel of Silver Thread Vineyards (www.silverthreadwine.com) makes a wine he
calls Black Bird, which is essentially a Meritage-style wine without the
official designation. His carefully made organic 2003 Black Bird from is 50
percent Cabernet Franc and 25 percent each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
And Doug Miles of
Miles Wine Cellars (www.mileswinecellers.com) makes a blend he calls Milestone.
It is a 50-50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This wine is only made in
years when the weather produces the best possible grapes, so don’t miss what’s
left of the 2001. The new winery at Belhurst Castle (www.belhurstcastle.com)
also makes a blend called Trilogy, which is another traditional Bordeaux blend
— it’s just not called Meritage.
Sometimes winemakers
will take the art of blending into non-traditional directions. Quite often, in
the right hands of certain winemakers, the results are outstanding. Rob Thomas,
winemaker and owner of Shalestone Vineyards (www.shalestonevineyards.com) makes
a wine he calls Synergy, which is a blend that contains an equal amount of
Cabernet Franc and Syrah (known as Shiraz in Australia).
Since all of these
wines require a lot of extra care in the making, they can be somewhat pricey.
Most run in the range of $20 and $40. But wines from Bordeaux and California
Meritage can run one anywhere from $80 to $200.
These are special
occasion wines and can be dazzling expressions of the combination of tradition
with the uniqueness of the individual winemakers.
Finger Lakes winery
events
Acoustic
Newt Wednesdays through October. Red Newt Cellars,
3675 Tichenor Rd, Hector, 7-9 p.m. 607-546-4100, www.rednewt.com
Autumn
Wine Makers Dinner Nov 12. Sheldrake Point Vineyard &
Cafรฉ, 7448 County Road 153, Ovid, 5:15 p.m. $65. 866-743-5372,
www.sheldrakepoint.com
Barrel
Tasting and Polka Party Nov 12-13. Thirsty Owl Wine Company, 6799
Elm Beach Rd, Ovid. 866-869-5805, www.thirstyowl.com
Basket
Creations Nov 19-Dec 23. Six Mile Creek Vineyard, 1551
Slaterville Rd, Route 79 East, Ithaca. 800-260-0612, www.sixmilecreek.com
Bon
Vivant Celebration Nov 13. Hosmer Winery, 6999 State Route
89, Ovid, 12-4 p.m. 888-467-9463, www.hosmerwinery.com
Champagne
& Dessert Wine Festival Nov 5-6. Swedish Hill Vineyard, 4565
Route 414, Romulus, 12-5 p.m. 888-549-9463, www.swedishhill.com
Chestnut
Festival Oct 29. Goose Watch Winery, 5480 Rte 89,
Romulus, 12-5 p.m. 315-549-2599, www.goosewatch.com
Chocolate
and Red Wine Sept 24. McGregor Vineyard Winery, Dundee, 5503
Dutch St, Dundee, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 800-272-0192, www.mcgregorwinery.com
Chocolate
and Red Wine Sept 24-Sept 25. Ravines Wine Cellars, 14630
State Route 54, Keuka Village, 607-292-7007, www.ravineswinecellars.com
Cider
for Grownups Oct 29-30. Bellwether Hard Cider, 9070 Route
89, Trumansburg, 888-862-4337, www.cidery.com
Experience
the Crush! Oct 1. Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery, 6800 Route
89, Elm Beach, Ovid, 2:30 p.m. 800-598-9463, www.cayugaridgewinery.com
Fall
Winemaker’s Dinner Nov 12. Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars,
9224 Route 414, Lodi. 607-582-6011, www.lamoreauxwine.com
14th
Annual Deck the Halls Holiday Event Nov 19-20. Seneca
Lake Wine Trail. 877-536-2717, www.senecalakewine.com
Frankenstein
and Wine Oct 29. Americana Vineyards, 4367 East Covert
Rd, Interlaken, 607-387-6801, www.americanavineyards.com
Harvest
Dinner Oct 7. Red Newt Cellars, 3675 Tichenor Rd,
Hector. 607-546-4100, www.rednewt.com
Harvest
Festival Sept 24-25. Six Mile Creek Vineyard, 1551
Slaterville Rd, Rte 79 East, Ithaca. 607-272-9463, 800-260-0612,
www.sixmilecreek.com
Harvest
Festival Oct 8-9. King Ferry Winery, 658 Lake Rd, King
Ferry. 800-439-5271, www.treleavenwines.com
Hunt
Country Gourmet Harvest Festival Oct 1-2. Hunt Country
Vineyards, 4021 Italy Hill Rd, Branchport. 800-946-3289,
www.huntcountryvineyards.com
Italian
Wine Makers Dinner Nov 6. Long Point Winery, 1485 Lake Rd,
Aurora, 1-4:30 p.m. 315-364-6990, www.longpointwinery.com
Keuka
Holidays Nov 12-13. Keuka Lake Wine Trail. 800-440-4898,
www.keukawinetrail.com
Meritage
& Mozart Nov 12-13. Ravines Wine Cellars, 14630 State
Route 54, Keuka Village, 12-5 p.m. 607-292-7007, www.ravineswinecellars.com
2nd
Annual Harvest Festival Oct 23. Buttonwood Grove Winery, 5986
State Route 89, Romulus. 607-869-9760, www.buttonwoodgrove.com
Summer,
Sip and Savor Sept 24-25. Eastside Keuka Lake Wineries.
800-440-4898, www.keukawinetrail.com
Tunes
in the Tent Sundays in October. Heron Hill Winery, 9301
County Route 76, Hammondsport, 1-5 p.m. 800-441-4241 ext 15, www.heronhill.com
Wine
Country Harvest Celebration Sept 24-25. Keuka
Overlook Wine Cellars, 5777 Old Bath/Gardner Rd, Dundee. 607-292-6877,
www.keukaoverlook.com
This article appears in Sep 21-27, 2005.
