Meritage Blends

"Meritage" is a coined word, actually the wining entry in a "name that wine" contest. It is also the registered trademark of an association of U.S. producers who voluntarily register their products and pay dues to support regulation and promotion of "hand-crafted wines blended from the traditional Bordeaux varietals". The association is addressing a problem U.S. producers have in defining their products. The problem has its roots in the absence of historic regional wine traditions.

In Europe, a region such as Bordeaux in France or the Rheingau in Germany may have many hundreds of years of winemaking history. In most winemaking regions of Europe, local winegrowing practices evolved rather independently. Grape types and production practices that proved better for local growers evolved over generations until a given area became known for very specialized wines. Hence, the Rheingau in Germany looks like one immense vineyard of Riesling grapes, similarly planted and cultivated, and made into a traditional range of wines. Wine lovers can speak of Rheingau wines and know much about the grape type, growing conditions, winemaking practices, and styles being discussed. With few exceptions, the wine of the region can be judged against a standard since they are very much of a type. This is quite true of Bordeaux in France as well. Although Bordeaux is a huge growing region with diversity of soil and microclimate, its wines are for the most part of a type. Centuries of common practice (and now six decades of legal regulation) have yielded a wine style that can be defined as to grape type, viticulture, and winemaking. This is much less so in the U.S.

For example, a Napa Valley wine is defined by place. The boundaries of Napa Valley are legally defined for winemaking purposes. However, there is no clearly defined Napa Valley wine type. Many grapes do well in Napa and many divergent styles are employed. A generation or so ago, premium producers began naming the grape type on labels in an effort to distinguish and identify certain wines. Now we are well accustomed to "Varietal Labeling". This makes sense. To know that a wine is from Napa Valley, and that it is made from Merlot grapes says a great deal. However, this still does not define winemaking practices and the style of a wine. Merlot can be dark as ink or pale salmon pink. It can be rich and high in alcohol or light and fruity. So, how to define style? And, furthermore, what to say about a wine that is a blend of grapes? Enter Meritage Red and Meritage White.

According to the Meritage Association, Meritage is pronounced like "Heritage" and it is coined to combine the meaning of "merit" and "heritage". For us wine-drinkers it denotes particular styles of blended wines.

Red Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the traditional Bordeaux red grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petite Verdot, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot, and Carmenere. The wines are rich, deep colored, and dry. In almost all cases they are suited to robust meals when consumed young. Wines of this class are usually age-worthy. Examples from the 70’s, long before there was any Meritage Association, are in some cases still doing very well. With age, 10 years would be a good standard for most red Meritage, the wines take on complexity and a smooth long finish, to replace the robust fruit and bramble flavors of youth.

White Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the traditional white Bordeaux grapes: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert. The wines are leaner and more herbaceous than most Chardonnays. Dry, fresh, and lively in youth, Meritage White tends to age better than most California whites, perhaps 5 years.

The Meritage program is voluntary and self-regulating. Hence some excellent wines that could qualify are not members of the association. Furthermore, some members choose to support the association but do not use the word "Meritage" on their labels. And lastly, there are other good blends, Rhone style blends for example, which have no name but are certainly not Meritage wines.

To visit the Meritage Wine Association click here.

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Originally published in "The Greenville Journal", September 15-21, 2000 in "From The Vine" column, author, Richard deBondt.