Varietal: Merlot
Region: Washington – USA
Cost: $13

Dark red in the glass with aromas of blackberry and dark berry and cherry on the palate.  A slight tobacco finish with hints of smoke.  Pairs well with chicken, veggies, grilled meat, pasta.

Recommendations: Merlot has, for a while, had a bit of a bad rap.  I had been avoiding it for a while simply because I had had bad experiences with lower quality wines and it had clouded my judgement towards the entire varietal.  However, this past year has changed my opinion of the grape, with Virginia producing several high quality Merlots.  While this bottle didn’t come from Virginia (other side of the country in fact) it did continue the tradition that my home state has started of changing my opinion.

My wife and I picked up this bottle at a tasting event at our local wine shop.  We had a hard time deciding between the Merlot and the Chardonnay from this winery, but ultimately went with the Merlot.  We should have picked up more than one bottle.  The deep red color of the wine in the glass was inviting to me as I love a dark colored wine – something comforting about it to me.

The aromas of berry, particularly blackberry were present but not overwhelming, and while there were some flavors of crushed dark fruit on the palate, I mostly got cherry, which I rather enjoyed.  A hint of smoky tobacco on the finish with a smooth tannic finish made this a great wine to pair with a quick dinner of pizza and both my wife and I were wishing there was more in the bottle long after the last drop had been poured.

This is definitely a wine I would recommend, especially if you haven’t been keen on Merlot for whatever reason (I’m looking at you Sideways viewers).  If this doesn’t change your opinion on Merlot than you really don’t like it and might not ever.  Definitely one to grab.

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When it comes to the movies, we very rarely think of wine. Our villains are usually into some kind of illegal substance, and our heroes either don’t drink because they’re heroes, or they’re anti-heroes and drink scotch, bourbon, whiskey, or some other liquor straight. However, I’ve managed to compile a list of movies that do bring wine into the equation.

10 – The Silence of the Lambs

Coming in at number 10 is The Silence of the Lambs. While we never actually see Hannibal Lecter drinking (he’s only on screen for about 16 1/2 minutes of the film, and in prison for all but 3 minutes of those), there are few people that haven’t at one point or another thought of pairing fava beans with a nice chianti. This quote is actually rated number 25 on the American Film Institute’s list of 400 greatest movie quotes.

9 – The Godfather

It’s hard to have a movie about the Italian mafia without wine. Between the Don’t daughter getting married and the party that ensued, and or to the Don speaking of his increased love of wine towards the end of the movie, The Godfather makes wine enjoyable and fun, not pretentious. The only thing that’s more red than the wine in this movie is the blood shed.

8 – James Bond

While it’s true that James Bond is best known for his love of the martini, there are numerous times throughout the series where wine has made its presence felt. In Dr. No, Bond shows off his knowledge of champagne, saying that he prefers the ’53 Dom Perignon to the ’55 that they are about to be served. In Goldfinger, Bond shows off his knowledge of Brandy to M by picking on the brand that is served to him. While it’s true that nobody is ever going ton confuse James Bond as being a wine connoisseur, it’s clear that he does appreciate more than a martini.

7 – French Kiss

While I don’t usually watch a lot of romantic comedies, this movie does make it on the list because of Kevin Kline’s character’s desire to own his own vineyard. Having gambled away his share of the family plot to a vineyard, Kline spends his time with Meg Ryan talking about wine, introducing her to love, and even shows off his own homemade aroma sampling kit.

6 – Cleopatra

What would a movie set in Ancient Rome be without wine? The main characters are often seen drinking wine, and poison is served to Cleopatra in a cup of wine (which she makes her servant drink instead). In fact, Marc Anthony has a glass of wine in his hand in nearly ever scene he’s in during the movie. That’s commitment.

5 – The Big Sleep

Certainly not the first Humphrey Bogart movie where he was drinking with great regularity, The Big Sleep features the characters indulging in Brandy a lot. Nearly from the beginning, Phil Marlowe is seen drinking Brandy, from when he takes the job from the General, to the bookstore as he awaits Geiger’s exit from across the street, to the restaurant with Mrs. Rutledge (played by Lauren Bacall). This movie was practically soaked in Brandy and then put on film, not a bad way to make a movie if you ask me.

4 – Murder on the Orient Express

Sean Connery and Lauren Bacall make another appearance on this list, with a movie that is teeming with champagne, port, and Chartreause. Hercule Poirot (played by Albert Finney), starts his day with Champagne, and finishes his meals with Chartreuse. At another dinner on the train, another bucket with a bottle of champagne is visible, and later in the movie, a close-up of a glass of Chartreuse is shown with a straw in it. Not your typical wines, but there’s no denying that they drank it up on this movie.

3 – Notorious

This 1946 Hitchcock film starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman involves spying on Nazis in Brazil, and features a key scene in a very impressive wine cellar. Between champagne lunches, A Ler Cru Burgundy – Volnay Cailleret Bouchard wine, from a winery that has been around since 1731, this movie features the best wines. The key scene to the entire movie takes place with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman in the wine cellar to see what secrets lie there. The sheer amount of wine in this cellar is mind boggling, and makes one kind of jealous. The movie ends with Ingrid Bergman being poisoned with coffee (seems kind of a shame given the amount of wine in this movie), but there’s no denying the love of wine present in this movie.

2 – Casablanca

Casablanca is absolutely dripping with Champagne. We meet Rick as he’s finishing a glass of Champagne (in those giant-bowl glasses that we now know are so bad for the bubbles). He’s joined by Ugarte who quickly goes through two glasses of cognac. We then join Yvonne who is drowning her sorrows in Rick’s private stock of brandy. The list goes on and on, but one thing is certain, the entire cast of this movie loved to drink. Between Champagne, Brandy, and Cognac, it’s amazing this movie doesn’t drown itself or that the characters don’t have liver damage. Either way, it’s a classic and one to be enjoyed.

1 – Sideways

Whereas most movies feature wine in them, this movie was ABOUT wine. When Miles and Jack go into the California wine country for one last romp before Jack gets married, all hell breaks loose. This movie can probably be attributed to the increase in popularity of Pinot Noir, thanks to Miles’ love of it and absolute distaste for Merlot (nothing personal merlot drinkers). The sheer amount of wine consumed in this movie is something to behold, and if you’re a wine lover, this movie will make you want to head out to California and follow the path of Miles and Jack, if only to see if you can keep pace with how much they drank. A great movie for wine lovers and those that just enjoy a good movie about friends.

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Pinot Noir Grapes

A red wine produced from the pinot noir grape (vitis vinifera), the wine is derived from the French words for “pine” and “black”, referring to the pine cone shaped clusters and the dark coloring of the grape bunches. Grown around the world, though mostly in cooler regions, Pinot Noir is quickly becoming one of the most popular wine varietals available.

Description

Thriving in the Burgundy region of France, Pinot Noir is now grown throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. The leaves of the Pinot Noir plant are smaller than those of the Cabernet Sauvignon, but larger than those of the Syrah. Pinot Noir grown for dry table wine (as opposed to that grown for Champagne), is usually low-yielding and difficult to grow, adding to the distinction of the grape.

History

Pinot Noir is an ancient varietal of grape, perhaps only 1 or 2 generations removed from being a wild grape. Believed to have first been seen in the 1^st century A.D in the Burgundy region, there are also references to the grape growing in Belgium during the same time.

Prone to mutation, there are currently over 50 variations of pinot noir recognized by France, as opposed to only 25 of the more widely planted cabernet sauvignon. Pinot Gris is arguably the most well known derivative of pinot noir.

Regions

While grown throughout the world, pinot noir is best known for being grown in the Burgundy region of France and in the western United States. California produces the most pinot noir in the US, particularly the Sonoma Valley area, with Oregon coming in a close second. Washington and New York also produce pinot noir, though not in the same volumes.

Rise in Popularity

While pinot noir has always enjoyed a certain level of popularity, the recent rise in popularity can certainly be tied to the release of the movie Sideways, featuring Paul Giamatti as Miles Raymond, a writer and wine lover who favors pinot noir over all grapes due to the difficulty in growing it.

Shortly after the release of the movie, many retailers and restaurants had a difficult time keeping pinot noir in stock due to the sharp increase in demand across the country.

Pinot Noir Wine

While the range of varieties of pinot noir means there are numerous flavors and aromas associated with pinot noir, generally the wine is medium bodied with aromas reminiscent of black cherry, raspberry, or currant. The color is usually referred to as garnet, and tends to be lighter than other red wines. Traditionally having an earthy flavor, a new trend from New Zealand and California is to produce a more fruit forward pinot noir.

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