Merlot Lives!

The death of Merlot was widely publicized after the film "Sideways" came out.  These reports have been greatly exaggerated as can happen only with our modern day media and public relations spin doctors; in this case Pinot Noir spin doctors.

In fact, the Nielsen Company, a marketing and research firm, recently reached four conclusions:

  1. Merlot remains the second best selling red wine variety in the United States (behind Cabernet Sauvignon) and the third most popular varietal overall (after Cab and Chardonnay).
  2. Consumer affinity for Merlot continues to be based on taste, value and approachability.
  3. Merlot has the highest repeat purchase rate of any wine variety in the U.S.
  4. Merlot drinkers strongly agree that the varietal is a good, versatile and food-friendly everyday wine.

What initially attracted wine drinkers to Merlot, fine fruit aromas, great flavors and an absolutely grand "mouth feel," continues to attract them today.  These attributes are especially present in the Coturri Winery/Feingold Vineyards Merlot and Syrah wines.  Organic grapes and no sulphites or other additives of any kind.  As Tony Coturri likes to say "Just Grapes."  

Merlot Wine remains a solid value now .. at a time when value is all the more important.