Does Meritage Matter?

[Craig Camp]

"The term Meritage is increasingly part of America's wine lexicon," said Rodeno, citing the increase in association members, the recent seminar on Meritage wines at VinItaly, and the steady stream of Meritage tastings around the country. Additionally, she added, "it's amazing how many streets, restaurants, and new housing developments are named Meritage!"

With much hoopla the Meritage concept was launched in California. This category for wines made of various blends of the classic Bordeaux varietals was named by contest. The winning name, Meritage, was a blend of the two words merit and heritage. Thus the correct pronunciation is the short hard ending sound of the last syllable of heritage not the soft Frechified way everyone says it - meritaaaaagggg. As they note on their own website:

"Meritage," pronounced like "heritage," was selected from more than 6,000 entries in an international contest to name the new wine category.  Meritage is an invented word that combines "merit" and "heritage"

Does this name really mean something 15 years after it was created? Does anyone look for the name Meritage on a bottle?

[Mark Sommelier]

Does this name really mean something 15 years after it was created? Does anyone look for the name Meritage on a bottle

Very few of these wines actually seem to use the name on the label. At least among the better ones. "Red Table Wine" is less restrictive in terms of pricing and grape percentages. It also does not require membership in the Meritage Association.

[sammy]

My guess is that Meritage gets at least an additional $10 a bottle over Red Table Wine.

[redwinegulper]

I rarely hear anyone pronouce it correctly. I happen to be a fan of meritage wines, I prefer them to the straight cabs. But as far as the Assoc goes....I don't think it does spit.

[mamster]

I'm familiar with what the term means when I see it on the bottle, but it's not something I look for, especially since Bordeaux-style blends aren't one of my favorite categories.

[Mark Sommelier]

One of the "rules" for using the word on the label is that the wine has to be the most expensive offering from the winery.

[Elissa]

One of the "rules" for using the word on the label is that the wine has to be the most expensive offering from the winery.

Aha! That must be why even the flabbiest, fruitiest, flattest of California wines taste better in their Meritage blends. Coppola's meritage (for instance) is almost even good. While their Rosso I don't mind for its price point, their straight regular cabs and merlots I find perfectly atrocious.

[merlin]

Craig:

I chuckle when I read posts concerning the pronunciation of "Meritage"as you have described it.

Virtually every time I have ordered it at a chain restaurant like Earl's which has the Inniskillin Black Horse Vineyard Meritage on their wine list, the bartender has "corrected" me by using the "frenchified" version you referred to.

I usually laugh and comment that no it isn't but I am sure they just mentally shrug their shoulders and think, "another hick who just fell off the turnip truck" Of course I could compound the issue by ordering a glass of merlot as in "parking lot".

Merlin

Edmonton

[Craig Camp]

Craig:

I chuckle when I read posts concerning the pronunciation of "Meritage"as you have described it.

Virtually every time I have ordered it at a chain restaurant like Earl's which has the Inniskillin Black Horse Vineyard Meritage on their wine list, the bartender has "corrected" me by using the "frenchified" version you referred to.

I usually laugh and comment that no it isn't but I am sure they just mentally shrug their shoulders and think, "another hick who just fell off the turnip truck"  Of course I could  compound the issue by ordering a glass of merlot as in "parking lot".

Merlin

Edmonton

Merlin - I know what you mean. In Italy where we live, most pronounce merlot with he hard last syllable as you describe. I just can't get the hang of it!

[Carolyn Tillie]

One of the "rules" for using the word on the label is that the wine has to be the most expensive offering from the winery.

Or, if you are Gundlach Bunschu, it is a blend of every red grape grown on the estate (including Tempranillo!) and changing the vernacular from "Meritage" to "Bearitage" with that cute Bacchich-like California Brown Bear guzzling red wine! It is also their least-expensive offering...

[inventolux]

I usually laugh and comment that no it isn't but I am sure they just mentally shrug their shoulders and think, "another hick who just fell off the turnip truck" Of course I could compound the issue by ordering a glass of merlot as in "parking lot". - Merlin Edmonton

Potato, potaahto.

If one mispronounces the original version and that is totally unacceptable then why dont we all just use hand signals after entering new york city because those guys dont know how to speak correctly?!.

Is this topic implying that because one is unable to exactly fit everyones bill as to how M - e - r - i - t - a - g - e is pronounced that he/she is unable to accurately pair it with food?

Get over it.

Edited June 15, 2003 by inventolux (log)

[Craig Camp]

Is this topic implying that because one is unable to exactly fit everyones bill as to how M - e - r - i - t - a - g - e is pronounced that he/she is unable to accurately pair it with food?

Get over it.

No, that is not what this topic is about. What is being discussed is the success of this concept. The fact that it is mispronounced is just one example as to the effectiveness of their marketing of the Mertiage concept.

So what should we get over?

[Elissa]

The wine may be better, but the word seems to me contrived and awkward. Also, it sounds better pronounced incorrectly

[awbrig]

Also, it sounds better pronounced incorrectly 

I agree. Tomorrow at Trotters Im going to order a meritage and see what Jason or Robert (the sommeliers) say...

I do have to thank Craig for the information about the history and the proper correct pronunciation of Meritage...I find that fascinating...

[Craig Camp]

The wine may be better, but the word seems to me contrived and awkward. Also, it sounds better pronounced incorrectly

I think this is exactly correct and shows what a disaster this process was - picking a name that people would almost certainly pronounce in a French way for wines that they were trying to differentiate from Bordeaux and establish as a legitimate American type.

Yes, even the correct pronunciation seems a bit clumsy.

[britcook]

The wine may be better, but the word seems to me contrived and awkward. Also, it sounds better pronounced incorrectly

I think this is exactly correct and shows what a disaster this process was - picking a name that people would almost certainly pronounce in a French way for wines that they were trying to differentiate from Bordeaux and establish as a legitimate American type.

Yes, even the correct pronunciation seems a bit clumsy.

Were they trying to differentiate from Bordeaux? I thought it was more to rival Bordeaux where many of the greatest wines are blends of the classic varieties, whereas the California tendency is to varietal wine. The skill of the blending would, at worst, cover the deficiencies in individual grape harvests and at best use the characteristics of the grapes to enhance each other, for instance the classic idea of Merlot being used to soften the tannic Cab Sauv.

[Mark Sommelier]

The skill of the blending would, at worst, cover the deficiencies in individual grape harvests and at best use the characteristics of the grapes to enhance each other, for instance the classic idea of Merlot being used to soften the tannic Cab Sauv.

That's exactly what the French have been doing for centuries. Not every grape variety reaches full potential every year. In years where they do, it is a great classic vintage. In years where the cabernet sauvignon fails, more merlot and cabernet franc are used, giving forward wines. In years where the merlot fails, cabernet sauvignon makes up the larger part of the blend giving backward, hard wines. Its all a balancing act.

[mogsob]

Meritage matters if only because they are some of the better wines produced in California. In the race to see who can extract the most fruit from the poor Cabernet grape, Californians have apparently convinced themselves that fruit is the only thing that matters in wine, when, in fact, it is the balance of the various elements of wine that is paramount. Perhaps blending forces these winebutchers to think like a Frenchman (and that, when it comes to wine, is a very good thing).

[Craig Camp]

Are there any really important wines - benchmarks - that still feature the Meritage name on the label?

[Mark Sommelier]

Are there any really important wines - benchmarks - that still feature the Meritage name on the label?

I can't think of one. Not Opus, Trilogy, Insignia, Maya, Pahlmeyer, Lewis, Dominus.

By the way, I just tasted and bought a really cool one: L'Aventure Vineyards "Optimus", Paso Robles. Cabernet, zinfandel, petit verdot and I think some syrah. Very seductive and attractively priced, too.

[Sparkitus]

Actually, St. Supery winery produces both a Meritage Red and White in some small amounts. A curiosity, perhaps, but both have been well-recieved by the critical wine press.

One of the "rules" for using the word on the label is that the wine has to be the most expensive offering from the winery.

While many wineries prefer to use proprietary names in addition to,

or rather than, Meritage, to obtain a license and use the term Meritage

a wine must meet the following criteria:

· A red Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following

varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec,

Petit Verdot, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot, and Carmenere.

No single variety may make up more than 90 percent of the blend.

· A white Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following

varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert.

No single variety may make up more than 90 percent of the blend.

The second quote is from the Meritage Association website, which makes no mention of price point requirements, but does (obviously) require that those using the term be a licensed member. Not to be argumentative, but I post this to refute a couple of points made earlier in the thread in the spirit of accuracy.

Personally, I agree with Craig that it's an idiotic marketing tool.

[thelastsupper]

I recently tasted a Meritage out of Chateau St. Michelle. It was fairly different than many Washington State Wines I've tasted before, more intensely tannic and layered. It seemed to need quite a bit of time to mellow out.

I was surprised to see a Washington Winery use the Meritage designation. Are there many outside of California that people are aware of?