Is Merlot Alive and Kicking -20 Years After "Sideways"?
Merlot Retains Its Popularity, Pinot Noir Thrives - A Wild Ride
This October marks the 20-year anniversary of the premiere of Sideways, the movie that belittled Merlot and starred Pinot Noir in the Fall of 2004. This Oscar-nominated movie - a pre-wedding buddy trip gone wrong - featuring Miles, the main character starring Paul Giamatti. Who can forget the spittoon-drinking scene? Miles utters a notorious line:
“If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any [expletive] Merlot.” -Miles in Sideways
During the next year Merlot sales went on a wild ride and Pinot Noir sales soared, the so-called “Sideways Effect.” Merlot backlash occurred, but Sideways the movie went on to gross $71 Million in revenues. Following the movie release, Trefethen Winery lightheartedly thumbed their noses at the movie by hanging a sign below their Napa Valley entrance marquee reading:
“Clearly, Miles has never had NAPA VALLEY Merlot.” – Trefethen Winery
Trefethen is one of the historically significant Merlot producers from the Oak Knoll region of Napa Valley. The folks at Trefethen sent “Sideways” screenwriter, Alexander Payne, a magnum of Trefethen Merlot following the movie release. Payne went on to win the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and appreciated the Trefethen gesture as well as their quality Merlot. Guess what? Merlot is alive and kicking.
Did Miles Really Hate Merlot?
Paul Giamatti’s character Miles was a guy in turmoil: divorced, burnt-out novelist, pent-up rage, bad friends, middle-aged. He had a Merlot Meltdown: “I am not drinking any f***ing Merlot.” But wait, the wine he reveres and often mentions in the movie is a Right Bank Bordeaux, 1961 Château Cheval Blanc. It is one of the very best wines ever made and it is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, and 40% f***ing Merlot. Many winemakers theorize that Merlot just got caught in Miles’ crossfire of angst and divorce. Miles my not have attacked Merlot because it is inferior, but that Merlot was what he and his wife used to drink. He reserved the Château Cheval Blanc in his closet because it was for their 10th anniversary which never happened. Mystery solved?
Was there a Sideways Effect?
Was there really a “Sideways Effect” on Merlot? While the movie was truly beneficial for the sales of Pinot Noir (16% uplift in the months after the movie), the “positive impact on Pinot Noir appears greater than the negative impact on Merlot,” reports Dr. Steven Cuellar, of Sonoma State University. “The movie did, however, appear to cause a general increase in wine consumption.” Bottom line: in 2004 Merlot held a 15% market share. Today Merlot is the 4th most consumed wine varietal, and second most popular red wine with Pinot Noir third. Many vintners believe the movie forced Merlot’s quality to leap to higher standards, as previously it had been boring and over-planted in inappropriate soils.
Some believe that if there were a Sideways Part-Deux, that Miles might actually prefer the Merlot to the current widely-planted and variably-made Pinot Noir, which may have been over-planted in the wrong areas after the movie.
Where Sideways Was Filmed
Sideways filming location occurred in the picturesque Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez wine country of California. This region enjoyed a surge in tourism following the movie release, and the increased popularity of their Pinot Noir wines was evident. Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard (pictured) was the fake-named Frass Canyon Winery, site of the infamous wine spittoon-drinking scene. The Hitching Post II restaurant remains a fan favorite for all who want to do the “Sideways Tour”. Love it or not, Sideways had a huge impact on wine drinkers and made the way for more wine-themed movies like Bottle Shock and SOMM. The rising qualities of Merlot, its inherent drinkability, and its blending compatibility have sustained the varietal. See below for places to stay and visit in the Santa Ynez region. Sideways touring map here.
Merlot – the Approachable Food-Friendly Wine
Merlot remains one of the most approachable and food-friendly red wine choices. The softer tannins of Merlot make it important as a single varietal and as a primary grape in red blends. Excellence in Merlot has been achieved in the US with brands like Shafer, Duckhorn (the most popular), Trefethen, Nickel & Nickel, Jarvis, Chappellet, Gundlach-Bundshu (Gun-Bun was a Merlot pioneer), and Stags Leap. Merlot-based wines are also produced in France, Australia, Chile, Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, South Africa, and virtually throughout the wine-growing world. Merlot is known as a camelion grape because it takes on the character of the place and adapts to the local climate. The best Merlot has a range of flavors from black cherry, blueberry, plums, graphite, cocoa, vanilla, clove, and cedar when oak-aged.
Certainly the Merlot-rich blends from France’s Right Bank Bordeaux region continue to set the standards of excellence and high prices in wine. Right-bank Bordeaux is Merlot-rich and comes from the St. Emilion and Pomerol Regions. In this area Merlot ripens early with large grapes. The tannins are soft and it is an ideal blending grape too. Some fine examples of Merlot: Petrus, Chateau Lafleur, and Le Pin continue to command prices like $1,000-$9,999 per bottle.
Some Recommended Excellent Merlots:
2017 Duckhorn Three Palms Vineyard Merlot, Napa Valley $109
Wine Spectator: 96 Points*
Tasting Notes: Lush red and black fruit with earthy undertones. Layered and complex notes of ripe plum, currant, mocha, and red licorice. Decant while young.
2021 Trefethen Family Vineyards, Merlot, Napa Valley $40
James Suckling: 92 points
Tasting Notes: Savory aromas of blackberry, red currant, and cedar make this a bright, complex, and balanced medium-to-full-bodied wine. This wine spendt 18 months in 37% new oak.
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
2016 Raymond Reserve Selection Merlot, Napa Valley $54
Wine Enthusiast 90 points
2021 Wente Sandstone Merlot Livermore Valley, CA. $16
Wine Enthusiast: 92 points
French Bordeaux Blend:
2016 Chateau Laroque, St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France
Wine Advocate/Robert Parker 94 points
Tasting Notes: Notes of Morello cherries, wild blueberries, and fresh plums with touches of lilacs, wood and tobacco hints abound.
95% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc, and .5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Wineries to Visit in Santa Ynez Area
Fess Parker Winery (the fake-named Frass Canyon Winery of drinking-spittoon fame) 6200 Foxen Canyon Rd., Los Olivos, CA
Lucas & Lewellen 1645 Copenhagen Dr., Solvang, CA
Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards 6905 Foxen Canyon Rd., Los Olivos, CA
Buttonwood Farm and Winery 1500 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang, CA
Crown Point Vineyards, Happy Canyon – for an exclusive reservations-only tasting, 1733 Fletcher Way, Santa Ynez, CA
Where to Eat:
The Hitching Post II (Where Miles and Jack ate) 406 East Highway 246, Buellton, CA
Ballard Inn & Restaurant, The Gathering Table 2436 Baseline Ave., Ballard, CA
Where to Stay:
Moderate:
Sideways Inn (Where Miles and Jack stayed) 114 E Highway 246, Buellton, CA
Luxury:
The Genevieve, formerly the Santa Ynez Inn 3627 Sagunto Street, Santa Ynez, CA
*About Professional Wine Reviews:
Wine ratings are based on a 100-point scale. Each publication has it own quality criteria. Experts aside, it’s up to you to decide what you like. Note: Wine Wanderings is not associated with or sponsored by Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, The Tasting Panel, Wine & Spirits, Wine Enthusiast, or Decanter.
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Your comment is true. Regrettable that many fine Merlot plantings were lost.
I know. Time passes so fast. A great movie. Thanks for your comment.