The Queen of Wines

Merlot, when crafted well, is so delicious. Most think Merlot is a thick-skinned grape like Cabernet Sauvignon, but it has a thin skin that, if handled well and gently coaxed, will produce a modicum of silky tannin. These silky tannins, combined with a punch of acidity and depth of fruit from thoughtfully farmed Napa/Carneros grapes, make for a wine that is quite heady and versatile at the table. If Cabernet is King, then our Merlot is the beautiful Queen. Its subtle aromas of dried herbs and intense sour cherry and Santa Rosa plum are swoon-worthy. It’s not heavy on the palate, with just enough baking spice from a hint of fine French oak to seductively underlay the fruit. The result is a wine with a balanced structure, quaffable now but destined to mature beautifully in your cellar. It’s not hard to cook for a wine such as this.

Sour cherries are an easy match for our Merlot. I’m trying to grow them on Wilding Farm, but they are a finicky fruit. If the ones on Wilding fail, we have a beautiful 75-year-old backup tree in Oregon. I’m determined to preserve as many cherries as possible, as they’re heaven with a good pork chop or roast, not to mention cherry pie. If you find sour cherries in the market, from May through early July, preserve them by dehydrating or canning them in light syrup. If you can’t find fresh sour cherries, dried ones work almost as well.

Pour a glass of Merlot, swirl it, and breathe deeply. Sip it while you’re cooking. The wine’s headiness, combined with the cooking aromas, will be the perfect preview of your meal to come.

Until the next wine…
Maria

EAT: Roast Pork Chops with Sour Cherries