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Merlot & Masterpiece Meals for real people is an often searched for pairing.  In this article you will find a few simple recipes that pair well with Merlot wines.  As a result you will start creating your own combination of Merlot & masterpiece meals.  I personally like to keep things easy because who truly has time these days to ponder recipe books?  While others really either don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen or just don’t have the time.  So let me show you how easy it is to grab a bottle of wine, preferably one that was delivered to your door, and create a great tasting meal or two!  Next sit back, relax, pour yourself a glass and read on.

Merlot, The Little Blackbird

Did you know what Merlot means in French?  The Little Blackbird.  As the second most popular red grape in America, just behind Cabernet Sauvignon, it is an easy choice to start planning a meal.  These easy drinking reds go well with food and alone.  Perfect for relaxing after a long day at work, either on the patio or in the tub.  But for serving with foods it is also very versatile.

The Merlot grape, it is believed, was first used in making wine in the late 1700’s in the Bordeaux region in Southwestern France. Labelling the grape formally as an ingredient in a French winemaker’s Bordeaux wine blend, as popularity grew across Bordeaux. It became known for its unique ability to add softness and luscious fruit flavors to a wine when combined with the region’s favorite grape, Cabernet Sauvignon.

This combination of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot magnifies each others flavors so well.  This pair became the main ingredients for the world-renowned Bordeaux blend.  The world’s wine drinkers now highly covet Merlot.

All across the globe, Merlot grew in popularity along side the popularity of Bordeaux wine.  Therefore by the mid 1800’s, this delicious grape shows up in California.  However rather than blending with Cabernet Sauvignon, American winemakers began making wines using 100% Merlot. With the climate in the United States, this grape grew easily and Americans have really come to love the softness of the fruit on its own, and they enjoy its low tannin levels.

Popularity Spreads Across the United States

From Merlot’s American beginnings in California, the grape has since taken root in New York and Washington State as well, becoming a very important grape to both regions.

Merlot is a varietal that contains at least 13.2% alcohol, but can approach 14.5%, especially when it is grown in a warmer climates like Australia, California or Chile. The wine is often said to have a plummy taste and notes of chocolate. It’s also considered to be smooth and very easy to drink.

The glass and bottle to the left is my inspiration for this article, Ricord Merlot – a 2017 vintage.  It is one of my favorite Merlot varietals I have gotten in my box of wine from my wine club.

Merlot in Chile

The wine history of Chile dates back four-and-a-half centuries.  That’s when the Spanish conquistadors arrived, bringing grapevine seeds from the Old World.  In 1840, Francisco de Aguirre establishes the first vineyard in the northern town of La Serena.  The vines took well to the climate.  Before long, there were substantial plantings all over Chile’s Central Valley.  However, during the 20th century, political turmoil, world wars and other factors contributed to a decline in the Chilean wine industry.  It wasn’t until the rise of democracy in the 1990’s that circumstances finally enabled the country’s wines to gain a global following.  Among the varieties now produced with great success is Merlot.

While winemaker Matias Lecaros works hard to find the very best that Chile has to offer from the Valle Central.  As the vintner for Oleada, Lecaros assembles cuvees that are noteworthy for their engaging aromas, delicious flavors and impeccable balance.  His wines never have one aroma or flavor element that stands out above the rest; rather, all the aroma and flavor impressions marry seamlessly into an engaging “whole”.  Some of the aromas you will smell in this wonderful wine is red plum, blackberry bramble, strawberry and cedar.  Oleada also has great tastes that include cherry, green bell pepper, violets and mocha.  These integrate with a smooth, medium body and spicy black pepper finish.

Pairing: Merlot & Masterpiece Meals

Preparing your Merlot & masterpiece meals so that they go well together is a very simple process.  The merlot wines we have in our Wine Club pair nicely with full flavor meals. Bold, spicy, rich and savory – it goes oh so amazing with so many thing!  But most importantly it talks about food pairing ideas to combine Merlot & Masterpiece meals.  Now when I say masterpiece meals, I do not mean you are going to spend the whole day in the kitchen.  These are easy meals.  Sounds complicated, but check out these recipes!

Recipe Example – Scallions As a Yummy Side Dish or Appetizer

Ingredients

• 24 large scallions, trimmed
• 8 strips bacon or pancetta
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ¹⁄₄ cup vegetable oil

Instructions

Wrap 3 scallions together with 1 strip of bacon. Repeat with remaining scallions and bacon and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add bacon-wrapped scallion bunches, and cook, turning as needed, until browned and crisp on all sides, 6–8 minutes. Serve hot.  What a great appetizer! 

Don’t Take It So Serious

Finally don’t fret and take wine so seriously.  Basically, remember when doing pairings for your Merlot & Masterpiece meals, if it grows together, it goes together.  If you have a Merlot from Chile, pick a themed menu from South America.  Another tip is that match the meat to the color of the wine.  Chicken and pork with white and the red meats with the red wines.

While this is a fun time and perfect time to grow your palette.  Come up with your own combination of Merlot & Masterpiece Meals.  Explore wines. Invite your friends over.  And the best is getting the wine delivered to your door.  Wait…You aren’t getting your wine to your door yet?  Let’s fix that!  Go to my Page on Wines! Click the link!