I have noticed that I am inspired to write interesting wine articles by interacting with friends, experiencing wine with people, and following conversation threads to conclusions that eventually lead to articles.
In this case, some time back, I was talking to my friend Rhône Girl about all things wine, and the subject of Meritage came up. I did my best to convey what I knew, and then afterward, following that thread, I decided to research the ins and outs of this concept and write a little something on the subject to get the word out.
By the way, Rhône Girl is not French; she is an Australian living in the heart of the Rhône Valley, toiling in the wine industry. Meanwhile, she captures and shares inspiring moments that all wine lovers, foodies, and travelers could only wish to live out. To discover more from her, I’ve included links.
Rhône Girl on YouTube, here Rhône Girl on Instagram, and here Rhône Girl.
Meritage.
Meritage is a handle for marketing Bordeaux-like blends outside of Bordeaux, France. It is a concept name born out of necessity in the late 1980s in California.
US labeling laws dictate the use of the term Bordeaux, and it’s reserved for wines from Bordeaux, France, as it is a protected place name.
Yet another law stipulates seventy-five percent or more of a wine must be made from one grape type to be labeled as such. For example, to label a wine a Cabernet Sauvignon, seventy-five percent or more of the wine must come from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
The problem was that the California Bordeaux-like blends did not meet these criteria by their very nature! Thus, wineries were relegated to using table wine to describe their beautiful Bordeaux-like blends.
California vintners loved Bordeaux blends and were determined to solve this problem, so several Sonoma and Napa Valley wineries created the Meritage Alliance (originally Meritage Association). They chose the name using submissions from the public, and Meritage (merit + heritage) was born.
Just marketing rah-rah, you say?
I attended a wine event where local winemakers and winery owners spoke and fielded questions from the audience. After the event ended, I approached one of the prominent winery owners and asked his opinion on the French and American appellation systems. To my surprise, he barked, “It’s all just marketing. We have the same dirt here they do in Maryland, across the river!”. Was he correct? Is the American and French systems of appellations simply marketing?
After drinking wine, studying wine labels and terroir, authoring books on wine, and writing tens of wine articles, I say nope, and it’s not just marketing.
In reality, it is an attempt to understand and qualify a product so that wineries can communicate facts about it. It is also valuable information that helps consumers make informed decisions about a product. It enriches the consumers’ experience, enlightening their enjoyment and understanding of wine.
English philosopher and writer Sir Roger Scruton beautifully encapsulated this concept in an interview about his book I Drink Therefore I Am, A Philosopher’s Guide to Wine. And I quote, “it [wine] doesn’t contain its meaning entirely within itself; you bring that to it through your own knowledge and your own fantasy.”
So, it is with the Meritage concept.
Anything that aids a producer in defining and communicating their wine so that a consumer can better know and enjoy it is not just marketing rah-rah.
The backdrop of the story
Bordeaux, France, has a long-standing use of a handful of red and white grapes winegrowers use to make their world-renowned wines.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot are used for red blends. Also used are the lessor known as St. Macaire, Gros Verdot, and Carménère grapes (recently, others have been added to the list).
For white Bordeaux blends, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, and Muscadelle du Bordelais grapes are used.
Wine made from these blends will age for many years but can be consumed early, thus becoming a favorite among wine lovers.
Blending wine is a high art in wine growing. It creates balance, removing sharp edges of any variety and creating complexity and synergy between grapes as chefs combine ingredients to make a delicious dish.
To qualify as a Meritage…
Wine must be a blend of at least two of the specified Bordeaux grape types.
No single grape type can make up more than ninety percent of the blend.
The wine does not qualify as a Meritage if the blend includes other grape types.
Winemakers must license the Meritage trademark from the Meritage Alliance.
The Meritage Alliance strongly recommends that wineries label only their best blend as a Meritage.
Production is limited to no more than 25,000 cases.
There are no other mandatory rules related to winemaking or winegrowing.
Where do I find them?
At this time, Meritage wines are in abundance. A search on Wine Enthusiast’s website for “Meritage” yielded seven hundred and fifteen wines from nine countries.
In my home state of Virginia, forty-nine wineries with Meritage wines have won gold or silver medals in the Virginia Governor’s Cup competition from 2012 to 2021.
Consulting the Meritage Alliance website, hundreds of member wineries worldwide are taking advantage of this essential and genius marketing idea. Â
