Don't let 'Sideways' sway you from merlots

In the movie "Sideways," the main character trashes merlot every chance he gets as an inferior wine not worthy of his attentions. His disdain for merlot is shared by many.

One of my best friends felt the same way, complaining that money would be better spent on a cabernet sauvignon. Merlots rarely had a decent finish, he would whine, and cabs were just more complex. And merlots don't improve with age as well as a cabernet sauvignon.

Of course, I happen to know my friend treasured his bottles of Petrus from Bordeaux, which is usually made with about 95 percent merlot and 5 percent cabernet franc. Petrus is among the best and most expensive red wines in the world.

But do lesser merlots deserve this assault on their reputation? The answer, I believe, is "no," as long as you quit trying to make merlot into a cab and look upon merlot for its own virtues.

Because merlot usually doesn't have the harsh tannins (astringent substances in grapes) that cabs do, they are more drinkable the day you buy the bottle. (Merlots will improve with age, just not over as many years as a cab.) You don't have to worry about buying a merlot from the shelf that might not be ready to drink that night because the tannins are too strong -- a common problem when buying good cabs that might need aging before they are ready to drink.

If there are only one or two of you drinking the bottle, you might drink the merlot easily before dinner as well as with dinner.

In the end, merlots have their own distinctive flavors, beginning with plums, and those flavors are worth exploring.

You can serve a good merlot with beef, veal, lamb or game. My favorite with merlot is lamb. The wine-tasting group decided to sample some good merlots that might go well with food. Here are the results of our tasting:

- 2001 Swanson Merlot at $29.99. This wine had a complex aroma of rich plums, marmalade, cherry jam, currants, tea, cloves, star anise and cinnamon. In the mouth, there were plenty of tannins and pepper mixed with the impression of new wood. The finish was disappointing and slightly sour. This wine was our second favorite in the tasting.

- 2001 Joseph Phelps Merlot at $42.99. Our first tasting bottle was bad. At a later tasting, we found the wine's aroma to include black raspberries, plums and cherries. On the palate, the wine's texture supple and rich, with tastes of plums and coffee. It was well balanced with a nice finish.

- 2001 Steele Stymie Merlot at $39.99. The aroma screamed sweet raspberry fruit with notes of black cherry, cinnamon stick, eggnog, nutmeg and bark. Baking spices were very present on the palate as well as a bit of berries. It had a light, silky texture.

- 2002 Bilton Merlot at $29.99. This South African merlot had a pleasant Old World-style aroma of dusty cherries, leather, tobacco, green pepper, golden raisins, prunes and tea. In the mouth, the acids were surprisingly low, but the wine had a nice weight, though not a big body. It was our favorite merlot in this tasting.

- 2002 Frog's Leap Merlot at $39.99. The aroma reminded us of plums, juicy, bright fruit and smoked ham, with notes of garlic and several spices, including clove. It had a lush texture that "makes you want to take another sip," one of my tasters said. It was easy drinking and well balanced.

All of these wines were remarkable experiences. None deserved the "Sideways" denunciation.

Contributing: Kate Sutherland.

Questions can be sent to Frank Sutherland, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203 or e-mailed to fsutherland