Merlot

Originally this fourth core flavour was Cabernet Sauvignon, the classic grape of the Medoc area of Bordeaux but since 1998 when we started our food and wine pairing journey with leading chefs and sommeliers there has been a shift in the blending of Bordeaux to another grape the Merlot, which in its own right as the champion grape of great sub-regions of Bordeaux such as Pomerol and the euphoria that it has created in the States with its more plummy approachable character has led this category to be re-named. Nevertheless our matrix holds true for merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, both have an almost aristocratic relationship with food.

Subtlety is the key to food affinity with this flavour, the wines are intensely coloured, rich with a pronounced structure created by the tannins of the grape, softened by age.