Enjoying Wine and the Wine Lifestyle with Meritage Wines

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia “Meritage is a proprietary term used to denote red and white Bordeaux-style wines without infringing on the Bordeaux (France) region’s legally protected designation of origin. Winemakers must license the Meritage trademark from its owner, the California-based Meritage Alliance. Member wineries are found principally in the United States, though increasingly elsewhere.” As far as the correct pronunciation meritage should be pronounced to rhyme with heritage

Treana 2007 Meritage Red – Bordeaux Blends Red WineRed Wine by Treana from Central Coast, California. The Hope family arrived in Paso Robles in 1978 and began their journey into the wine industry by planting vineyards. Nearly twenty years later, in 1996, the Hopes launched Treana to embody the best Cabernet-based wine the region has to offer. The tradition continues with the 2007 vintage, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The 2007 Treana Red’s deep ruby color immediately reveals a wine of great depth, structure and balance. Concentrated aromas of ripe red cherry, plum and forest are enhanced by intense flavors of dried figs, cocoa, spice and bay leaf. The wine culminates with a long and balanced finish. Treana Red will develop wonderfully over the coming decade. Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah
Saint Supery 2007 Virtu White Meritage – Bordeaux Blends White WineWhite Wine by St. Supery from Napa Valley, California. Refined, rich luscious style with aromas of nectarines, peach and ripe cantaloupe. On the palate, the mouthwatering flavors of peaches and nectarines are completely filled out with a subtle mineral quality. This is a unique bottle of wine to be enjoyed now for its freshness and in the future as it develops in the bottle.
Geyser Peak 2003 Reserve Alexandre Meritage – Bordeaux Blends Red WineRed Wine by Geyser Peak from Sonoma County, California. Blend: 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. First produced in 1983, Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre is a traditional blend of five classic Bordeaux red grape varietals. Each year winemaker Mick Schroeter relies on traditional, small-lot fermentation, rigorous selection and extensive trial blending to achieve a consistently stylish, elegantly balanced wine. The twenty-two mile Alexander Valley region flanks the Russian River in Sonoma County and is known for its multiple terroirs. First planted to wine grapes by namesake pioneer Cyrus Alexander in 1846, the valley is one of the state’s oldest and most distinguished growing regions. Seductively styled, this wine builds up layers of flavor around a focused core of blackcurrant, black cherry and blueberry fruit, from the initial aromas to the plush, focused palate. Hints of oak and spice add complexity, but it’s the generous fruit and rich texture that anchor the mid-palate. Turning graceful on the finish, this big, voluptuous wine reveals ripe tannins and a luxurious aftertaste that keeps on going. Overall, balance, elegance and harmony are the hallmarks of this wine.
Hayman & Hill 2005 Monterey County Meritage – Bordeaux Blends Red WineRed Wine by Hayman & Hill from Central Coast, California. Monterey County is a patchwork of climates; from cool up in the north to mighty toasty down in the south end. So what better region to put together a patchwork wine like Meritage? We love this style and believe we’ve found the perfect spot to make it. We’re firm believers that sometimes the sum of the parts are greater than the individual components. Meritage blends are just that, the perfect marriage of several varieties, each grape bringing out the best in each other and representing the region with the utmost quality. Maturation: The full blend of this meritage wine was matured in small, American oak barrels for no less than eighteen months.
Cameron Hughes 2005 Lot 119 Meritage – Cabernet Sauvignon Red WineRed Wine by Cameron Hughes from Sonoma County, California. Last summer we were invited to visit one of the facilities in a recently formed marketing group for several wineries in the Napa/Sonoma area. There we were shown about 10 wines and suffice it to say we bought everything they put in front of us, ranging from Carneros Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Atlas Peak Cabernet to Alexander Valley Meritage. Everything we bought were finished bottling blend, simply excess wines above and beyond where they saw their sales projections and all ready to go right into the bottle. Go into the bottle they did this Fall.
Murrieta’s Well 2005 White Meritage – Bordeaux Blends White WineWhite Wine by Murrieta’s Well from Central Coast, California. Blend: 60% Semillon, 40% Chardonnay Notes of honeysuckle, butterscotch and melon can be found on the nose. On the palate, this wine delivers ripe melon, honey and vanilla with well integrated oak. The 2005 vintage has a rich mouth feel with medium acidity and a long, mellow finish.