 Serving Merlot
Serve Merlot in glasses suited to the occasion, circumstances
and wine. To focus attention on the wine, serve Merlot in
a stemmed wine glass, with a bowl large enough to allow you
to swirl it (so its aroma is easier to smell).
Younger Merlots can be served in large, tulip- shaped glasses
to accentuate fruitiness; older, mature Merlots in somewhat
smaller, tulip-shaped glasses to accentuate fruitiness; older,
mature Merlots in somewhat smaller, tulip-shaped glasses
to highlight complexity. Recommended service temperature
for most Merlots is cool room tem- perature (60-68 Farenheit,
15.5-20 Celsius), not warm.
Aging Merlot
Most Merlots are at their best winthin 3-8 years of the
vintage,
although some need 10-15 years to mature. Younger Merlots
display more obviously fruity, spicy, and floral aroma/flavors,
particularly from warm growing regions; youthful Merlots
from cool-
climate vineyards also may be lightly herbal or vegetal in
character. Bottle aging both developes nuances of character
and further softens Merlot's texture. With long-term aging
(10+ years),
additional aromas/flavors develope ("bottle bouquet"),
especially
humus, mushroom, roasted nut, cigar tobacco and toffee.
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