Merlot Month is in full swing at South Bay wineries

Finding a decent merlot has become way harder than finding a stellar pinot noir. Put that down to foolish trend-chasing.

Used to be that merlot was a go-to on every wine list, something you could count on. Then, in 2005, a movie torqued it sideways and rocketed pinot noir to an unheard-of prominence. Merlot got ripped out in places it should not have been planted, but by the same token, pinot noir went in where it should never have set down its bags.

During Merlot Month in October, the #MerlotMe group aims to change all that.

Merlot and cabernet sauvignon are the most widely planted reds worldwide. Merlot is by far the dominant red in France, making up two-thirds of the plantings in Bordeaux. The French know that merlot is the secret to silky, appealing Bordeaux blends.

Locally, Burrell School Vineyards on Summit Road, with its iconic bell tower label, has always produced a great merlot. Their merlot and cabernet franc blend called High School Sweethearts, named for owners Anne (who died in 2016) and Dave Moulton, is on sale now for $20.

Atop the intense and very Bordeaux-like category, Fogarty’s 2017 Gist Vineyard Merlot, from a vineyard on Skyline Road, is loaded with character and verve.

Perrucci Family Vineyards makes some of the most awarded merlots in the region; its double-gold winning 2019 hails from a cool coastal site, Regan Vineyards, that produces intensely flavored wine with fantastic acidity and a very stalwart structure built to age.

House Family Vineyard in Saratoga is back in business after the Saratoga city staff and city council approved its Temporary Compliance Plan on Oct. 5, 2022. Tastings are by appointment at Izumi Point, surrounded by really cool rocks. Hours are Thursday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; the last seating is at 4:30 p.m. Visitors are asked to observe speed limits of 25mph on mountain roads, and to respect the neighbors by refraining from undue noise.

“It’s good to be back open and to have people enjoying the beauty of the Santa Cruz Mountains once again,” says Jim Cargill of House Family. “That’s why we are here.” Sip on library and current vintages of their spectacular mountain-grown merlot.