The Wine Fairy

Every week, following the example of a loose community of online wine nerds, I stop whatever I’m doing and drink a Merlot.

There are two main reasons for the exercise: One, I’m trying to train my palate to recognize subtle differences in terroir and winemaking by becoming overly familiar with one variety, and two, Merlot is freakin’ delicious and deserves some love. And so, one eye is always scanning wine lists and store shelves for the next candidate for a #MerlotThursday.

The Merl-opportunity can strike anywhere. Most times it’s in mundane places: At chain restaurants, at supermarkets, and at work parties. Occasionally it’s in a really novel place, like a sommelier convention or a backyard crush pad. Or a riverboat full of tourists where Merlot just happens to be the only red wine option.

This week’s #MerlotThursday bottle is the 2022 Reclos de la Couronne Montagne-Saint-Émilion. It’s a Bordeaux red from 100% Merlot. The setting was a lovely dinner on the Seine, a treat for my wife before I subjected her to three solid days of wine chatter during Wine Paris.

Montagne-Saint-Émilion is one of the satellite regions of the Libournais, usually overshadowed by its more famous Right Bank neighbors of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. The village of Montagne, located on a limestone plateau, is the heart of the appellation and has held vines since Roman times. In the Middle Ages, it became a favorite source of Bordeaux wines for the thirsty English courts. The main grape is Merlot, and these wines are known for their heavy extraction and intense, sometimes inky-black fruit.

“Enclos” is the second wine of Château la Couronne. It’s crazy-saturated in the glass, almost as black as the river water bobbing past the Pont Neuf.

It smells dark and ponderable, too. Enticing, layered aromas of blackberry liqueur, chocolate, toast, and sandalwood. Ripe-to-overripe raspberry, blueberry, and forest berries are lifted by hints of peppercorn, beetroot, and violet.

But you don’t go on a sight-seeing cruise for elite wine, and the nose makes promises that the palate can’t fulfill. It’s bone dry with thick, mouth-pounding tannins and a 15% ABV sucker-punch. A short, drying finish with black tea, faint baking chocolate, and wet tobacco. Most of the berry flavors fall off immediately, like a souvenir beret caught by a breeze on the quay.

It’s a lot to ask of a wine to stand up to every course. This brawny Merlot was–predictably–a terrible pairing with the chocolate-hazelnut tart. (Chocolate makes dry red wine taste like you’re drinking sandpaper…I don’t understand why people torture their tongues with this combo.) It was a far better match with the meat and cheese dishes, which helped coax out some of the shy fruit: Foie gras pâté with fleur de sel, filet mignon, and brie.

Bottle: Reclos de la Couronne Montagne-Saint-Émilion (2022) – Bordeaux, France

Variety: Merlot (100%)

ABV: 15%

Suggested retail: $25

My rating: 8 (out of 10)

On Thursdays, we Merlot! Pour yourself a glass and join in. (You can view archived #MerlotThursday reviews here.)

Travel footnote: We loved our Paris dinner cruise with Bateaux Mouches! They have been operating their tour business since 1949 and they’re very good at it. There’s no audio commentary onboard, so you get to enjoy your meal and all the sights without interruption. Prices vary depending on which options you choose: A five-course chef’s menu with welcome Champagne, priority seating, live music, and a bottle of wine to share is €165/person including service charges. Early-evening dinner cruise options are also available starting at €90.

Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.