Bonterra and Creamy Lasagne Soup #MerlotMe

 October is International #MerlotMe month and I am so excited to celebrate with my #WinePW (Wine Pairing Weekend) group. We are going to share all things Merlot, and you can see some of the posts below.

But first, the wine.  Merlot is the second most popular red grape, following Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a beautiful wine, elegant and easy-drinking that goes well with food but also just on its own. It's the red my husband introduced me to when I decided to switch from sweet wines to drier wines.  In French, Merlot means "Little Blackbird."   in the 1700s a French winemaker mixed Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and it became so popular that this is the main ingredient for Bordeaux blends.

Merlot pairs well with a lot of meats, and in fact, is my husband's favorite pairing with steak, smoked meats, and pasta with meat dishes.  We both like it with a meat pizza and a charcuterie tray.  Merlot works well throughout a meal, so it is a great wine to order at a restaurant, too.

Check out these other informative posts and see their food pairings that are listed below. If you love Merlot, you are not want to miss these!

• 2012 Ridge Estate Merlot + Reverse Sear Ribeye Steak by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
• Bonterra and Creamy Lasagna Soup by Our Good Life
• California Dreamin’ for #MerlotMe Month, Part I by My Full Wine Glass
• Celebrate #MerlotMe with a Wine that Hits the Mark by Supporting Veterans by Exploring the Wine Glass
• Experiments with Salmon and Merlot by Somm's Table
• Ground Beef and Kale Recipe with #MerlotMe Wine by Cooking Chat
• I Melt for Merlot and Chocolate by What's in That Bottle?
• Kicking off #MerlotMe with 2 Rutherford Hill Merlots and Decadent Burgers with Chocolate! by Crushed Grape Chronicles
• Merguez Sausages and a Debut #MerlotMe Wine from Gürbüz by The Quirky Cork
• Merlot with Chicken in a Mushroom Wine Sauce by Vino Travels
• #MerlotMe and Meaty Asian Sandwich by Chinese Food & Wine Pairings
• Mushroom Madness Paired with Merlot by Always Ravenous
• October Means #MerlotMe Paired With Instant Pot Bacon Mushroom Merlot Chicken by Wine Predator........Gwendolyn Alley
• One of the Oldest Foods on Earth + 2019 Bonterra Organic Merlot by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Tri-Tip Steak and Duckhorn, a #MerlotMe Classic by Food Wine Click!
• Won't You Please #MerlotMe? by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Each year several vineyards send out Merlots to bloggers to feature during the month of October.  I was sent two different bottles and I will talk about one today and then the other one later in the month.  

The first one I will feature is Bonterra Merlot.  From their literature, organically farmed and masterfully made, Bonterra Organic Vineyards wines are crafted to be perfectly in tune with nature. A celebration of the vitality derived from organic cultivation, our wines reflect careful farming practices carried out on a dynamic network of estate and partner farms throughout California. Long before organic produce filled the shelves of neighborhood groceries, our dedicated team was committed to organic and Biodynamic farming because we passionately believe that farms teeming with biodiversity—encompassing vines, insects, and wildlife, and healthy soils—yield better wines.  Isn't that lovely?  I know I was eager to try this wine, and it surely did not disappoint.

VINEYARD NOTES

Photo courtesy of Fetzer Vineyards

This rich and flavorful Merlot blends vineyards in Mendocino County, including our organically-farmed estate sites, with organic vineyards in the Central Coast and Lake County. The 2019 vintage was
characterized by a cooler growing season, punctuated by the occasional rain shower, which allowed the grapes to mature slowly and develop a greater depth of flavor.

WINEMAKING NOTES

Photo courtesy of Fetzer Vineyards

Following harvest throughout October and into early November, the fruit for this Merlot was destemmed and pressed before a warm fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation to soften the mouthfeel and rested 12 months before bottling, with a portion of that time spent aging on a mix of new and neutral French and American oak.  Learning about the winemaking process is an important part of understanding why your wine tastes a certain way.

TASTING NOTES

A dazzling deep mahogany red with a glint of purple, this Merlot’s lovely hue sets the stage for a generous palate of rich, ripe fruit. Aromas of blueberry and plum leap from the glass, layered over a
subtle thread of graphite, pencil shaving, and a suggestion of dried herbs. This medium-bodied wine has an elegant tannin structure and a long, velvety-smooth finish.  We served our wine with a delicious lasagne soup, that we added some cream too, along with delicious homemade ricotta cheese.  We used fresh-picked basil from our garden to garnish and together with this wine, it was an amazing combination.