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Brunello di Montalcino 2021: Fragrant, Refined, and Not Quite Slender
By John Szabo MS Montalcino is essentially a hill: a 17-by-18-kilometre block of southern Tuscany with a fortified village at 564 metres and vineyards spilling down all four flanks. As Michael Godel reminded a full room at the recent Brunello Forma masterclass in Toronto, the commune is defined as much by what isn’t vineyard as […] More
Spotlight on The Barolo Wines of Serralunga d’Alba and the 2023 Vintage
By John Szabo MS Serralunga d’Alba is the easternmost and, in the eyes of most tasters, the most classically powerful of the Barolo communes. The village grew up around its well-preserved fourteenth-century Falletti castle, and for much of Barolo’s early commercial history its high, elevated ridge supplied négociants with the structural backbone for their blends […] More
Buyers Guide to Vintages October 24th Release
John Szabo’s Vintages Buyers Guide October 24: Niagara Unicorns By John Szabo MS, with notes from David Lawrason, Sara d’Amato, Michael Godel, and Megha Jandhyala Stocking up for the Holidays With the holidays fast approaching, this release is a fine opportunity to stock up, and the WineAlign Crü’s picks align neatly behind a handful of […] More
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Meritage is pronounced Meh-rih-TIJ, rhyming with Heritage. This is a made-up word, registered as a US trademark, that wineries must pay to use on their wines. Back in 1989, wineries were all choosing names for their various blended wines, and it was getting hard to keep track of them all. An association was formed to try to define a "Bordeaux Blend" of grapes that was done on non-French soil. They had over 6,000 people submit choices for the name of this blend, and "Meritage" won. Just like Bordeaux, since they're made with the same grapes, Meritage wines tend to have a rich, full aroma. Depending on the particular blend, it can be blackberry, black cherry, spices, chocolate, and vanilla. Most Meritages have the Bordeaux signature flavours - cigar box, rich fruits, with a hefty feel. They're great with a steak, or with game meats - venison, pheasant etc.
