I should start this post with a little bit of information about what a Meritage (rhymes with heritage) blend is. OK, that’s your first clue, it is not a grape variety, it is a blend. In fact, it is a blend of the same grapes that are used in the Bordeaux region of France. That means that it could be a red wine or a white wine. Winemakers that wish to call their wines by the Meritage name must license the name from the Meritage Alliance which owns the legal trademark to the name. This all came about because the BATF requires that in order for a wine to be labeled by a varietal name, it must be at least 75% juice from the named grape and in the case of a Bordeaux style blend, it can not be called a Bordeaux unless it comes from the Bordeaux region of France.
So in 1988, a group of California vintners formed the Meritage Association (in May 2009 they changes their name from Association to Alliance)to create a recognizable (read: marketable) name for high quality blended wines. A contest was held to come up with the name of which over 6000 entries were received. The final name, Meritage, is a combination of the words Merit and Heritage. As a prize, the person that submitted the name receives two bottles of the first 10 vintages of every wine that licenses the name. In the case of red wines, a Meritage blend must be made from the following grapes varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and/or Petit Verdot.
Ok, this is an interesting story, but here is what should be the takeaway from it. If a winery is going to spend the money to license the name Meritage, the winery owner and wine maker must feel that they have a pretty good wine on their hands in order to make the extra cost worthwhile. You’ll notice, I said that they think they have a good wine. What the winery owner thinks and what is reality is often not always the same thing. However, in the case of Rosemont Vineyards 2007 Meritage, the winemaker and winery owner seem to know what they are doing.
Rosemont Vineyards is located down in LaCrosse, Virginia, down south close to the North Carolina border. The first grapes were planted on the property in 2003 and their first vintage is this very one I’m talking about, 2007. As such, I happen to think that the future is very bright for this winery as this particular wine is drinking pretty well right now but definitely has room to improve.
Tasting notes:
It is a clear, medium(+) intensity ruby colored wine with legs. It has a clean, developing nose of medium(+) intensity displaying aromas of black cherry and blackberry. It is a dry wine with medium acidity, medium(+) tannins, medium(+) alcohol and a medium body. It has medium(+) intensity flavors of blackberry, clack cherry and vanilla with a medium (+) length. It is a very god, high-priced wine that is ready to drink now but will improve in the bottle.
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