foodwineclick

7th Annual Collaboration between #WinePW and #MerlotMe
2021 marks the 7th year our Wine Pairing Weekend writers have partnered with the Merlot producers in support of the October month-long #MerlotMe celebration. We continue to find new ways to partner this adaptable wine with food. Take a look below for links to all our posts. You might find a new pairing you’d love to try!

Disclosure: The wine for this post was provided as a sample. No other compensation was involved, all opinions expressed are mine.

(click on any photo below for a full-size slideshow of some of our favorite Duckhorn Merlot Pairings)

Over the years, have paired Duckhorn Merlot with a wide variety of foods (click on the food to jump to the prior post):

• Swordfish
• Seoul-ful Chicken
• Grill-braised Brisket
• Pork Chops
• Decoy with Pot-Roast Soup
• Sharing with the Younger Generation
• Sheet Pan Chicken

Duckhorn Vineyards Three Palms Vineyard Merlot, Napa Valley AVA 2015 (sample, $110 SRP, available online here) 14.7% abv
Eye: Deep Ruby
Nose: Medium plus intensity aromas of deep, ripe blueberry, blackberry, figs, vanilla, sage, chocolate, pencil shavings, a touch of smoke in the background.
Mouth: Dry, medium plus acidity, medium silky tannins, creamy rich full body, high alcohol, medium plus flavor intensity, long finish. The ripe blue fruits persist along with the rich silky texture.
Observations: An opulent wine, but with lively acidity and silky tannins, retains a lively impression. Perfect with rich foods.

Reverse Seared Tri-Tip Steak with Duckhorn Merlot

We decided to pair our Duckhorn Merlot with a nice grilled Tri-Tip steak this year. We used Vindulge Tri-Tip recipe, substituting Merlot anywhere you see Zinfandel. Note: I recommend a less expensive Merlot for the reductions sauce. Save the Three Palms for your drinking pleasure!

Fellow Wine Pairing Weekend Writers Celebrate Merlot with Food
Take a look at our posts below, then join us in our 7th annual #MerlotMe #WinePW chat on twitter! We chat on Saturday morning, 10-11am CDT, just search on either of the above hashtags and you’re in. We’d love to hear your thoughts on Merlot!

• 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

Schedule a Visit to Duckhorn
On your next visit to Napa Valley, you might want to schedule a visit to Duckhorn Vineyards. They have a lovely spot to enjoy some winetasting, especially since outdoor tasting is still a great idea.