Merlot: Maligned No More— Organic Grgich Hills Estate 2021 Merlot Paired with Ahi
Once upon a time, Merlot was maligned in the movie Sideways which instead elevated in popularity Pinot Noir. While there are worse things to fight about, personally I’ll take both wines, and depending on my mood, I’ll pair either one of them with two of my favorite meals: seared ahi tuna on a bed of greens and chicken marsala with lots of mushrooms and mashed potatoes!
And don’t give me that: aren’t you supposed to pair red wines with chicken and fish and red wines with red meat?
My friend over for dinner Thursday night was quite surprised to see me open a 2020 Grgich Hills Estate Merlot to go with the mushroom marsala chicken, but when I poured it for him, and he sampled the wine with the food, he agreed that the rich mushroom sauce definitely made the chicken work with the Grgrich Merlot. The label even suggests pairing the wine with roast duck as well as eggplant parmesan. I had an idea it would work since I know these Napa Grgrich wines go well with food, and earlier in the week, I’d opened a 2021 to pair with the ahi tuna salad— a fabulous pairing, and I suspected if at all similar it would work well with the chicken.
The two Merlot wines couldn’t be more different! While some producers choose to ameliorate the differences between vintages, Grgrich clearly celebrates and honors them. Fortunately, I did the 2021 with the tuna and the 2020 with the chicken because the 2020 offered very intense, concentrated cherry and cranberry fruit while the 2021 was lighter, brighter with more raspberry and strawberry.
Grgich Hills Estate
Mike Grgrich aka Miljenko Grgrich and Austin Hills founded Grgrich Hills Estate in 1977 after Mike’s Chardonnay at Chateau Montelena outscored the best of France at the Judgment of Paris in 1976, 50 years ago! Many people know about this wine from the movie Bottleshock.
In 2008, Mike was inducted into the Vintner’s Hall of Fame.
Grgich Hills Estate wines are certified CCOF.
Grgich Hills Estate wines are certified CCOF.
Wines + Menus
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2021 Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley Merlot
paired with seared ahi tuna salad with walnuts and apricot stilton with rice -
2020 Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley Merlot
paired with apple pecan apricot stilton salad and chicken mushroom marsala on mashed potatoes
More Merlot and Menus
- More Merlot from Women Winemakers.
- How about these merlot paired with instant pot bacon mushroom chicken?
- And yes more merlot here too: a vertical from Duckhorn
- Looking for more Merlot? Check this article out.
- #MerlotMe on #MerlotDay: Rutherford Hill + Seared Ahi Tuna
- Smoked Lamb/Beef Meatloaf Says #MerlotMe with Sonoma’s Decoy and Washington’s Pedastal #WinePW
- You can also use the search tool and #MerlotMe for more!
2021 Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley Merlot
2021 Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley Merlot
ABV: 14.3%
SRP: $65
Grapes: 81% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
purchased on sale at Vons grocery store
What a great Bordeaux blend of grapes! This brings complexity and nuance to the palate— and the seared ahi salad definitely brought that to the palate too with the addition of walnuts and dried apricot Stilton.
After the dry and extreme 2020, 2021 offered a more balanced growing season while still in a drought. The grapes fermented with wild indigenous yeast and the wine aged for 20 months in French oak with 37% new, 63% neutral.
Aromas of boysenberry, blackberry, cranberry, black cherry, violets, sandalwood, and forest floor. The palate features a rush of softness and density, lush savory tannins, mid-palate notes of red berries, blackberry, and cassis, and a long finish
Appearance: Beautiful ruby in the glass.
Aroma: Full of fruit— lively blackberry, cranberry, cherry plus violets, sandalwood, and a hint of forest floor.
Palate: Bright red berries and fruit with plenty of tartness but also supple and smooth with savory tannins. The finish will take you around the block.
Pairing: This salad is so rich and complex that it really requires a lot of a wine and this one delivered— and then some! TBH, seared ahi tuna is more like a tender steak than fish— look at that rich red color for a hint!. The rich oils work so well with the soft, lush tannins of the Merlot which does not overpower the tuna. The red berry notes of the wine complement the balsamic dressing on the salad. The addition of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot bring herbal and savory complexities that highlight the greens.
For those folks looking for a smooth wine, you can’t go wrong with this mellow merlot … which will surprise you like the shy person in the room that when you engage in conversation leads you into the most interesting places!
2020 Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley Merlot
2020 Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley Merlot
ABV: 14.2%
SRP: $65
Grapes: organic 93% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon estate grown
purchased on sale at Vons grocery store
The multiple 100-degree heatwaves of 2020 plus drought conditions (50–60% below-average rainfall) meant the vines adapted by producing fewer leaves and lower yields leading to a wine with a high concentration of fruit and a dark rich color.
Aromas of blackberry, rose hip, dried cranberries, boysenberry, violets, and crushed spices. The palate offers soft, dense, lush tannins with red berry fruit, subtle acidity, and a long vanilla finish
Appearance: Very dense, can’t see through it, ruby and maroon with a fuschia rim.
Aroma: Blackberry, rose hips, violets, clay.
Palate: Licorice root, red vines, cherry, menthol on the lengthy finish with some subtle vanilla from the oak. Smooth tannins and balanced acidity.
Pairing: Such a versatile wine! A solid pairing with an apple pecan apricot stilton salad with balsamic but even better with the chicken marsala; see below. For a cheese board, be sure to include mushroom brie.
The earthy mushrooms and rich, sweet, savory reduced wine sauce in the chicken Marsala makes this Merlot a perfect pairing. The dark fruit characteristics of the Merlot mirror the depth of the sauce, while its velvety texture blends so well with the gravy and potatoes. The density of the fruit in the 2020 cuts through the heavy, savory Marsala sauce and elevates the mushroom umami.
