Members Only
Events
Event: Rhymes with Heritage
Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Location: Legal Beans, 86 Garden St (Newark & Garden), Hoboken, NJ
Time: 7:00 PM
September will be the last month in our Season of Whites. To close out the summer months, the final white of 2006 will be White Meritage — a white wine blend. White Meritage is a Bordeaux blend made from two or more of the following varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert, with no single variety making up more than 90% of the blend.
Not surprisingly, Meritage is one of the most frequently mispronounced words by wine enthusiasts. The name looks French, and therein lies the problem. Many wine folks will improperly refer to this white wine blend as “Mehr-uh-tahj,” and when you go to purchase your Meritage wine be wary of wine retailers that do not use the correct pronunciation. The name is English and the correct way to say Meritage, is to rhyme it with heritage. In fact, the name Meritage evolved from a contest held in 1989 and was chosen from more than 6,000 entries. The invented term combines “merit,” suggesting excellence, and “heritage,” as from inheriting the Bordeaux tradition of blending these particular grapes. The contest was sponsored by a group of American vintners who later became the Meritage Association.
Due to the high standards set by the Meritage Association, this particular blend may be a bit on the pricey side. Under Association licensing rules, a white wine may be designated as Meritage if it is limited in production (not more than 25,000 cases), and is the winery’s best wine of its type. If you’re having difficulty finding a true White Meritage for the usual WV price point range of $25 per bottle, you can either: 1) splurge a little and provide your fellow WV members a nice treat; or, 2) opt to bring an alternative White Wine blend of your choosing.
Ladies, let me forewarn you that not all wine retailers will be schooled in what constitutes a true White Meritage wine. So having said that, keep in mind these two key identifiers when buying your bottle:
- Bottle will state the name Meritage.
- The blend will consist of two or more of the following varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert (and nothing else).
Happy hunting, and I look forward to seeing you in September!
Cheers,
Janelle
Janelle Marté, Co-founder
Rules
Wine: White Meritage
Year: Any
Region: Any (however, the most popular regions for White Meritage wine are California and Canada)
Bottle Price: about $25 per bottle
Challenge: Find and bring a bottle of White Meritage. (Begin your hunt early ladies, as this variety of wine is not standard retail stock).
Other: Don't forget to bring $20 for food and try to bring your bottle chilled!
