This underrated merlot is a Cadillac of a wine

More than 10 years after the movie Sideways came out, merlot still doesn’t get much respect. But this under-appreciated wine can have cabernet-like weight, complexity, grip and moderate alcohol to pair with something rich. The impressive 2012 Frog’s Leap Rutherford Merlot is a Cadillac of a wine I had during a recent lunch with representatives from the Napa Valley winery. The real surprise? Tasting Frog’s Leap’s 1991 merlot, which could almost be mistaken for an older Bordeaux. When the experts tell you merlot does not age, politely ignore them and sip on. 

Glenn Bardgett is a member of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board and wine director at Annie Gunn’s.