Merlot is the most planted grape varieties in France, and important across the world yet many consumers don't appreciate the quality and range of wines made from the variety. This episode explores the different regions for Merlot, the styles of wines, blends, growing conditions, and champions Long Island and Uruguay!

Merlot

An Englishman in California soaking up the sun, I am a WSET Diploma graduate and Certified WSET Educator. I blog about wine, teach it at all levels, and drink plenty of it. Follow me on twitter @mattswineworld or check out my website: matthewsworldofwineanddrink.com

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Interview with Rui Lucas of Prior Lucas in Bairrada, Portugal. It's a region heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, and therefore cooler and wetter than other areas further inland. Baga is the main variety, well-suited to the humid climate, producing tannic, high-acid, ageworthy wines. There's also sparkling wine made, which we talk about in this episode. Bairrada is an interesting, very individual region!

https://priorlucas.pt/

Bairrada: Interview with Rui Lucas of Prior Lucas

Interview with Peter Andrews of Culture Wine Co, who's importing South African wine into California. Topics covered include Pinotage; Mediterranean varieties; Sauvignon Blanc; the regionality of South Africa; innovative winemakers; racial diversity; and future trends for South African wine.

Culture Wine Co & Peter Andrews: South Africa

The Michigan wine scene is relatively new, growing in the last few years. I speak to Drew Perry of Simpson Family Estates, who started in 1980—dicsussing the growing conditions, the grape varieties, and the wines of the emerging industry.

Michigan

Gamay: a high-yielding variety associated with youthful, fruity wine but which, in the right growing conditions, makes wonderful, structured wines. This episode explores the areas where Gamay is grown: Beaujolais of course as well as Loire, Savoie, Lorraine, Switzerland, the US, and New Zealand.

Gamay

Winemaking in Armenia goes back at least 6,000 years, one of the starting points of viticulture. But it's only in the last ten to fifteen years that there has been a renaissance in quality wine. Vahe Keushguerian has been at the forefront of this renaissance, both in his own projects and for other fledgling wineries. In this episode, he explains all about Armenian wine—history, geography, grape varieties, styles of wine, and where the industry is heading.

Merlot

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