Eric Asimov has some bad news for snooty wine drinkers:

"The market for merlot has dropped so precipitously that growers in the Alexander Valley essentially can’t give their grapes away. One grower is having trouble selling merlot for $350 a ton. According to the Sonoma County Grape Growers Association, Sonoma merlot averaged $2,202 a ton in 2002. Tom quotes a friend as saying, “You’re going to be seeing lots of merlot in your 2006 zinfandel, in you 2006 cabernet, in your 2006 white zinfandel, in your syrah and in just about any other red wine.”

You follow that logic, right? Because demand has fallen for merlot wines – moderately priced wines, especially – winemakers are going to produce fewer bottles labeled merlot. But they’ve still got all those grapes."

• the pour: It May Get Harder to Shun Merlot

previously on wtg:

• wino 101: syrah/shiraz
• hi-res photo of the day: wine glass
  

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