Results from the 2024 Nationals – Merlot
Announcing the Results from the 2024 National Wine Awards of Canada
The 2024 Nationals took place in Niagara Falls from June 21st to 25th. Category results end this week, with the announcements of the Platinum winners tomorrow, the Best Performing Small Winery and Top 10 Small Wineries on Thursday, and Winery of the Year and Top 25 Wineries in Canada on Friday. We hope that you will stay tuned to follow the results!
We’ve asked a few of our judges to summarize their impressions of each category. Today we are pleased to present the Merlot winners.
Category Overview by Judge Treve Ring
Poor Merlot. Here it was, cruising along at the top of its game, in its lustrous plum-robed glory. One of the most popular red wine varietals on the globe due to its pleasant berry fruit, accessible softness and plush mouthfeel, Merlot appealed to many tastes and many demographics. Adaptable, blendable Merlot rose to the top of the North American wine world in the 1980’s, achieving success with both California cult classics and Washington State pioneers. Unfortunately, a few too many jumped on the Merlot train, flooding the markets with quick-to-market, uninspired wines.
Merlot remains the number one red planted grape in BC, even after it was smacked sideways in the wine geek chic 2004 movie Sideways. Pinot Noir-loving protagonist Miles claims that “if anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!” Merlot sales dropped across North America and the UK, though interestingly, Okanagan Merlot sales held steady.
There were quite a few Merlot flights in NWAC24, and quality varied wildly. There were no Platinums, and only 4 Gold medals, primarily from Southern Okanagan, but also from Niagara’s Marynissen Estates. A handful of Silvers again were dominated by the Southern Okanagan, with Ontario popping up from time to time. When Merlot was left to be generous, huggable, fruit forward, yet structural, it shone. I hope future Merlots continue to be made in this more moderate way, rather than some of the more monstrous examples entered.
NWAC 2024 Sponsors:
