Phil Your Glass: Pick up a bottle of Blackbird Project to celebrate National Merlot Month
October is National Merlot Month. And before you look at me sideways and go all Paul Giamatti on me, you need to give the 2018 Project Blackbird a try. This wine is a collaboration between wine importer and Sagamore Hills resident Daniel Greathouse and his good friend Bordeaux winemaker Nicolas Idiart.
The origin of the merlot name comes from the word “merle,” which is blackbird in French. Blackbirds time their visit to Southwest France so they can feast on the ripening merlot grapes. The grapes for Project Blackbird come from vineyards not far as the blackbird flies from the Bordeaux “high-rent district.” It’s a stunning wine for $18.99.
Greathouse describes the 2018 vintage in Bordeaux as extraordinary with early flowering of the vines and a long hang time of the grapes. This wine is a magical blend of two noble grapes: 60% cabernet franc and 40% merlot. “If that blend is good enough for a $1,000 bottle of Cheval Blanc, then it’s good enough for me,” said Greathouse.
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Merlot is quite the food-friendly grape. I loved how this wine went with a hunk of Huntsman Old English Cheese, which is layered with Gloucester and Stilton cheeses and is available at Beau’s Market in Copley and at Heinen’s in Hudson. It was a huge customer favorite at the former West Point Market.
I couldn’t come up with a better description for this wine than my wine friend Jamie Boyd, who describes it as “mocha sexy.” It has velvety cocoa- and chocolate-covered raspberry flavors. A hunk of brie cheese with a sprig of fresh thyme from the garden was also a tasty match as were a few sausage-stuffed mushrooms from Heinen’s. The earthiness of the mushrooms really complemented the cabernet franc.
My ever-expanding waistline couldn’t accommodate more food experimentation. However, I mentioned Blackbird Project to Royal Park Fine Wine owner George Zaboura, and he couldn’t stop singing its praises.
“It’s a fantastic food wine that’s good with hearty dishes,” said Zaboura, who also likes how well it pairs with chili and red pasta sauce. Greathouse suggested medium-rare strip steak, lamb and duck as his favorites.
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I will be pouring $1 2-ounce samples of Project Blackbird along with two other wines that I have featured from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Beau’s Market in Copley.
Buy this wine at Beau’s Market in Copley (also by the glass), Krieger’s Market, Mustard Seed Market, Cellar 59 in Stow, Avenue Wine Shop in Canton, That’s the Spirit Liquor Store in Garrettsville, and Royal Park Wines in North Royalton and Strongsville.
Contact Phil Masturzo at philyourglass@gmail.com or on Instagram at pmasturzo_philyourglass.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Try Blackbird Project to celebrate National Merlot Month in October
