October is Merlot Month and we are exploring all kinds of pairings using Merlot over at #WinePairingWeekends. This group is a group of bloggers who like to write about wine and food pairings, so be sure to check out all the posts linked to this article.
L'Ecole is a third-generation family-owned winery in Walla Walla Valley in the state of Washington. It is housed in the historic Frenchtown School which is featured on their label. Speaking of labels, the Heritage Collection has a black label, and inside those bottles are grapes from the oldest grapevines in Washington. These wines love to be cellared but can be opened and consumed immediately.
I am wild about good French fries and the notion of pairing them with wine made me swoon. I do love a good champagne and French fries pairing, but what about a good red? That's when I decided to pair a bottle of L'Ecole No 41 Merlot. Here are some things my husband and I discussed when deciding on this pairing:
- Merlot is a child of Cabernet Franc (confirmed through DNA testing)
- Merlot has a lower tannin than Cabernet Sauvignon which we thought would accent the fries better
- Merlot is named for the bird, merle, a type of blackbird that eats grapes off the vine.
My husband and I loved this wine, so smooth and velvety, with nice tannins and big, juicy notes of black fruits, minerals and herbs. Paired with the salty fries, the fruitiness works well with the minerals and creates a perfect salty/sweet (ish) pairing we all love. We highly recommend and will be doing this again!
Here are other wonderful Merlot pairings that you will want to explore.
Oh, I love this. My boys and I did a French fry taste test years ago. McDonald's was the top pick for both of them. Carl's Jr. came in second for both of them while I liked those the best. R and I disliked Burger King the most; they were 4th place for D because he disliked Wendy's the most. Wendy's topped McDonald's for me. I think I might have to get some Carl's Jr. fries with another bottle of Merlot!
ReplyDeleteI never think of the potato I'm serving when choosing my wines. You have inspired me Terri.
ReplyDeleteOlive oil potato chips were a big hit with our Merlot pairing this month - similar to french fries, right?
ReplyDeleteI am down to try a good French fry with anything! I usually do truffle salt when pairing with wine but I am so happy to know this was good with a good plain French fry! Cheers.
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