Among the things we do at the Long Island Merlot Alliance is research, and one of our ongoing research initiatives is flavor-and-aroma profiling for our beloved Long Island merlot. The eminent Dr. Louisa Hargrave is leading the effort for us this year, gathering Alliance members and other vintners together every other Thursday for blind-tastings to assess exactly how local merlot is different from other merlots of the world. How does the fruit express itself on Long Island? How does it taste on the palate, smell on the nose?

Along with the flavors of other fruits that flourish in our region–strawberry, black or blueberry, beach plum, cranberry–we commonly find herbaceous qualities like thyme and mint. A sort of merlotjito, unique to our terroir.

Our biweekly tastings will conclude in a few weeks; then Louisa will write up our findings and we’ll publish a summary of our results here on the site. Till then, shoot us some of the characteristics you taste in your Long Island merlot!
–Donnell