Anthony Gismondi: Burgeoning Okanagan vineyards deserve visit in 2024 vancouversun.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from vancouversun.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
For a grape that has become the source of so much forgettable if quaffable red wine, the origins of Merlot’s name are rather poetic. As Jancis Robinson’s Wine Grapes tome tells us, one of the earliest-written records of the variety turns up in an 1824 manuscript about wines from the Médoc in Bordeaux. It states that Merlot was so-called because of a fondness of the blackbird (‘merle’ in French, and ‘merlau’ in Occitan) for its sweet and fleshy black grapes. They’re not the only ones who have a soft spot for this grape, which brings soft-edged, sweet-fruited qualities to red wine.
Many places Julia Child frequented are still in business and thriving. So, if you're a fan of hers, check out one of these food and drink spots near you!