A Merlot to Drink In Every Season

When it gets hot, I mostly turn to white wines, setting aside the powerhouse reds that I want on cold days. 

But I've found an exception, a delightful red wine that I can drink all year, even during summer. It's the 2018 Estate Merlot from L'Ecole No. 41, a Washington State winery located in the Walla Walla Valley. 


Delicately handled throughout production, it's as versatile with food as with weather. I sense raspberries and blackberries when I taste it, and the color is dark cherry. 

Merlot was once such a secondary player that, years ago, I was surprised to come across it in a wine shop, bottled as a varietal. 

But it has a long history with L'Ecole, which was founded in 1983, the third winery in the Walla Walla Valley. It's "the red wine we cut our teeth on in the very beginning," said Marty Clubb, co-owner and managing winemaker, in a webinar presented by the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association.

At that time no one knew much about it, he said. But Merlot along with Semillon became the core of L'Ecole's portfolio. The winery has grown from producing 1,000 cases a year to 45,000 cases, spread over six varietals.

L'Ecole is French for school, indicating the 1915 schoolhouse in which the winery and tasting room are housed. The school was established in Frenchtown, named for the French-Canadians who settled in the Walla Walla Valley in the early 1800s. It was located in District 41.  

L'Ecole is about 12 miles from Walla Walla, a charming small city with many tasting rooms, including the just opened Heritage by L'Ecole Wine Bar in the historic Marcus Whitman Hotel. 

Grapes for the 2018 Estate Merlot came from the Ferguson (above) and Seven Hills vineyards, which are in the Walla Walla Valley but in Oregon. Both are certified sustainable and salmon safe, meaning vineyard practices won't harm the fish. 

Choosing what to serve with it, I bypassed salmon in favor two dishes that show the range of food such a wine can accompany. One day I tried it with a light pasta and on another day with steak, a classic red wine companion. 

For the pasta, I combined egg noodles with sautéed conehead cabbage, which is sweeter than ordinary cabbage, and strips of hickory-smoked turkey breast. 

To lighten the steak, I added a slightly sweet topping of caramelized onions, sherry and Worcestershire. The accompaniments were buttered asparagus and mushrooms sautéed with African blue basil. 

For this recipe, I used small filet steaks, lightly less than half a pound each. 

STEAK WITH SHERRIED CARAMELIZED ONIONS

1 yellow or white onion
1 tablespoon butter
Salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 small filet steaks or other tender steaks
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Oil and additional butter

Cut the onion in half lengthwise, then peel and cut in thin slices crosswise.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sprinkle with a dash of salt. Cook until tender, stirring to cook evenly. This will take about 5 minutes.

Now sprinkle in the sugar and continue to cook until the onions are lightly browned, stirring often. This may take up to 8 minutes. Do not allow to char.  Add the sherry and Worcestershire and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Keep warm.

Season each steak with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add about 2 teaspoons each butter and oil. Then add the steaks. Cook seasoned side up about 2 minutes, then turn over and cook to the desired degree of doneness, 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve topped with the caramelized onions.

Makes 2 servings.