Pennsylvania Wine Society

Merlot: The Velvet Charmer of the Wine World
2026-02-20 19:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Hilton Harrisburg, 1 North Second Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17101, United States
Merlot’s Many Homes: Exploring the Best Old and New World Growing Regions
Once dismissed as the soft-spoken sibling of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot has reclaimed its place as one of the most expressive and site-sensitive red grape varieties in the world. Its supple texture and plummy elegance belie a grape that’s surprisingly chameleon-like—able to translate soil, climate, and winemaking tradition into dramatically different styles. From the gravely banks of the Gironde to the rolling hills of Chile’s Colchagua Valley, Merlot thrives where terroir and tradition meet.
Old World Icons: Bordeaux and Beyond
Right Bank Bordeaux (France)
No discussion of Merlot’s homeland begins anywhere but Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. Here, Merlot is the dominant grape—often comprising 70–100% of the blend—and thrives in clay and limestone rich soils that retain moisture, tempering heat and encouraging slow, even ripening.

Pomerol’s blue clay (notably at Château Pétrus) produces wines of profound depth, velvety texture, and age-worthy power.
Saint-Émilion’s limestone plateau yields Merlot of elegance and freshness, often blended with a dash of Cabernet Franc for aromatic lift.

These terroirs benefit from a temperate maritime climate, where the Gironde estuary moderates temperature extremes, allowing for the long growing season Merlot loves.
Tuscany (Italy)
In the Tuscan Maremma and Bolgheri DOCs, Merlot takes on a Mediterranean accent. Warm days, cool nights, and well-drained alluvial and sandy soils produce ripe, silky wines with black cherry, herbs, and graphite notes. Estates like Masseto and L’Apparita have elevated Italian Merlot to cult status—proof that Old World terroir can produce both tradition and innovation.
New World Excellence: Redefining Merlot’s Character
Napa Valley (California, USA)
Once overshadowed by Cabernet, Merlot in Napa has regained distinction, particularly from Oak Knoll, Carneros, and Coombsville, where cooler microclimates and volcanic or alluvial soils preserve acidity. These wines are plush yet balanced—ripe plum and cocoa framed by fine tannins.
In contrast, Merlot from Howell Mountain or Atlas Peak shows a firmer, more structured profile, shaped by elevation and rocky, nutrient-poor soils.
Washington State (USA)
In the Columbia Valley, and especially Walla Walla and Red Mountain, Merlot thrives under warm, dry conditions moderated by cool nights. The sandy loam and basalt soils, along with significant diurnal shifts, produce wines of ripe fruit concentration balanced by freshness. Top producers like Leonetti Cellar and Northstar demonstrate how Washington’s terroir can combine New World richness with Old World restraint.
Chile (Colchagua & Maipo Valleys)
Chile’s rediscovery of true Merlot—after years of Carmenère confusion—has yielded remarkable results. In Colchagua, granitic and clay soils and a Mediterranean climate with cooling coastal breezes create wines of supple fruit and savory balance. Maipo gives a leaner, more structured expression, reflecting its cooler Andean influence.
Hawke’s Bay (New Zealand)
Hawke’s Bay’s Gimblett Gravels subregion, with its warm, stony soils, offers Merlot of surprising depth and polish. Here, gravel retains heat and encourages early ripening, producing wines of dark berry fruit, tobacco, and refined tannins—a style often likened to a modern Right Bank Bordeaux.
Terroir’s Final Word
Merlot’s strength lies in its adaptability. It is sensitive to site but generous in expression—whether the wine is the silken, mineral-laced power of Pomerol or the sun-kissed plushness of Napa. The best examples reveal how terroir speaks through texture as much as flavor: clay brings plushness, limestone lends tension, gravel adds finesse, and volcanic soils give backbone.
For the adventurous wine lover, tasting Merlot from across the world is a masterclass in geography and geology—and proof that this grape, in the right hands and soils, is anything but simple.
Join us Friday, February 20th, 7 p.m. at the Hilton Harrisburg to enjoy Merlot paired with small plates by Chef Justin. Reservation deadline is Tuesday, February 17th. To make reservations, go to the Shoppe Page of this website.
Members—$135
Patrons—$130
Nonmembers—$155

Alsace Wines
2026-03-13 19:00 - 21:30
Alsace is one of the rare wine regions of the world almost exclusively devoted to white wine. More than seven different varietals are grown and with few exceptions are whites made in other parts of France.
The most important grapes are Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, (formerly known as Tokay), Muscat and Pinot Blanc. The lone red grape is Pinot Noir of which only a tiny amount is grown.
Alsace whites are not the placid demure wines you might imagine. The best among them are powerful and bold. They are made according to the philosophy that great wine should be the purest expression of two factors—the grape and the soil. For wines to be truly expressive of the grapes and the ground, winemakers take a hands-off approach.
Indigenous yeasts are used, and fermentation is done in stainless steel or cement casks. Oak is not seen.
The most highly regarded wines are almost always 100 % of the varietal on the label. The natural acidity of the wines is never mollified by malolactic fermentation.
The lively acidity and fruitiness that defines Alsace wines makes them some of the best all-around partners for food. Chef Justin at the Hilton Harrisburg will prepare delicious food to go with these wines.
If Alsace had a national dish, it would be choucroute, a delicious mix of pork, sausage and potatoes braised in sauerkraut and Alsace wine. That should sound familiar to anyone who grew up in central Pennsylvania. Paté is also very popular in Alsace and we’ve suggested that. And of course there are the apple desserts. I for one can’t wait to try the food.
Let’s discuss the major grapes of Alsace. Riesling is Alsace’s most prestigious grape. Alsace Rieslings are palate-coating wines that lean towards gunflint steel and minerals drizzled with peaches and citrus. Tight and austere when young, the wines will begin to open up after 2-3 years in the bottle. With a decade or more they take on a ripe fruity richness as well as a viscosity and flavor often referred to as ‘petrolly’.
Gewürztraminer is one of those grapes that you love it or you hate it. This seems to be true with average quality Gewürztraminer. Great Gewürztraminer is a whole new animal. The first time you taste a really great one you just know.
Great Gewurztraminer doesn’t come from just any place. In fact, you won’t find it anywhere outside of Alsace where Gewürztraminer takes on a range of gripping flavors and a finesse and complexity not seen elsewhere. Here the wines have an enormous body and low acidity with flavors of litchi, vanilla, fruit cocktail syrup, smoke spice and honeysuckle.
In Alsace, Pinot Gris is not Pinot Gris from Oregon or Pinot Grigio from Italy. Both of these are somewhat lighter bodied and more flavor subtle.
In Alsace, Pinot Gris has the depth and richness of White Burgundy. Alsace Pinot Gris is a high impact wine with a full body and bold concentrated flavors of bitter almonds, peach, ginger, vanilla and smoke.
Muscat is thought to be one of the oldest varieties of grapes. Alsace is one of the few places where dry Muscat is made. In contrast think of Italy’s Piedmont where sweet sparkling Moscato d’Asti is common. Dry Muscat on the other hand is redolent of peaches, orange peel, tangerine and musk.
Pinot Blanc is Alsace’s chardonnay—dependable, easy to like, and safe. Top Alsace Pinot Blancs are tasty wines with baked apple flavors and a light and creamy texture. Pinot Blanc is frequently blended with Auxerrois however this may not be on the label.
We will taste younger wines, surveying all the major grapes of Alsace. We also obtained some older wines for you to try. When made by the best producers, three of the most important Alsace whites Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewürztraminer all age remarkably well. Alsace Rieslings have an amazing ability to become graceful and honeyed the older they get.
Only exceptional grapes can stand up to long term aging; twenty years or more. Riesling is the preeminent white grape in this regard, followed in no particular order by Chardonnay, Semillon, Pinot Gris, and Gewürztraminer.
In general, for a white wine to age, it must have an impeccable balance of fruit and alcohol; and, it helps if the wine has high acidity.
We are excited to present a 1994 Riesling, a 2011 Muscat, and a 2000 Pinot Gris; all from grand cru sites. Finally for the pièce de résistance we will be serving a 1989 Zind Humbrecht Clos St. Urbain SGN Tokay Pinot Gris. This is a rare botrytis-affected sweet wine that will be a once in a lifetime treat for every attendee.
This is a wine lovers’ event not to be missed! We will be at the Hilton Harrisburg Friday March 13th at 7 p.m. See you there! Reservation deadline is Tuesday, March 10th. Please contact the Treasurer for any food allergy concerns.
To make reservations, go to the Shoppe Page of this website.
Members—$140
Patrons—$135
Nonmembers—$160
