2006 South Coast Winery Meritage

 "Meritage," pronounced like "heritage," was selected from more than 6,000 entries in an international contest to name a new wine category. This category embodied the style of French Bordeaux wines, both red and white, while reflecting the styles that were coming out of California and other parts of North America. Meritage was an invented word that combines "merit" and "heritage" ---reflecting the spirit of members of The Meritage Association. While many wineries prefer to use proprietary names rather than Meritage, it is easy to obtain a license and use the term Meritage. The problem with proprietary names, is that people still must be educated as to what an “Opus” or “Tesoro” or “Insignia” actually is, while many people have begun to understand what it means to be a Meritage.

To qualify, a wine must meet the following criteria:
A red Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot, and Carmenere. No single variety may make up more than 90 percent of the blend.