Meritage is a word used to distinguish wines that are made in the style of Bordeaux but without infringing on that region's legally protected appellation. Winemakers must license the right to use the trademark "Meritage" for their wines from The Meritage Association.

History

The Meritage Association was formed in 1988 by a small group of Napa Valley, California vintners: Agustin Huneeus (then of Franciscan Winery, now of Quintessa Winery), Mitch Cosentino (Cosentino Winery), and Julie Garvey (Flora Springs Winery). These vintners, among others, were becoming increasingly frustrated by U.S. BATF regulations stipulating that a wine must contain at least 75% of a specific grape to be designated as that varietal on the label. As interest grew in creating blended Bordeaux-style wines, the members sought to create a recognizable name associated with high-quality blended wines, instead of merely labelling them as "Red Table Wine" (or "White Table Wine") or giving them proprietary names unique to the winery.

In 1988, the association hosted a contest to conceive of a name for these wines. They received over 6,000 submissions. Neil Edgar of Newark, California (subsequently relocated to Sacramento) won by suggesting Meritage—a combination of the words merit and heritage (and which rhymes with the latter.). As a reward for winning this contest, Mr. Edgar was awarded two bottles of the first ten vintages of every wine licensed to use the Meritage brand.

By 1999 The Meritage Association had grown to 22 members. They decided to shift the focus from policing their trademark to education and marketing. This resulted in swift growth for the association, which included over 100 members by 2003, including their first international members.

Red wine from Bordeaux is made with certain grape varieties, principally Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. A red Meritage must be made from at least two of these grapes (or the less well known St. Macaire, Gros Verdot, and Carmenere), and no single varietal may comprise more than 90% of the blend.

White Meritage bears the same relationship to white Bordeaux as its red counterpart. It is a blend of at least two of the grapes Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Sauvignon Vert.