06/30/08 Claret

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and today we are answering a question from the email. Recently a listener wrote inquiring, "What is a wine that is called claret? I thought it was a French wine." We have not discussed the term Claret on this program for quite some time. Originally, from about the twelfth century the term claret referred to a wine from the area of Bordeaux in France. It was a pale wine, actually the result of blending red and white wines together. Taking its' name from the French term meaning a wine that was clear light and bright. As time went by the British used it almost exclusively to describe any Bordeaux and considered it high praise for a wine. However, the term seems to have evolved to describe a Bordeaux style blend of grapes. I know of several made here in my home state of Washington. As in California, it is focused, I believe, on marketing the wines and an effort to separate the wines from the pack rather than to really define a specific characteristic or style. Like the term Meritage which identifies a commitment to high quality Bordeaux variety blends. That is not an altogether negative approach as it does create interest and the wines I have tried have been very good. Who knows maybe there is something to a name? Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.