The vast majority of blended wines (wines made by blending two, three or more grape varieties to the winemaker’s personal style) are red. There are, however, a growing number of white Meritage wines being currently produced. The word “Meritage’ is a new wine term being applied to very select blended wines that meet quite specific standards.

Winemakers across the country are trying to dispel the erroneous notion that blended wines are somehow inferior, of poorer quality. Their efforts have won over many wine drinkers who heretofore always looked for the variety name on the label rather than what the winemaker chose to produce utilizing the best of both his skills and his wines.

The white Meritage wines must be made of a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle and no other grape varieties. As such, their number is limited, but outstanding wines of the white Meritage classification are to be found: namely, St. Supery Virtú (they also produce a magnificient red Meritage, Élu), Cosentino “The Novelist,” and Langtry Meritage White, to present just a few. These wines are among the best white wines made in the U.S., but have been long overlooked due to our bias of selecting wines that are labeled Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or other grape names.

But many wine makers have chosen to use grape varieties other than the three specified by the Meritage regulations and produce white wine blends just as interesting and also often overlooked because of their being blends. Notable among these is the extremely popular white wine blend produced by Caymus (known for outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon) called Conundrum. They won’t tell you what grape varieties they use in their blend; rather, stating on the back label that “the conundrum — or puzzle — of what the wine’s exact varietal composition is not revealed but meant to be explored and enjoyed.”

Even so, I’m reasonably sure that I detect some Chardonnay, some Sauvignon Blanc and a little Semillon, and I rather think by the aromatic nose that it has a touch of Muscat Canelli. But then as they say, it’s a conundrum! But very good!

Likewise, there are winemakers who choose not to be limited by the five specified varieties they can use in producing a red Meritage and have made some great wine blends utilizing other grape varieties. A few that would fall into that category are the St. Francis Claret (many wineries use the term Claret to describe a wine reminiscent of Bordeaux, which is what it’s called in Britain), Francis Coppola Black Label Claret, Hess Collection Mountain Cuvée, Franciscan Magnificat, Beaulieu Napa Tapestry, Blackstone Sonoma Rubric and many others.

There are even now on the market some outstanding economical wines that are blends in the tradition of the old-world styled wines but often far more interesting than the individual varietal label in the same price range. Wines like Ménage á Trois (group of three) both red and white blends, Bonny Doon Big House Red or White, and Red Truck or White Truck. These wines are all in the $10 price range and are always in the Best Buy listings. So, stop thinking that blends are inferior to varietal bottlings; they’re just different, and something the winemakers have put together for a new taste, a new approach to enjoying wines.

Dave Ethridge is a nationally known wine writer, certified wine judge and the Director of the Lapeer Chapter of Tasters Guild International.

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