WHAT IS MERITAGE?- 'Meritage,' pronounced like 'heritage,' was selected from more than 6,000 entries in an international contest to name a new wine category. Most American wines are labeled after the grape variety that comprises at least 75% of that wine. A label with 'Cabernet Sauvignon' indicates that the wine is comprised of 75% or more of the grape variety Cabernet Sauvignon. Many winemakers, however, believed the varietal requirement did not necessarily result in the highest quality wine from their vineyards. 'Meritage' was coined to identify wines that represent the highest form of the winemaker's art, blending, and distinguish these wines from the more generic moniker 'red table wine.' To obtain a license and use the term Meritage 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. A white Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert. No single variety may make up more than 90 percent of the blend .