Bring 450 ml (2 cups) of Merlot (or any other fruity red wine) and 75 ml (1/3 cup) of sugar to a simmer. Peel and core (a melon spoon can be handy here) three ripe but firm pears (Bosc, Bartlett or Anjou), preserving the stem. Carefully place them in the liquid. Cover and poach the fruit on low heat for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the pears. Remove the pears from the liquid. Bring the liquid to a quick boil until syrup forms (about 10 minutes).
To serve, warm the pears in the syrup, place them in serving dishes and pour a little syrup over them.