Merlot (France)
Merlot is a red wine grape from Bordeaux in France.
New to red wine? Start with Merlot!
Typical Flavors
 Raspberry |
 Black Cherry |
 Plum |
 Blackberry |
 Blueberry |
 Violets |
 Herbs |
 Pepper |
Oak added Flavors:
 Vanilla |
 Coffee |
 Chocolate |
 Tobacco |
Raspberry, Black Cherry, Plum, Tobacco and Vanilla are typical Merlot flavors.
Profile
Merlot is a medium wine with medium tannins and acidity:
| BODY | Medium - Plus | ||
| TANNINS | Medium | ||
| FRUIT | Medium | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium - Plus | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Finger Food |
 Pizza |
 Hamburger |
 Ham |
 Casseroles |
 Pasta |
 Mushroom |
 Chicken |
 Rabbit |
 Pork |
 Lamb |
 Veal |
Merlot goes well with a wide variety of food.
Sipped alone is a wonderful meditation wine.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
French Cuisine. Italian Dishes (Tomato Based).
Pizza. Baked Pasta. Lasagna.
Spaghetti Meatballs. Hamburger.
Fried or Grilled Mushrooms.
Casseroles. Beef Stew.
Veal Chops. Wiener Schnitzel.
Meatloaf. Beef Wellington.
BBQ. Chicken. Pork. Rabbit.
Roasted Lamb. Lamb Chops. Lamb Shank.
Red Meat Dishes.
Cheese:
Aged Cheese. Cheddar. Gouda. Pecorino.
If You Like Merlot
You Might Also Like:
The Ideal Glass
The Bordeaux glass is perfect for medium to full bodied red wines.
It is taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.
The large size of the glass allows the fruit bouquet to develop. It smooths out rough edges, plays down tannins, and allows the wines to achieve balance.
The slimmer bowl sends the wine directly to the back of the mouth for maximum taste.
About Merlot
Merlot is the second most planted grape in the world.
Merlot is one of the primary grapes used in both "Bordeaux Right Bank" and "Bordeaux Left Bank" blends, along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
Merlot adds softness and mouth-watering fruit creating the perfect marriage with the more masculine grape Cabernet Sauvignon. The name Merlot derives from French "Merle" (Blackbird) for its dark color.
100% Merlot wines exist and they are some of the world´s most expensive wines such Chateau Petrus (Pomerol, Bordeaux) or Ornellaia (Bolgheri, Tuscany).
Merlot is known to be easy to drink, both alone and with food and therefor a perfect introduction to redwine for the newcomers.
Merlot in France
The best Merlots are produced in Pomerol in Bordeaux, where the soil makes wines with more flavor and complexity than usual. The neighboring area of Saint Émilion uses more Cabernet Franc in the mix, and lighter wines are made here than in Pomerol.
The river Gironde splits the area in the famous Left Bank (Southwest) and the Right Bank (Northeast), where two very different famous blends are produced.
On the Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon is the primary grape, on the Right Bank, Merlot is the primary grape.
Bordeaux Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
Pessac Léognan
Entre-Deux-Mers
Sémillon
Sweet Wines
Sauternes (Sweet)