
Merlot
Learn about Merlot — taste profile, popular regions and more ...
An easy-going red variety with generous fruit and a supple texture, Merlot can be made into a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the best wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol where it is blended with Cabernet Franc. On the Left Bank in the Medoc, it plays a supporting role to Cabernet Sauvignon—in both cases resulting in some of the longest-lived and highest-quality wines in the world. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly from California’s Napa Valley.
Tasting Notes for Merlot
Merlot is a dry, red wine known for its soft, silky texture and approachable flavors of ripe plum, red and black cherry and raspberry. From cool climates, Merlot wines will express earthy and herbal notes, while Merlot from warmer regions is generally more straightforward and fruit-focused.
Perfect Food Pairings for Merlot
Lamb with Merlot is an ideal match—the sweetness of the meat picks up on the sweet fruit flavors of the wine to create a harmonious balance. Merlot’s gentle tannins allow for a hint of spice and its medium weight and bright acidity are a hit with pizza or pasta with red sauce—overall, an extremely versatile food wine.
Sommelier Secrets for Merlot
Since the release of the 2004 film Sideways, Merlot's repuation has taken a big hit, and more than a decade later has yet to fully recover, though it is on its way. What many viewers didn't realize was that as much as Miles derided the variety, the prized wine of his collection—a 1961 Château Cheval Blanc—is made from a blend of Merlot with Cabernet Franc.
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Ornellaia Masseto 2006Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana 2017Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Keenan Mailbox Vineyard Spring Mountain Reserve Merlot 2016Merlot from Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley, California
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Ornellaia Masseto 1997Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Le Macchiole Messorio 2013Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana 2015Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Le Macchiole Messorio 2012Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana 2014Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Mt. Brave Merlot 2015Merlot from Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley, California
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Le Macchiole Messorio 2015Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Castello di Ama L'Apparita 2013Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Switchback Ridge Peterson Family Vineyard Merlot 2012Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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The Vice Mount Veeder Merlot 2017Merlot from Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley, California
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Kapcsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard Roberta's Reserve 2008Merlot from Yountville, Napa Valley, California
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Kapcsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard Roberta's Reserve 2015Merlot from Yountville, Napa Valley, California
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Kapcsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard Roberta's Reserve 2013Merlot from Yountville, Napa Valley, California
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Le Macchiole Messorio 2014Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Chateau La Fleur de Gay 2009Merlot from Pomerol, Bordeaux, France
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Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana 2016Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Castello di Ama L'Apparita 2014Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Castello di Ama L'Apparita 2009Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Le Macchiole Messorio 2016Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Ornellaia Masseto 1999Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Castello di Ama L'Apparita 2008Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Castello di Ama L'Apparita 2011Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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