
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 reputation has taken a big hit, and more than a decade later has yet to fully recover, though it is on its way. What most 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.
- Cabernet Sauvignon829
- Pinot Noir501
- Syrah/Shiraz450
- Other Red Blends411
- Merlot403
- Bordeaux Red Blends384
- Sangiovese260
- Zinfandel208
- Rhône Blends200
- Tempranillo183
- Nebbiolo164
- Barbera48
- Other Red Wine45
- Grenache40
- Petite Sirah38
- Tuscan Blends34
- Cabernet Franc31
- Gamay30
- Malbec25
- Mourvedre14
- Montepulciano12
- Pinotage11
- Aglianico9
- Carmenere9
- Dolcetto8
- Negroamaro6
- Nero d'Avola6
- Primitivo6
- Bonarda3
- Carignan2
- Corvina2
- Petit Verdot2
- Valdiguie2
- Gaglioppo2
- Pinot Meunier1
- Agiorgitiko1
- Alicante Bouschet1
- Bobal1
- Mencia1
- Sagrantino1
- Teroldego1
- Xinomavro1
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Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot 2001Merlot from North Coast, California
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St. Francis Behler Vineyard Reserve Merlot 2001Merlot from Sonoma County, California
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Dynamite Vineyards Dynamite Merlot (1.5 Liter) 2001Merlot from North Coast, California
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Camelot Merlot 2001Merlot from Central Coast, California
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Rutini Merlot 2001Merlot from Argentina
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Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Merlot 2001Merlot from Chile
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Lindeman’s Bin Series Bin 40 Merlot 2001Merlot from Australia
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Cartlidge & Browne Merlot 2001Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Yellow Tail Merlot 2001Merlot from Australia
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Yangarra Estate Vineyard Appellation Series Merlot 2001Merlot from McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia
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Oxford Landing Merlot 2001Merlot from South Australia, Australia
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Walla Walla Vintners Merlot 2001Merlot from Walla Walla Valley, Columbia Valley, Washington
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Falesco Montiano 2001Merlot from Italy
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Alfasi Merlot (OU Kosher) 2001Merlot from Chile
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Charles Krug Napa Valley Merlot 2001Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Pepperwood Grove Merlot 2001Merlot from California
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Rutherford Hill Merlot 2001Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Zenato Merlot 2001Merlot from Veneto, Italy
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Wolffer La Ferme Martin Merlot 2001Merlot from New York, Other U.S.
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Brown Brothers Patricia Reserve Merlot 2001Merlot from Australia
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Clos du Bois Merlot 2001Merlot from Sonoma County, California
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Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Merlot 2001Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Stags' Leap Winery Estate Reserve Merlot 2001Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Shafer Napa Valley Merlot 2001Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Woodward Canyon Columbia Valley Merlot 2001Merlot from Columbia Valley, Washington
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