Merlot [mehr-LOH; mer-LOH] | Wine Terms

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Merlot
[mehr-LOH; mer-LOH]

Though commonly referrred to as simply Merlot, this red-wine grape is really Merlot Noir (there’s also a MERLOT BLANC variety). Merlot is the primary grape in SAINT-ÉMILION and POMEROL and one of two primaries (the other being CABERNET SAUVIGNON) of BORDEAUX. Merlot acreage in the DÉPARTEMENT of GIRONDE, which encompasses most of Bordeaux, is almost twice that of Cabernet Sauvignon. However, Merlot has never been as highly regarded as Cabernet Sauvignon, which dominates in the MÉDOC and GRAVES— growing areas that produce wines traditionally viewed as Bordeaux’s most important. Much of the wine world views Merlot as simply a grape to be blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or CABERNET FRANC. Still, Merlot can produce great wines like those of Pomerol’s Château Pétrus, which makes one of the world’s most expensive red wines, most of which are 100 percent Merlot. Merlot is also widely planted in other areas of France. Growers in the LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON region, for instance, are being encouraged to plant this grape to improve the vast quantities of wine produced there. Merlot is grown extensively throughout the world but has developed a tarnished reputation from overproduction in areas like northeastern Italy. It’s an extremely important grape in Italy’s FRIULI-VENEZIA GIULIA and VENETO regions, which produce some great Merlots. This grape is widely grown in eastern Europe with sizable plantings in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania. Australians have been slow to adopt Merlot because their dominate grape SHIRAZ is often used for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon. In California and Washington, Merlot was initially planted as a blending grape, but in the late 1970s it began to stand on its own as a variety and has been continually gaining popularity. California Merlot acreage has continued to increase, as have the number of wineries producing Merlot VARIETAL wines. This state’s Merlot plantings have grown from several thousand acres in the mid-1980s to almost 50,000 acres by the end of the twentieth century. California’s Duckhorn Vineyards, generally regarded as a leading producer of quality Merlot wines, has been producing them since the late 1970s. In French, the word Merlot means “young blackbird,” probably alluding to the grape’s beautiful dark-blue color. Compared to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot grapes ripen fairly early and have lower TANNINS and higher sugar levels. They produce wines that are generally SOFTER and with slightly higher ALCOHOL content. High-quality Merlot wines are medium to dark red in color, rich, and FRUITY, with characteristics of BLACKCURRANT, CHERRY, and MINT. Merlot wines are ROUNDER and more SUPPLE than Cabernet Sauvignons and usually can be enjoyed much earlier. Generally, Merlot wines do not AGE as long as Cabernet Sauvignons. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc is often blended with Merlot grapes to give the wine a bit more STRUCTURE. Merlot is also called Bigney, Crabutet, Médoc Noir, and Merlau.

Related Links: Aquileia DOC, Lodi AVA, Saint-Georges-Saint-É, Umbria

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