Merlot is a red grape that produces medium bodied red wine. Perhaps the most famous way in which merlot is utilized is in the mixing of Bordeaux Blend wines. These wines are most commonly a mixture of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and merlot. However, in recent years merlot has come to be recognized on it’s own as one of the most popular and easy to drink wines in the world.
The new fitness trend of drinking red wine for heart healthfulness is what has spurred on the popularization of merlot. Since it can be sweet or dry to satisfy all tastes it is easy to drink and sell. And of course it would not be hard to sell medicine that tastes as good as merlot.
Today most merlot is grown in France, California, Italy, and Australia. In Europe the flavor of merlot is tannic, succulent, and silky. There are often aromas of smoke and tobacco. These blends are complex but that is because they represent multiple varietals in one bottle. And depending on what grapes are used the flavors can dramatically differ.
The new world merlots are fruitier and often sweeter. Flavors of raspberries, strawberries, and plums dominate. The fruitier blends are definitely the more popular flavor in the USA. Many Californian winemakers believe that mouth feel and texture are just as important as the flavor when making merlots. Some producers rely on adding sugar to the wine to make it feel more luxurious and to add the ”legs” to the wine.
In France it would be great to try some of the more merlot dominated Bordeaux blends. These blends use merlot more than the other blends which gives the wine a more milder flavor, but it still has traces of the strong and tannic friend, cabernet sauvignon. Some producers to look for in this area are Monbosquet, la Fleur-Petrus, and Trotanoy.
Some of the most popular brands in the new world are Yellow Tail and Franzia, but these wines are not of quality. For similar fruitiness but at a much higher quality level try these Australian or Californian wines. In Australia try producers like Petaluma, Brand’s, or Parker Coonawarra Estate. As for California, Beringer produces some great wines at budget prices as well as Ferarri-Carano, and Lenz (out of New York).
About the author:
- Rachael Daylong
- Food and Wine Journalist
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