
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 Sauvignon722
- Pinot Noir683
- Bordeaux Red Blends595
- Other Red Blends340
- Tempranillo210
- Rhône Blends175
- Syrah/Shiraz150
- Sangiovese146
- Malbec146
- Merlot128
- Zinfandel101
- Nebbiolo82
- Grenache61
- Cabernet Franc54
- Gamay38
- Tuscan Blends36
- Barbera28
- Petite Sirah26
- Carmenere20
- Other Red Wine19
- Montepulciano15
- Mourvedre15
- Carignan12
- Mencia12
- Nero d'Avola11
- Dolcetto10
- Pinotage9
- Aglianico8
- Primitivo7
- Nerello Mascalese7
- Agiorgitiko5
- Bonarda4
- Corvina4
- Cinsault3
- Negroamaro3
- Tannat3
- Touriga Nacional2
- Frappato2
- Sagrantino2
- Zweigelt2
- Petit Verdot1
- Valdiguie1
- Alicante Bouschet1
- Blaufrankisch1
- Freisa1
- Gaglioppo1
- Grignolino1
- Refosco1
- St. Laurent1
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Chateau La Bastienne Montagne-St.-Emilion 2016Merlot from Bordeaux, France
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Decoy Merlot 2019Merlot from Sonoma County, California
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Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot 2019Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Markham Merlot 2018Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Apothic Merlot 2019Merlot from California
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J. Lohr Estates Los Osos Merlot 2019Merlot from Paso Robles, Central Coast, California
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Hestan Vineyards Stephanie Merlot 2017Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Charles Smith Wines Velvet Devil Merlot 2019Merlot from Washington
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Wild Horse Merlot 2018Merlot from Central Coast, California
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Emmolo Merlot 2019Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Bonterra Organically Grown Merlot 2020Merlot from California
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Seavey Merlot 2014Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard Merlot 2017Merlot from Columbia Valley, Washington
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Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Merlot 2015Merlot from Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley, Chile
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Rutherford Hill Merlot 2019Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Columbia Crest H3 Merlot 2018Merlot from Columbia Valley, Washington
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Josh Cellars Merlot 2020Merlot from California
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Long Meadow Ranch Merlot 2016Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Hourglass Blueline Vineyard Merlot 2019Merlot from Napa Valley, California
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Boomtown by Dusted Valley Merlot 2019Merlot from Washington
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La Jota Howell Mountain Merlot 2017Merlot from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California
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Clos Pegase Mitsuko's Vineyard Merlot 2018Merlot from Carneros, California
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Castiglion del Bosco Dainero 2019Merlot from Tuscany, Italy
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Pepperwood Grove MerlotMerlot from Chile
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St. Francis Merlot 2018Merlot from Sonoma County, California
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