Merlot
This Red wine grape is used as both a blending grape and varietal itself. In the traditional Bordeaux blend, its role is to add body and softness. Medium to full body with consistent notes of berry, plum and currant; paired well with grilled and charred hearty meats.
Merlot remains one of the world’s signature varietals. France’s Bordeaux wine region wouldn’t be much without merlot, where it remains the area’s most widely planted grape and key red varietal along with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec.
It’s tough to pinpoint exactly why merlot’s popularity has decreased. But like pinot noir, merlot was once a grape in the spotlight, and it’s tricky to sustain large growth over an extended time period. No matter which wine remains in vogue, merlot offers an easy gateway to the world of fermented grapes. It’s much smoother around the edges and less puckery than, say, young cabernet sauvignon. Bottles of merlot don’t require extensive cellaring, like many top-flight cabernet sauvignon wines need, to reveal their complex flavors. Merlot’s simply an easy wine to drink for all those wine consumers who wants to stay away from wines that are dry and heavy in tannins.
