Merlot

Among the most prolific of wine grapes, Merlot is grown in many regions, including Southwestern France (mostly Bordeaux), Northern California (Napa and Sonoma), Chile and Australia. It’s unique in that it’s equally used in red wine blends as well as single varietal wines where Merlot is the only grape.

Characteristics on the palate include plum and vegetal notes, with red fruit accents often resembling raspberries. Merlot is considered a varietal in Bordeaux, blending with Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec.

Merlot is the third most widely planted grape worldwide, with an estimated 640,000 acres planted. Comparatively, Cabernet Sauvignon vines clock in at around 650,000 acres around the globe. University of California-Davis researchers discovered in the late 1990s that Merlot is an offspring or sibling of several other red wine grapes, including Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, and Malbec.

Quick Facts

• In the 2014 Premiere Napa Valley Auction, which raised a record-breaking $6 million, two of the entries were Merlot (the majority were Cabernet Sauvignon)
• Merlot is named for a black bird common to Médoc, France, in the early 1800s called "Merlau"
• Château Petrus is among the famed wineries in Bordeaux, France that grows Merlot and makes award-winning wines that are highly sought after at auction