Grapes · Red grape

Merlot

Cabernet's softer partner. Merlot ripens earlier and gives plush, rounded wines with plum and chocolate notes. It dominates Bordeaux's Right Bank (Pomerol, Saint-Émilion).

On the nose

Young wines (primary aromas)

  • plum
  • black cherry
  • raspberry
  • blackberry
  • bay leaf

Oak & winemaking (secondary)

  • vanilla
  • chocolate / cocoa
  • clove
  • coconut

With bottle age (tertiary)

  • fruitcake
  • truffle
  • leather
  • cedar
  • forest floor

On the palate

Dry and smooth with medium to high tannins that feel softer and rounder than Cabernet's, medium acidity, juicy plum fruit and a velvety texture.

Tasting tip

Velvet rather than sandpaper: if the tannins are present but smooth and the fruit says ‘plum’, think Merlot.

Often confused with

Cabernet Sauvignon (firmer tannin, cassis), Malbec (more floral, violet), Carmenère (greener, spicier).

Where it grows

  • France — Bordeaux Right Bank (Pomerol, Saint-Émilion)
  • Italy — Tuscany, Friuli
  • USA — Napa, Washington State
  • Chile — Colchagua
  • New Zealand — Hawke's Bay