| Merlot, or more properly Merlot Noir (as there is a | | | | laid down in a cellar to soften unlike the harsher |
| Merlot Blanc) is fast becoming one of the most | | | | wines. This is what makes it attractive to many |
| sought after red wine varieties, thanks to | | | | wine drinkers who like to buy a wine and drink it |
| Bordeaux's Pomerol and Saint-Emilion wines. It has | | | | immediately, rather than lay it down for several |
| an almost cult status in California, where more | | | | years. We are not as patient as our forebears - |
| concentrated Bordeaux-style wines are produced. | | | | or maybe we can't afford to wait! |
| It is also on the increase in Australia, New Zealand | | | | In order to avoid the main drawback of |
| Chile and even South Africa. | | | | excessive yields, Merlot needs a relatively cool |
| Merlot is the most commonly grown grape | | | | microclimate. It is now grown in nearly all wine |
| variety in France, and is one of the most widely | | | | growing countries and is particularly successful in |
| planted in Bordeaux. It is a grape variety that has | | | | California, Chile and Northern Italy. |
| been on a massive expansion drive throughout | | | | What food pairs well with Merlot? |
| the world in the past ten years. Merlot wines can | | | | The slightly harsher Merlots with more intense |
| be described as being smooth and rich with forest | | | | flavours pair well with grilled and charred meats - |
| fruit aromas and flavours of plums, blackcurrants | | | | something like 'Grilled Leg of Lamb with Rosemary |
| and damsons. | | | | and Garlic' would be good. The softer, fruitier |
| What makes Merlot so special? | | | | Merlots from cooler climate regions go well with |
| - It is adaptable to most soils and can withstand | | | | salmon or mushroom based dishes or even one |
| damp, clayey soils much better than Cabernet | | | | like 'Spiced Duck Breasts'. At the other end of the |
| Sauvignon. | | | | scale, the softer, lighter bodied Merlots pair well |
| - In the vineyard it buds and flowers early | | | | with shellfish like prawns or scallops wrapped in |
| resulting in an earlier harvest. | | | | bacon or even straight forward macaroni cheese. |
| - It is a moderately vigorous high yielding grape | | | | More about Merlot |
| variety that requires quite a lot of summer | | | | A wine buyer describing what the success of |
| pruning. This is good from the winegrowers point | | | | Merlot was down to said, |
| of view, but not necessarily in the eyes of the | | | | "It exactly matches the popular modern drinking |
| wine drinkers. Higher yields usually mean lower | | | | style, because it makes wines that have sweet, |
| quality. So it is important to pick the grapes at | | | | ripe fruit and are nice and smooth." |
| optimum ripeness otherwise varietal | | | | Jancis Robinson from 'The Oxford Companion to |
| characteristics will be lost. Sensible winegrowers | | | | Wine, 3rd Edition' says, |
| will control yields to gain extra quality. | | | | "Merlot is now so popular worldwide that it |
| - It responds to barrel oak ageing very well. | | | | competes only with Cabernet Sauvignon as the |
| When the wine has been in oak for some time | | | | most planted dark-skinned grape variety overall." |
| notes of caramel, chocolate, coffee bean and | | | | One of Bordeaux's most famous wines, |
| vanilla will show. | | | | Château Petrus, whose prices nearly always |
| - It is a very fruity wine with a good body and | | | | exceed £500 a bottle, is almost exclusively |
| lower tannins, ideal for a single varietal wine. It | | | | made from Merlot. |
| also has great alluring characteristics for blending | | | | The ideal serving temperature for Merlot is |
| with more tannic wines. So the softness from the | | | | 63°F / 17°C. |
| Merlot helps to make a complex blend with the | | | | Merlot is very much an all round wine and with |
| harshness of the Cabernet Sauvignon. | | | | world vineyard plantings on the increase, we are |
| - Merlot matures in the bottle earlier than | | | | going to see a lot more from this versatile grape |
| Cabernet Sauvignon, so it does not need to be | | | | variety. |