Merlot

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. Merlot used to one of the most well-liked wines in America. And in some places it still is. So let’s dedicate today’s program to learning a little bit about Merlot.

In many parts of the world Merlot is used by itself to make wine. It very often makes a scented, somewhat soft and fruity wine. It is those soft supple characteristics that make Merlot a great wine to blend with Cabernet Sauvignon; because it softens the more assertive characteristics of the Cabernet. Since Merlot lacks early tannic harshness, blending it allows the Cabernet Sauvignon to develop faster and shortens the necessary aging time. Provided Merlot vines are planted in a place that allows slow ripening and the acid levels are kept up the wines are very good. Merlot is one of the prominent grape varieties in the Bordeaux region of France. California Merlot can be much denser than most attempts outside of the French Bordeaux region. And another great area particularly well suited for planting Merlot with its long warm days and cool nights is the Columbia basin of Washington state. The wines have considerable substance and provide a reasonably serious red wine, which can be a pleasant alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon. I find that in general I enjoy Merlot with foods such as roasted poultry, dishes with lots of beans involved in them and hearty cheeses. As you can tell the Merlot grape is made into many different styles of wines. I recommend trying Merlot from different regions of the world, just to see which style you prefer. Thanks for joining me on today’s Vine to Wine.