10 Essential Facts on Merlot

“First is the worst, second is the best.” At least that’s what Merlot fans might chant, rallying for the too often overlooked grape. Merlot is the world’s 2nd most planted grape variety, but its reputation lies much in the shadows of the world’s 1st, Cabernet Sauvignon . At its best, a great Merlot can challenge any top Cabernet. The esteemed Château Pétrus is made entirely from the grape and averages upwards of $3,000 a bottle. Get to know Merlot, one of the wine world’s most unsung heroes, in ten essential facts. 1. According to the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation, Merlot is the 2nd most planted grape in the world, trailing only Cabernet Sauvignon. Its vines can be found growing in almost every wine producing country from France to Malta to Mexico. Even Bolivia has 74 acres dedicated to the grape. 2. Genetic testing has revealed Cabernet Franc to be the father of Merlot, and the esoteric Magdeleine Noire des Charentes to be its mother. This makes Merlot a half-sibling to its famous blending partner, Cabernet Sauvignon, itself the progeny of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc . 3. Translated from French, “Merlot” means “little blackbird.” Scholars hypothesize the name derives from the small dark birds of southern France who enjoy eating Merlot’s berries. 4. Cabernet Sauvignon may be the world’s most planted grape, but Merlot is the most grown variety in France. It achieves its highest expression on Bordeaux’s Right Bank in the communes of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion , where it is traditionally blended with Cabernet Franc. If a wine is described as a “Right Bank”–style, it’s most often a combination of these two grapes. 5. On Bordeaux’s Left Bank, Merlot plays a critical supporting role in the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blends. There, it acts as somewhat of an “insurance policy,” ripening earlier and more fully in cooler vintages when Cabernet Sauvignon cannot. In a blind tasting, the two grapes are very easy to confuse. Generally, Merlot is identifiable for its more accessible, velvety tannic structure and juicier fruit flavors. 6. Next door, Merlot has proven to be one of the most successful French varieties to cross over onto Italian soils. In Friuli , producers such as Borgo del Tiglio and Merlot achieve wonders with the grape, while in Tuscany wines such Masseto and Castello di Ama’s L’Apparita garner cult status. 7. Merlot was the 5th most harvested grape in California in 2017, according to the Department of Food and Agriculture. While often outshined in the Golden State by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot thrives in the same regions – the Napa Valley , Sonoma’s Alexander Valley , the Santa Cruz Mountains . If you love a California winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon, then pick up a bottle of their Merlot. It’s often utterly delicious and a fraction of the price. 8. “I am not drinking any f***ing Merlot,” Paul Giamatti’s character Miles famously screams in the 2004 movie “Sideways.” Many attribute those seven words to the demise of Merlot’s popularity in California in the mid-2000s. A documentary called “Merlove” was even made in response to help repair the grape’s reputation. The great irony? The Pinot-philic Miles’ most prized position is a bottle of 1961 Château Cheval Blanc – a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc from Saint-Émilion. 9. Outside of California, Merlot is critical to the Washington wine industry, the second most cultivated grape after Cabernet Sauvignon. While traditionally used here in blends, a number of the state’s most pedigreed producers – Leonetti, De Lille, Quilceda Creek – offer stunning varietal Merlots. Merlot is also successfully harvested on New York’s Long Island , and is Virginia’s second most planted red. 10. What is “White Merlot”? In the late 1990s a handful of wineries tried to replicate the success of White Zinfandel – a sweet, simple blush-style wine made from the red Zinfandel grape – with Merlot. In 1998, Sutter Home, the inventor of White Zin, vinified 3.6 million bottles of White Merlot. Confusingly, White Merlot should not be mistaken for Merlot Blanc – a separate grape variety that is a cross of Merlot and Folle Blanche. — Bryce Wiatrak Have you enjoyed a bottle of Merlot lately? We can’t wait to see what’s in your glass! Scan the label or search by name to add your tasting notes on Delectable.