Editing Merlot (section)

=== France ===
[[File:Petrus01-MHD.jpg|left|thumb|Vineyards and winery exterior of Château Pétrus]]
Merlot is the most commonly grown grape variety in France.<ref name="Wine Grapes" /> In 2004, total French plantations stood at {{convert|115000|ha|acre}}.<ref>[http://www.bkwine.com/bkwine_brief/brief-035-e.htm BKWine Brief nr 35, May 2006: France’s most planted grape varieties]</ref> By 2017, that number had dropped slightly to {{convert|112,000|ha|acre}}.<ref name="OIV-2017">{{cite web |title=FOCUS OIV 2017: Distribution of the world's grapevine varieties |url=https://www.oiv.int/public/medias/5888/en-distribution-of-the-worlds-grapevine-varieties.pdf |website=OIV.int |publisher=OIV - International organization of vine and wine |access-date=8 April 2022 |page=22 }}</ref> It is most prominent in [[Southwest France (wine)|Southwest France]] in regions like [[Bordeaux (wine)|Bordeaux]], [[Bergerac AOC|Bergerac]], and [[Cahors]], where it is often blended with Malbec. The largest recent increase in Merlot plantations has occurred in the south of France, such as [[Languedoc wine|Languedoc-Roussillon]], where it is often made under the designation of ''[[Vin de Pays]]'' wine.<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143" /> Here, Merlot accounted for {{convert|29,914|ha|acres}}, more than doubling the {{convert|11,000|ha|acres}} devoted to Cabernet Sauvignon in the Languedoc.<ref name="Wine Grapes" />

In the traditional Bordeaux blend, Merlot's role is to add body and softness. Despite accounting for 50-60% of overall plantings in [[Bordeaux]], the grape tends to account for an average of 25% of the blends—especially in the [[Bordeaux wine regions]] of [[Graves (wine region)|Graves]] and [[Médoc]]. Of these Left Bank regions, the commune of [[Saint-Estèphe, Gironde|St-Estephe]] uses the highest percentage of Merlot in the blends.<ref name="Goldstein pg 148-152" /> However, Merlot is much more prominent on the Right Bank of the [[Gironde]] in the regions of [[Pomerol]] and [[Saint-Émilion AOC|Saint-Émilion]], where it will commonly comprise the majority of the blend. One of the most famous and rare wines in the world, [[Château Pétrus]], is almost all Merlot. In Pomerol, where Merlot usually accounts for around 80% of the blend, the [[iron]]-[[clay]] soils of the region give Merlot more of a tannic backbone than what is found in other Bordeaux regions. It was in Pomerol that the ''[[garagistes]]'' movement began with small-scale production of highly sought after Merlot-based wines. In the [[sand]]y, clay-[[limestone]]-based soils of [[Saint-Émilion]], Merlot accounts for around 60% of the blend and is usually blended with Cabernet Franc. In limestone, Merlot tends to develop more perfume notes while in sandy soils the wines are generally softer than Merlot grown in clay dominant soils.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133" /> Merlot can also be found in significant quantities in [[Provence (wine)|Provence]], [[Loire Valley (wine)|Loire Valley]], [[Savoie (wine)|Savoie]], [[Ardèche]], [[Charente]], [[Corrèze]], [[Drôme]], [[Isère]] and [[Vienne, Isère|Vienne]].<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133" />

[[File:Chateau Kirwan Merlot grapes being sorted.jpg|right|thumb|Berries of Merlot being sorted at Chateau Kirwan in a process that removes shot berries and [[MOG (wine)|MOG]].]]