Editing Merlot

{{Short description|Wine grape variety}}
{{Other uses}}
{{redirect|Merleau|the Canadian merchant and politician|Joseph-Barthélemi Merleau|the French philosopher|Maurice Merleau-Ponty}}
{{Infobox grape variety
| name         = Merlot
| image        = Merlot.jpg
| caption      = Merlot grapes on the vine
| color        = Noir
| color_alt    = Black
| also_called  = Picard, Langon
| regions      = [[Bordeaux (wine)|Bordeaux]], [[Long Island AVA|Long Island]], [[Napa Valley (wine)|Napa Valley]], [[Sonoma County (wine)|Sonoma County]], [[Central Valley (Chilean wine region)|Chilean Central Valley]], [[Romanian wine|Romania]], [[Australia (wine)|Australia]], and [[Hungarian wine|Hungary]]
| wines        = South Africa, [[Saint-Émilion AOC|Saint-Émilion]], [[Pomerol]]
| soil         = Clay
| wine_general = Medium tannins
| wine_cool    = Strawberry, red berry, plum, cedar, tobacco
| wine_medium  = Blackberry, black plum, black cherry
| wine_hot     = Fruitcake, chocolate
}}

'''Merlot''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɜr|l|oʊ}} {{Respell|MUR|loh}}) is a dark-blue-colored [[wine]] [[grape variety]] that is used as both a [[Blending (alcohol production)|blending]] grape and for [[varietal]] wines. The name ''Merlot'' is thought to be a [[diminutive]] of {{lang|fr|merle}}, the [[French language|French]] name for the [[Common Blackbird|blackbird]], probably a reference to the color of the grape. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its [[earlier ripening (wine)|earlier ripening]], make Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening [[Cabernet Sauvignon]], which tends to be higher in [[grape tannins|tannin]].<ref name="Wine Grapes">{{cite book|first1=J.|last1=Robinson|first2=J.|last2=Harding|first3=J.|last3=Vouillamoz|title=Wine Grapes — A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours|pages=630–634|publisher=Allen Lane|year=2012|isbn=978-1-846-14446-2}}</ref>

Along with [[Cabernet Sauvignon]], [[Cabernet Franc]], [[Malbec]], and [[Petit Verdot]], Merlot is one of the primary grapes used in [[Bordeaux wine]], and it is the most widely planted grape in the [[Bordeaux wine regions]]. Merlot is also one of the most popular red wine [[varietal]]s in many markets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winebusiness.com/SalesMarketing/webarticle.cfm?dataId=42231|title=Wine Business Journal listing of varietal sales.}}</ref> This flexibility has helped to make it one of the world's most planted grape varieties. As of 2004, Merlot was estimated to be the third most grown variety at {{convert|260000|ha|acre}} globally.<ref name="OCW Vine varieties">J. Robinson (ed) ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'' Third Edition, Oxford University Press 2006, p. 746: ''"Vine varieties"'', {{ISBN|0-19-860990-6}}</ref>
The area dedicated to Merlot has continued to increase, with {{convert|266000|ha|acre}} in 2015.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://oiv.int/public/medias/5865/en-distribution-of-the-worlds-grapevine-varieties.pdf
|title=Distribution of the world's grapevine varieties
|date=28 February 2018
|access-date=1 March 2018
|website=oiv.int
|publisher=[[International Organisation of Vine and Wine]]
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301225900/http://oiv.int/public/medias/5865/en-distribution-of-the-worlds-grapevine-varieties.pdf
|archive-date=1 March 2018
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

While Merlot is made across the globe, there tend to be two main styles. The "International style" favored by many [[New World wine]] regions tends to emphasize late [[harvest]]ing to gain [[physiological ripeness]] and produce inky, purple-colored wines that are [[body (wine)|full in body]] with high alcohol and lush, velvety [[tannins]] with hints of plum and blackberry. While this international style is practiced by many [[Bordeaux wine]] producers, the traditional "Bordeaux-style" of Merlot involves harvesting Merlot earlier. This maintains the [[acidity (wine)|acidity]] and produces more medium-bodied wines with moderate alcohol levels that have fresh, red fruit flavors (raspberries, strawberries) and potentially leafy, vegetal notes.<ref name="WSET">Wine & Spirits Education Trust ''"Wine and Spirits: Understanding Wine Quality"'' pp. 6–9, Second Revised Edition (2012), London, {{ISBN|9781905819157}}</ref>

== History and name ==
[[File:Winged cluster of Merlot.JPG|left|thumb|A main cluster and an attached "wing cluster" of Merlot grapes with its characteristic dark-blue color]]
The earliest recorded mention of Merlot (under the synonym of ''Merlau'') was in the notes of a local [[Bordeaux]] official who in 1784 labeled wine made from the grape in the [[Libournais]] region as one of the area's best. In 1824, the word ''Merlot'' itself appeared in an article on [[Médoc wine]] which mentioned that the grape was named after the local [[Common blackbird|black bird]] (called {{lang|oc|merlau}} in the local variant of [[Occitan language]], {{lang|fr|merle}} in standard French) who liked eating the ripe grapes on the vine. Other descriptions of the grape from the 19th century called the variety ''lou seme doù flube'' (meaning "the seedling from the river") with the grape thought to have originated on one of the islands found along the [[Garonne]] river.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

By the 19th century it was being regularly planted in the [[Médoc]] on the "Left Bank" of the [[Gironde]].<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133">Clarke, Oz (2001). ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'', pp. 129–133. Harcourt Books. {{ISBN|0-15-100714-4}}</ref> After a series of setbacks that included a severe frost in 1956 and several vintages in the 1960s lost to rot, French authorities in Bordeaux banned new plantings of Merlot vines between 1970 and 1975.<ref name="Robinson pg 91-94">Robinson, J. (1986). ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'', pp. 91–94. Mitchell Beazley. {{ISBN|1-85732-999-6}}</ref>

It was first recorded in Italy around [[Venice]] under the synonym ''Bordò'' in 1855. The grape was introduced to the [[Swiss people|Swiss]], from Bordeaux, sometime in the 19th century and was recorded in the Swiss [[Canton (country subdivision)|canton]] of [[Ticino]] between 1905 and 1910.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/> In the 1990s, Merlot saw an upswing of popularity in the [[United States]]. Red wine consumption, in general, increased in the US following the airing of the ''[[60 Minutes]]'' report on the [[French Paradox]] and the potential [[Health effects of wine|health benefits of wine]] and, possibly, the chemical [[resveratrol]]. The popularity of Merlot stemmed in part from the relative ease in pronouncing the name{{clarify|date=September 2017}} of the wine as well as its softer, fruity profile that made it more approachable to some wine drinkers.<ref name="Goldstein pg 148-152">E. Goldstein ''"Perfect Pairings"'' pg 148–152 University of California Press 2006 {{ISBN|978-0-520-24377-4}}</ref>

=== Parentage and relationship to other grapes ===
[[File:Cabernet Franc.JPG|right|thumb|Cabernet Franc, one of the parent varieties of Merlot.]]
In the late 1990s, researchers at the [[University of California, Davis]], showed that Merlot is an offspring of [[Cabernet Franc]] and is a half-sibling of [[Carménère]], [[Malbec]], and Cabernet Sauvignon.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Parentage of Merlot and related winegrape cultivars of southwestern France: discovery of the missing link|author1=J-M. Boursiquot|author2=T. Lacombe|author3=V. Laucou|author4=S. Julliard|author5=F-X. Perrin|author6=N. Lanier|author7=D. Legrand|author8=C. Meredith|author9=P. This|journal=Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research|volume=15|issue=2|pages=144–155|year=2009|doi=10.1111/j.1755-0238.2008.00041.x|doi-access=free}}</ref> The identity of the second parent of Merlot wouldn't be discovered till the late 2000s when an obscure and unnamed variety, first sampled in 1996 from vines growing in an abandoned vineyard in [[Saint-Suliac]] in [[Brittany]], was shown by DNA analysis to be the mother of Merlot.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

This grape, later discovered in front of houses as a decorative vine in the villages of [[Figers]], [[Mainxe]], [[Saint-Savinien]], and [[Tanzac]] in the [[Poitou-Charentes]], was colloquially known as ''Madeleina'' or ''Raisin de La Madeleine'' due to its propensity to be fully ripe and ready for [[harvest (wine)|harvest]] around the July 22nd [[feast day]] of [[Mary Magdalene]]. As the connection to Merlot became known, the grape was formally registered under the name [[Magdeleine Noire des Charentes]]. Through its relationship with Magdeleine Noire des Charentes, Merlot is related to the [[Southwest France wine]] grape [[Abouriou]], though the exact nature of that relationship (with Abouriou potentially being either a parent of Magdeleine Noire or an offspring) is not yet known.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

[[Grape breeder]]s have used Merlot [[crossed (wine)|crossed]] with other grapes to create several new varieties including [[Carmine (grape)|Carmine]] (an [[Olmo grape]] made by crossing a [[Carignan]] x Cabernet Sauvignon cross with Merlot), [[Ederena]] (with Abouriou), [[Evmolpia]] (with [[Mavrud]]), [[Fertilia (grape)|Fertilia]] (with [[Raboso Veronese]]), [[Mamaia (grape)|Mamaia]] (a [[Romanian wine]] grape made by crossing a [[Muscat Ottonel]] x [[Babeasca negra]] cross with Merlot), [[Nigra (grape)|Nigra]] (with [[Barbera]]), [[Prodest]] (with Barbera), and [[Rebo (grape)|Rebo]] (with [[Teroldego]]).<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

Over the years, Merlot has spawned a [[color mutation]] that is used commercially, a pink-skinned variety known as ''Merlot gris''. However, unlike the relationship between [[Grenache noir]] and [[Grenache blanc]] or [[Pinot noir]] and [[Pinot blanc]], the variety known as [[Merlot blanc]] is not a color mutation but rather an offspring variety of Merlot crossing with [[Folle blanche]].<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

== Viticulture ==
[[File:Merlot leaf.JPG|left|thumb|Merlot leaf from Hedges vineyard in the [[Red Mountain AVA]]]]
Merlot grapes are identified by their loose bunches of large berries. The color has less of a blue/black hue than Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and with a thinner skin and fewer tannins per unit volume. It normally ripens up to two weeks earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon. Also compared to Cabernet, Merlot grapes tend to have a higher [[Sugars in wine|sugar]] content and lower [[malic acid]].<ref name="Robinson pg 91-94"/> [[Ampelographer]] [[J.M. Boursiquot]] has noted that Merlot has seemed to inherit some of the best characteristics from its parent varieties—its fertility and easy ripening ability from Magdeleine Noire des Charentes and its [[color (wine)|color]], [[tannin (wine)|tannin]] and flavor [[phenolic (wine)|phenolic]] potential from Cabernet Franc.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

Merlot thrives in cold soil, particularly [[ferrous]] [[clay]]. The vine tends to [[bud (wine)|bud]] early which gives it some risk to cold frost and its thinner skin increases its susceptibility to the [[viticultural hazard]] of [[Botrytis cinerea|Botrytis bunch rot]]. If bad weather occurs during [[Annual growth cycle of grapevines#Flowering|flowering]], the Merlot vine is prone to develop [[coulure]].<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143">J. Robinson ''Jancis Robinson's Wine Course'' Third Edition pg 142–143 Abbeville Press 2003 {{ISBN|0-7892-0883-0}}</ref> The vine can also be susceptible to [[downy mildew]] (though it has better resistance to [[powdery mildew]] than other Bordeaux varieties) and to infection by [[leafhopper]] insect varieties.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

[[Irrigation in viticulture|Water stress]] is important to the vine with it thriving in well-drained soil more so than at base of a slope. [[Pruning]] is a major component to the quality of the wine that is produced with some producers believing it is best to prune the vine "short" (cutting back to only a few buds). Wine consultant [[Michel Rolland]] is a major proponent of reducing the [[yields (wine)|yields]] of Merlot grapes to improve quality.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/> The age of the vine is also important, with older vines contributing character to the resulting wine.<ref name="Robinson pg 91-94"/>
[[File:Merlot (2022).JPG|thumb|Merlot [[grape cluster]] ripening in [[Istria County]], [[Croatia]]]]
A characteristic of the Merlot grape is the propensity to quickly overripen once it hits its initial [[Ripeness in viticulture|ripeness]] level, sometimes in a matter of a few days. There are two schools of thought on the right time to [[Harvest (wine)|harvest]] Merlot. The wine makers of [[Château Pétrus]] favor early picking to best maintain the wine's [[Acids in wine|acidity]] and finesse as well as its potential for [[Aging of wine|aging]]. Others, such as Rolland, favor late picking and the added fruit body that comes with a little bit of over-ripeness.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/>

== Wine regions ==
Merlot is one of the world's most widely planted grape variety with plantings of the vine outpacing even the more well-known Cabernet Sauvignon in many regions, including the grape's homeland of [[France (wine)|France]].<ref name="Wine Grapes"/> Here, France is home to nearly two thirds of the world's total plantings of Merlot.<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143"/> Beyond France it is also grown in [[Italy (wine)|Italy]] (where it is the country's 5th most planted grape), [[Algeria]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oncv-groupe.com/wp/?page_id=105|title=Historique – Office National de Commercialisation des produits Viti-vinicoles|website=www.oncv-groupe.com|language=fr-FR|access-date=2017-03-01}}</ref> [[California (wine)|California]], [[Romania (wine)|Romania]], [[Australia (wine)|Australia]], [[Argentina (wine)|Argentina]], [[Bulgaria (wine)|Bulgaria]], [[Canada (wine)|Canada]], [[Chile (wine)|Chile]], [[Greece (wine)|Greece]], [[New Zealand (wine)|New Zealand]], [[South Africa (wine)|South Africa]], [[Switzerland (wine)|Switzerland]], [[Croatia (wine)|Croatia]], [[Hungary (wine)|Hungary]], [[Montenegrin wine|Montenegro]], [[Slovenia (wine)|Slovenia]], [[Mexico (wine)|Mexico]], and other parts of the [[United States (wine)|United States]] such as [[Washington (wine)|Washington]], [[Virginia (wine)|Virginia]], and [[Long Island (wine)|Long Island]]. It grows in many regions that also grow Cabernet Sauvignon but tends to be cultivated in the cooler portions of those areas. In areas that are too warm, Merlot will ripen too early.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/>

In places like [[Israel (wine)|Israel]], Merlot is the second most widely planted grape variety after Cabernet Sauvignon with {{convert|1000|ha|acres}} in cultivation, making very "[[New World (wine)|New World]]-style" wines. The grape can also be found in [[Turkey (wine)|Turkey]] ({{convert|429|ha|acres}} in 2010), [[Malta (wine)|Malta]], and [[Cyprus (wine)|Cyprus]].<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

=== 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]].]]

=== Italy ===
In Italy, there were {{convert|25,614|ha|acres}} of the grape planted in 2000 with more than two-thirds of Italian Merlot being used in ''[[Indicazione geografica tipica]]'' (IGT) blends (such as the so-called "[[Super Tuscans]]") versus being used in classified ''[[Denominazione di origine controllata]]'' (DOC) or ''Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita'' (DOCG) wines.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/> A large portion of Merlot is planted in the [[Friuli wine]] region where it is made as a varietal or sometimes blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc. In other parts of Italy, such as the [[Maremma]] coast in [[Tuscany (wine)|Tuscany]], it is often blended with [[Sangiovese]] to give the wine a similar softening effect as the Bordeaux blends.<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143"/>

Italian Merlots are often characterized by their light bodies and herbal notes.<ref name="Goldstein pg 148-152"/> Merlot's low acidity serves as a balance for the higher acidity in many Italian wine grapes with the grape often being used in blends in the [[Veneto wine|Veneto]], [[Alto Adige (wine)|Alto Adige]], and [[Umbria]] regions.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/> [[Global warming]] is potentially [[Effects of climate change on wine production|having an influence]] on Italian Merlot as more cooler-climate regions in northern Italy are being able to ripen the grape successfully while other regions already planted are encountering issues with over-ripeness.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

According to [[Master of Wine]] [[Jancis Robinson]], some of the higher quality Italian Merlots are often from vineyards planted with [[cuttings (vine)|cuttings]] sourced from France. Robinson describes the style of Friuli Merlots from regarded estates as having potentially a "Pomerol-quality" to them while Merlots from the warm plains of the Veneto can often be over-ripe with high yields giving them a "sweet and sour" quality. Robinson notes that the Merlots from Trentino-Alto-Adige can fall somewhere between those of Friuli and the Veneto.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/> The ''Strada del Merlot'' is a popular tourist route through Italian Merlot regions along the [[Soča|Isonzo]] river.<ref name="Robinson pg 91-94"/>

=== Spain ===
In the hot [[continental climate (wine)|continental climate]] of many of Spain's major wine regions, Merlot is less valued than it is in the damp [[maritime climate (wine)|maritime climate]] of Bordeaux or the warm [[Mediterranean climate (wine)|Mediterranean climate]] of the Tuscan coast.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/> But as the popularity of [[international varieties]] continue to grow on the world wine market, Spanish wine producers have been experimenting with the variety with even winemakers in [[Rioja (wine)|Rioja]] petitioning authorities to allow Merlot to be a permitted grape to be blended with [[Tempranillo]] in the red wines of the region.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/>

In 2008, there were {{convert|13,325|ha|acres}} of Merlot, a significant increase from the {{convert|8700|ha|acres}} that were being cultivated in the country only four years earlier.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/> In 2015, this had dropped slightly to {{convert|13,044|ha|acres}}, making Merlot the eighth most planted red grape variety in Spain. The largest concentration of the grape is in the Mediterranean climate of [[Catalan wine|Catalonia]] and the continental climate of [[Castilla–La Mancha]], with significant plantings also in [[Navarra (wine)|Navarra]] and [[Aragon]]. In [[Costers del Segre]], the grape is often used in Bordeaux-style blends while in [[Aragon]], [[Navarra (wine)|Navarra]], and [[Castilla-La Mancha]] it is sometimes blended with Tempranillo and other local Spanish wine grape varieties.

=== Central Europe ===
In [[Germany (wine)|Germany]], there were {{convert|450|ha|acres}} of Merlot growing in 2008 with the grape mostly planted in the warmer [[German wine regions]] of the [[Palatinate (wine)|Palatinate]] and [[Rheinhessen (wine)|Rheinhessen]].<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

In [[Switzerland (wine)|Switzerland]], Merlot accounts for nearly 85% of the wine production in [[Ticino (wine region)|Ticino]] where it is often made in a pale "white Merlot" style.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/> In 2009, there were {{convert|1028|ha|acres}} plantings of Swiss Merlot.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

Plantings of Merlot have increased in recent years in the [[Austrian wine]] region of [[Burgenland]] where vineyards previously growing [[Welschriesling]] are being uprooted to make room for more plantings.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/> The grape still lags behind its parent variety, Cabernet Franc, with {{convert|112|ha|acres}} in cultivation in 2008. Outside of Burgenland, nearly half of all Austrian Merlot plantings are found in [[Lower Austria]].<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

=== Rest of Europe ===
In the [[Eastern Europe]]an countries of [[Bulgarian wine|Bulgaria]], [[Moldovan wine|Moldova]], [[Croatia (wine)|Croatia]], and [[Romania (wine)|Romania]], Merlot is often produced as a full bodied wine that can be very similar to Cabernet Sauvignon.<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143"/> In Bulgaria, plantings of Merlot lag slightly behind Cabernet Sauvignon with {{convert|15202|ha|acres}} in 2009 while Croatia had {{convert|1105|ha|acres}}. In the [[Czech Republic (wine)|Czech Republic]], most of the country's {{convert|87|ha|acres}} were found in [[Moravia]] while Moldova had {{convert|8123|ha|acres}} in 2009.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

In [[Slovenia (wine)|Slovenia]], Merlot was the most widely planted grape variety of any color in the [[Vipava Valley]] in the [[Slovene Littoral]] and the second most widely planted variety in the [[Gorizia Hills]] located across the Italian border from Friuli. In the Slovene Littoral, collectively, Merlot accounts for around 15% of total vineyard plantings with {{convert|1019|ha|acres}} of Merlot in cultivation across Slovenia in 2009.<ref name="Wine Grapes" />

In [[Hungary (wine)|Hungary]], Merlot complements [[Blaufränkisch|Kékfrankos]], [[Blauer Portugieser|Kékoportó]], and [[Kadarka]] as a component in [[Egri Bikavér|Bull's Blood]]. It is also made into varietal wine known as ''Egri Médoc Noir'' which is noted for its balanced acid levels and sweet taste.<ref name="Robinson pg 91-94"/> In 2009, there were {{convert|1791|ha|acres}} of Merlot planted across Hungary. Most of these hectares can be found in the wine regions of [[Szekszárd]] and [[Villány]] on the warm [[Pannonian Basin]] with significant plantings also found in [[Kunság]], [[Eger (wine region)|Eger]], and [[Balaton (wine region)|Balaton]].<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

In Romania, Merlot is the most widely exported red wine grape variety with {{convert|10782|ha|acres}} in cultivation in 2008. Most of these plantings are found along the [[Black Sea]] in [[Dobruja]], further inland in the [[Muntenia]] region of [[Dealu Mare (wine region)|Dealu Mare]] and in the western Romanian wine region of [[Drăgășani]]. Here the grape is often made a varietal but is sometimes blended with other international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and with local grape varieties such as [[Fetească neagră]].<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

In 2009, [[Ukraine (wine)|Ukraine]] had {{convert|2820|ha|acres}} of Merlot in cultivation.

[[Russia (wine)|Russia]] had {{convert|1588|ha|acres}}.

[[Portugal (wine)|Portugal]], has only a very limited amount of Merlot compared to the abundance of native [[Portuguese grape varieties]] with {{convert|556|ha|acres}} planted in 2010, mostly in the [[Portuguese wine regions]] along the [[Tagus]] river.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

In [[Greece (wine)|Greece]], Merlot is one of the top six grape varieties planted in the eastern wine regions of [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]] ({{convert|86|ha|acres}})and [[Western Thrace]] ({{convert|243|ha|acres}}). In central Greece, there were {{convert|74|ha|acres}} of Merlot in cultivation as of 2012.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

=== United States ===
Merlot is grown across the United States—as of 2015, it is the fourth most planted wine grape<ref name="OIV-2017" />—with [[California (wine)|California]] and [[Washington (wine)|Washington]] growing the most. Other regions producing significant quantities of Merlot include [[New York wine|New York State]] with {{convert|365|ha|acres}} in 2006 with most of it in the maritime climate of the [[Long Island AVA]] and multiple regions in [[Ohio (wine)|Ohio]]. In [[Texas (wine)|Texas]], Merlot is the second most widely planted red wine grape after Cabernet Sauvignon with {{convert|117|ha|acres}}. In Virginia, the grape was the most widely planted red variety with {{convert|136|ha|acres}} in 2010, most of it in the [[Monticello AVA]] and [[Shenandoah Valley AVA]], while [[Oregon (wine)|Oregon]] had {{convert|206|ha|acres}} in 2008 with most planted in the [[Rogue Valley AVA]].<ref name="Wine Grapes"/><ref name="Goldstein pg 148-152"/>

==== California ====
[[File:California Merlot box.png|left|thumb|The style of Merlot in California can vary with the grape being found all across the state in both warmer and cooler climate regions. While regional examples of California Merlot exist from places like Napa Valley and Sonoma, many bottles are labeled simply as ''California'' Merlot.]]
In the early [[history of California wine]], Merlot was used primarily as a 100% [[varietal]] wine until winemaker [[Warren Winiarski]] encouraged taking the grape back to its blending roots with Bordeaux style blends.<ref name="Taber pg 108">G. Taber ''Judgement of Paris'' pg 108 Scribner 2005 {{ISBN|0-7432-4751-5}}</ref> Others saw its potential as a stand-alone labeled varietal: The first wineries to market Merlot as a varietal in the post WWII period were Louis M. Martini winery, which made a non-vintage dated Merlot, a blend of the 1968 and 1970 vintages, and [[Sterling Vineyards]], which issued the first Merlot with a vintage, 1969<ref name="Goldberg, NYT, 02251987">{{cite news |last1=Goldberg |first1=Howard |title=Wine Talk: Merlot's underestimated qualities easily win admirers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/25/garden/wine-talk-331187.html |access-date=13 April 2022 |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=February 25, 1987 |location=Section C |page=14}}</ref> —Sterling's winemaker, [[Ric Forman]], was an early advocate of Merlot as a varietal bottling.<ref name="UC Berkeley Oral History, 1996">{{cite book |last1=Hincke |first1=Carole |title=The Wine Spectator California Winemen Oral History Series: Mostly Merlot: The History of Duckhorn Vineyards |url=https://digicoll.lib.berkeley.edu/record/217920?ln=en |via=UC Berkeley Library Digital Collections |publisher=UC Berkeley Library |access-date=11 April 2022 |page=61 |format=PDF |date=1996}}</ref> Following the "Merlot wine craze" of the 1990s, sparked by ''[[60 Minutes]]'' [[French Paradox]] report, sales of Merlot spiked, with the grape plantings of over {{convert|20640|ha}} in 2004. A study published in ''Wine and Vines'' magazine indicated that the 2004 movie ''[[Sideways]]'', where the lead character is a [[Pinot noir]] fan who expresses his disdain of Merlot, caused a decline in Merlot sales in the US after its release (and an even larger spike of interest in Pinot noir).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.winesandvines.com/features/article/61265/The-Sideways-Effect|title=The 'Sideways' Effect|last=Cuellar|first=Steven S.|date=January 2009|work=Wines & Vines|access-date=2017-09-04}}</ref> By 2010, plantings of California Merlot had dropped slightly to {{convert|18924|ha|acre}}.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/><ref name="SundayTimes2">{{cite news
  | last = Harlow
  | first = John
  | title = Oscar winner knocks sales of merlot wine sideways
  | newspaper = [[The Sunday Times]]
  | date = 2006-03-06
  }}</ref><ref name="SundayTimes">{{cite news
  | last = Simon
  | first = Joanna
  | title = Sauce
  | work = Food & Drink
  | page = 47
  | publisher = [[The Sunday Times]]
  | date = 2006-06-04
  }}</ref> Following that dip, Merlot plantings rebounded, totaling approximately 39,000 acres in 2020.<ref name="CA Grape Acreage 2020">{{cite web |title=California Grape Acreage Report, 2020 Summary |url=https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/California/Publications/Specialty_and_Other_Releases/Grapes/Acreage/2021/grpacSUMMARY2020Crop.pdf |website=NASS.USDA.gov |publisher=National Agricultural Statistics Service |access-date=11 April 2022 |page=5 |date=April 20, 2021}}</ref>

In California, Merlot can range from very fruity simple wines (sometimes referred to by critics as a "red [[Chardonnay]]") to more serious, [[oak (wine)|barrel aged examples]]. It can also be used as a primary component in [[Meritage]] blends.<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143"/>

While Merlot is grown throughout the state, it is particularly prominent in [[Napa Valley AVA|Napa]], [[Monterey AVA|Monterey]], and [[Sonoma County wine|Sonoma County]]. In Napa, examples from [[Los Carneros AVA|Los Carneros]], [[Mount Veeder AVA|Mount Veeder]], [[Oakville AVA|Oakville]] and [[Rutherford AVA|Rutherford]] tend to show ripe [[blackberry]] and [[black raspberry]] notes. Sonoma Merlots from [[Alexander Valley (AVA)|Alexander Valley]], Carneros and [[Dry Creek Valley (AVA)|Dry Creek Valley]] tend to show [[plum]], [[Tea|tea leaf]], and [[Prunus serotina|black cherry]] notes.<ref name="Goldstein pg 148-152"/>

==== Washington State ====
In the 1980s, Merlot helped put the Washington wine industry on the world's wine map. Prior to this period there was a general perception that the climate of Washington State was too cold to produce red wine varietals. Merlots from [[Leonetti Cellar]], [[Andrew Will]], [[Columbia Crest]], and [[Chateau Ste. Michelle]] demonstrated that areas of the [[Eastern Washington]] were warm enough for red wine production.<ref name="Gregutt pg 70">Gregutt, P. (2007). ''Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide'', p. 70. University of California Press. {{ISBN|0-520-24869-4}}</ref> Today it is the second most widely grown red wine grape in the state (after Cabernet Sauvignon), following many years of being the most widely planted variety, and accounts for nearly one fifth of the state's entire production. In 2011, there were {{convert|3334|ha|acres}} of Washington Merlot in cultivation.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

[[File:Columbia Valley Merlot cropped.png|right|thumb|Washington Merlots from the Columbia Valley are often noted for their deep color.]]
It is widely planted throughout the [[Columbia Valley AVA]] but has earned particular notice from plantings grown in [[Walla Walla Valley AVA|Walla Walla]], [[Red Mountain AVA|Red Mountain]], and the [[Horse Heaven Hills AVA|Horse Heaven Hills]].<ref name="Gregutt pg 70"/> Washington Merlots are noted for their deep color and balanced acidity.<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143"/> The state's climate lends itself towards long days and hours of sunshine with cool nights that contributes to a significant [[diurnal temperature variation]] and produces wines with [[New World wine|New World]] fruitiness and [[Old World wine|Old World]] structure.<ref name="Goldstein pg 148-152"/>

=== Canada ===
In [[Canada (wine)|Canada]], Merlot can be found across the country from the [[Short Hills Bench]] of the [[Niagara Peninsula]] [[Ontario (wine)|Ontario]], where there were {{convert|498|ha|acre}} of the grape in 2008, to [[British Columbia (wine)|British Columbia]], where the grape is the most widely planted wine grape variety of either color at {{convert|641|ha|acres}}. Here Merlot accounts for almost a third of all red wine grape plantings and is used for both varietal and Bordeaux-style blends.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

=== Mexico ===
In [[Mexico (wine)|Mexico]], Merlot is cultivated primarily in the [[Guadalupe, Baja California|Valle de Guadalupe]] of [[Baja California]], the country's main wine-producing area. Plantings have increased substantially since the 1980s, and cultivation has spread into the nearby areas of [[Ojos Negros (Mexico)|Ojos Negros]] and [[Santo Tomás, Baja California|Santo Tomás]].<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143"/> The grape can also be found in the north eastern Mexican wine region of [[Coahuila]], across the border from Texas.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

=== Chile ===
In [[Chile (wine)|Chile]], Merlot thrives in the [[Apalta]] region of [[Colchagua Province]]. It is also grown in significant quantities in [[Curicó]], [[Casablanca, Chile|Casablanca]], and the [[Maipo River|Maipo Valley]]. Until the early 1990s, the Chilean wine industry mistakenly sold a large quantity of wine made from the Carménère grape as Merlot. Following the discovery that many Chilean vineyards thought to be planted with [[Sauvignon blanc]] were actually [[Sauvignon vert|Sauvignonasse]], the owners of the Chilean winery [[Domaine Paul Bruno]] (who previously worked with [[Château Margaux]] and [[Château Cos d'Estournel]]) invited [[Ampelography|ampelographers]] to comb through their vineyards to make sure that their wines were properly identified. Genetic studies discovered that much of what had been grown as Merlot was actually [[Carménère]], an old French variety that had gone largely extinct in France due to its poor resistance to [[phylloxera]]. While the vines, leaves, and grapes look very similar, both grapes produce wines with distinct characteristics—Carménère being more strongly flavored with green pepper notes and Merlot having softer fruit with chocolate notes.<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143" />

Today, "true" Merlot is the third most widely planted grape variety in Chile after Cabernet Sauvignon and [[Listán Prieto]] with {{convert|13280|ha|acres}} in 2009. Most of these planting are in the [[Central Valley (Chilean wine region)|Central Valley]], with Colchagua leading the way with {{convert|3359|ha|acres}}, followed by [[Maule Valley]] with {{convert|3019|ha|acres}} and Curicó with {{convert|2911|ha|acres}}.<ref name="Wine Grapes" />

=== South America ===
In [[Uruguay (wine)|Uruguay]], Merlot is often blended with [[Tannat]] and is the 2nd most widely planted red grape variety, representing around 10% of total vineyard plantings. More widely planted than Cabernet Sauvignon, there were {{convert|853|ha|acres}} of the grape in cultivation in 2009. [[Brazil (wine)|Brazil]] is home to {{convert|1089|ha|acres}} of Merlot (as of 2007) with most of them in the [[Rio Grande do Sul]] region that is across the border with Uruguay. Other South American wine regions growing Merlot include [[Bolivia (wine)|Bolivia]] with {{convert|30|ha|acres}} as of 2012 and [[Peru (wine)|Peru]].<ref name="Wine Grapes" />

=== Argentina ===
In [[Argentina (wine)|Argentina]], Merlot plantings have been increasing in the [[Mendoza wine|Mendoza]] region with the grape showing an affinity to the [[Tupungato]] region of the [[Uco Valley]]. Argentine Merlots grown in the higher elevations of Tunpungato have shown a balance of ripe fruit, tannic structure, and acidity.<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143" /> The grape is not as widely planted here due to the natural fruity and fleshiness of the popular [[Malbec]] and [[Douce noir]]/Bonarda grapes that often don't need to be "mellowed" by Merlot as Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc may benefit from. In 2008, there were {{convert|7142|ha|acres}} of Merlot growing in Argentina, most of it in the Mendoza region and in the [[San Juan Province, Argentina|San Juan Province]].<ref name="Wine Grapes" />

=== Oceania, South Africa, and Asia ===
In [[New Zealand (wine)|New Zealand]], plantings of Merlot have increased in the [[Hawke's Bay region]], particularly in [[Gimblett Gravels]] where the grape has shown the ability to produce Bordeaux-style wine.<ref name="Goldstein pg 148-152"/> The grape has been growing in favor among New Zealand producers due to its ability to ripen better, with less green flavors, than Cabernet Sauvignon. Other regions with significant plantings include [[Auckland]], [[Marlborough Region|Marlborough]], and [[Martinborough]].<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/> In 2008, Merlot was the second most widely red grape variety (after Pinot noir) in New Zealand and accounted for nearly 5% of all the country's plantings with {{convert|1363|ha|acres}} in cultivation.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

In [[Australia (wine)|Australia]], some vineyards labeled as "Merlot" were discovered to actually be Cabernet Franc. Merlot vines can also be found growing in the [[Barossa Valley (wine)|Barossa Valley]], [[McLaren Vale]], and [[Wrattonbully]] in [[South Australia (wine)|South Australia]].<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/> In 2008, it was the third most widely planted red grape variety after [[Syrah]] and Cabernet Sauvignon with {{convert|10537|ha|acres}}. As in California, the global "Merlot craze" spurred an increase of plantings, most of it in the warm, [[irrigated (wine)|irrigated]] regions of [[Murray Darling]], [[Riverina]], and [[Riverland]], where the grape variety could be mass-produced. Recent plantings, such as those in the [[Margaret River]] area of [[Western Australia (wine)|Western Australia]] have been focusing on making more Bordeaux-style blends.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

In [[South Africa (wine)|South Africa]], plantings of Merlot have focused on cooler sites within the [[Paarl]] and [[Stellenbosch]] regions.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133"/> Here the grape is the third most widely planted red grape variety, accounting for nearly 15% of all red wine grape plantings, with {{convert|6614|ha|acres}} of Merlot in cultivation in 2008. The majority of these plantings are found in the Stellenbosch region with {{convert|2105|ha|acres}} and Paarl with {{convert|1289|ha|acres}}. According to wine expert Jancis Robinson, South African Merlot tend to be made as a varietal in a "chocolately, glossy California style".<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

In Asia, Merlot is planted in emerging wine regions in [[India (wine)|India]]. It can also be found in Japan with {{convert|816|ha|acre}} in 2009 and in China with {{convert|3204|ha|acre}}.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

== Wines ==
As a varietal wine, Merlot can make soft, velvety wines with plum flavors. While Merlot wines tend to mature faster than Cabernet Sauvignon, some examples can continue to develop in the bottle for decades.<ref name="Wine course pg 142-143" /> There are three main styles of Merlot—a soft, fruity, smooth wine with very little tannins; a fruity wine with more tannic structure; and, finally, a brawny, highly tannic style made in the profile of Cabernet Sauvignon. Some of the fruit notes commonly associated with Merlot include [[Blackcurrant|cassis]], black and red [[Cherry|cherries]], [[blackberry]], [[blueberry]], [[boysenberry]], [[mulberry]], [[ollalieberry]], and [[plum]]. Vegetable and earthy notes include black and green [[olive]]s, [[cola nut]], [[bell pepper]], [[fennel]], [[humus]], [[leather]], [[mushrooms]], [[rhubarb]], and [[tobacco]]. Floral and herbal notes commonly associated with Merlot include green and black [[tea]], [[eucalyptus]], [[Bay Laurel|laurel]], [[Mentha|mint]], [[oregano]], [[pine]], [[rosemary]], [[Common sage|sage]], [[Smilax regelii|sarsaparilla]], and [[thyme]]. When Merlot has spent significant time in [[oak (wine)|oak]], the wine may show notes of [[caramel (aroma)|caramel]], [[chocolate]], [[coconut]], [[coffee bean]], [[dill weed]], [[Cafe mocha|mocha]], [[molasses]], smoke, [[vanilla]], and [[walnut]].<ref name="Goldstein pg 148-152" />

=== White Merlot ===
White Merlot is made the same way as [[White Zinfandel]]. The grapes are crushed, and after very brief skin contact, the resulting pink juice is run off the [[must]] and is then fermented. It normally has a hint of raspberry. White Merlot was reputedly first marketed in the late 1990s. In Switzerland, a type of White Merlot is made in the Ticino region but has been considered more a rosé.<ref name="Clarke pg 129-133" />

White Merlot should not be confused with the grape variety [[Merlot blanc]], which is a cross between Merlot and [[Folle blanche]] that was discovered in 1891,<ref name="Wine Grapes" /><ref name="VIVC">[http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=7655 Merlot blanc] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119211130/http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=7655 |date=2012-01-19 }}, [[Vitis International Variety Catalogue]], accessed 2011-09-21</ref> nor should it be confused with the white mutant variety of the Merlot grape.

== Food pairing ==
In [[food and wine pairing]]s, the diversity of Merlot can lend itself to a wide array of matching options. Cabernet-like Merlots pair well with many of the same things that Cabernet Sauvignon would pair well with, such as grilled and charred meats. Softer, fruitier Merlots (particularly those with higher acidity from cooler climate regions like Washington State and Northeastern Italy) share many of the same food-pairing affinities with [[Pinot noir]] and go well with dishes like [[Salmon as food|salmon]], mushroom-based dishes, and greens like [[chard]] and [[radicchio]]. Light-bodied Merlots can go well with [[shellfish]] like prawns or scallops, especially if wrapped in a protein-rich food such as [[bacon]] or [[prosciutto]]. Merlot tends not to go well with strong and [[blue cheese|blue-veined cheeses]] that can overwhelm the fruit flavors of the wine. The [[capsaicin]]s of spicy foods can accentuate the perception of alcohol in Merlot and make it taste more tannic and bitter.<ref name="Goldstein pg 148-152"/>

== Synonyms ==
Over the years, Merlot has been known under many synonyms across the globe, including Bégney, Bidal, Bidalhe, Bigney, Bigney rouge, Bini, Bini Ruzh, Bioney, Bordeleza belcha, Crabutet, Crabutet noir, Crabutet noir merlau, Hebigney, Higney, Higney rouge, Langon, Lecchumskij, Médoc noir, Merlau, Merlaut, Merlaut noir, Merle, Merle Petite, Merleau, Merlô, Merlot noir, Merlot black, Merlot blauer, Merlot crni, Merlot nero, Merlott, Merlou, Odzalesi, Odzhaleshi, Odzhaleshi Legkhumskii,  Petit Merle, Picard, Pikard, Plan medre, Planet Medok, Plant du Médoc, Plant Médoc, Saint-Macaire, Same de la Canan, Same dou Flaube, Sème de la Canau, Sème Dou Flube, Semilhon rouge, Semilhoum rouge, Semilhoun rouge, Sémillon rouge, Sud des Graves, Vidal, Vini Ticinesi, Vitrai, and Vitraille.<ref>[[Vitis International Variety Catalogue]] (VIVC) ''[http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=7657 Merlot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103052947/http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=7657 |date=2014-11-03 }}'' Accessed: July 6th, 2014</ref>

== See also ==
* [[International variety]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.extension.org/pages/33026/merlot Growing Merlot grapes in the U.S.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712221423/http://www.extension.org/pages/33026/merlot |date=2011-07-12 }} - information from Cooperative Extension

{{Wines}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Red wine grape varieties]]
[[Category:Wine grapes of Italy]]