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| Mer·lot
(merəlot)
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| Merlot is a variety of wine grape used to create a popular
red wine. Merlot-based wines usually have medium body with hints of
berry, plum, and currant. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with
its earlier ripening, makes Merlot an ideal grape to blend with the
sterner, later-ripening Cabernet. Merlot is produced primarily in
France and California, and on a lesser scale in Australia, Italy, Chile,
New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, and other
parts of the United States. Most wines from Bordeaux contain at least
some Merlot, and in the regions of Pomerol and Saint-Emilion it is not
unusual for Merlot to comprise the majority of the blend. One of the
most famous and rare wines in the world, Château Pétrus is almost all
Merlot. Merlot was initially planted as a blending grape, but in the
late 1970s it began to stand on its own as a variety and has been
continually gaining popularity. In French the word Merlot
means "young blackbird," probably alluding to the grape's beautiful
dark-blue color. Merlot grapes ripen fairly early and have lower
TANNINS and higher sugar levels than Cabernet
Sauvignon. They produce wines that are generally SOFTER
and with slightly higher ALCOHOL content.
High-quality Merlot wines are medium to dark red in color, rich, and
FRUITY, with characteristics of black currant,
cherry, and mint. Merlot wines are ROUNDER and
more SUPPLE than Cabernet Sauvignons and usually
can be enjoyed much earlier. Generally, Merlot wines do not
AGE as long as Cabernet Sauvignons. A small
amount of Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc is often blended with
Merlot grapes to give the wine a bit more STRUCTURE.
Merlot is also called Bigney, Crabutet, Médoc Noir, and Merlau. |
Pricing
| Description |
Year |
Size |
Price |
|
Reserve |
2004 |
750ml |
$30. |
|
Paso Robles |
2004 |
750ml |
$18. |
|
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