What is Merlot?
Merlot is a red wine style best understood through its balance of fruit, freshness, body, tannin, sweetness and texture. Plush red with plum, cherry and soft tannins. Works with cottage pies, roast poultry, meat sauces and mellow beef dishes. Typical flavours include plum, black cherry, chocolate, cedar.
Bordeaux, Chile, California, Friuli
Merlot
Soft Red · 13-14.5%
Style profile
Grapes, regions and character
Merlot is commonly associated with Merlot. The grape choice shapes the wine’s aroma, structure, acidity, body and food-pairing personality. Classic regions include Bordeaux, Chile, California, Friuli.
Bordeaux, Chile, California, Friuli
France; Chile; United States; Italy
What does Merlot pair well with?
Pair Merlot by matching the wine’s weight, acidity, sweetness and tannin to the dish. It works especially well with beef pies, roast poultry, meat sauces, mushrooms. It is usually less successful with sharp seafood or sweet custards.
Best food matches
Pairings to avoid
What makes a good or bad Merlot?
A good Merlot should taste balanced, expressive and clean. Look for clear fruit, freshness, structure and a finish that suits the style. The acidity is usually medium, so the wine should feel lively without becoming harsh. The body is usually medium-full, so it should match the weight expected from this style.
A poor Merlot can taste flat, tired, harsh, thin, overly sweet, too alcoholic or unbalanced. Avoid bottles where oak, bitterness, heat or sweetness dominate the fruit, freshness and structure.
When buying Merlot, look for bottles where the region, grape and producer style match the food you want to cook. Useful countries to look at include France; Chile; United States; Italy.
Serve Merlot at around 15-17°C. Serving temperature matters because too warm can make wine feel heavy, while too cold can mute flavour.
