Everything You Need to Know About Merlot

America's second favorite wine after Cabernet Sauvignon is Merlot, which is one of the world's most popular reds. With its soft, sensual texture and approachable style, it's made from red-skinned grapes that can adapt to a variety of climates to produce food-friendly wines at a range of price points. Rich and oaky, or velvety and plummy, Merlot can be. That's why Merlot is so popular.

What does “Merlot” mean?

Merlot is a red grape variety used to make wine around the world. It is French for "the little blackbird."

What does Merlot taste like?

Because of its ability to adapt to many climates and winemaking techniques, Merlot is known as the chameleon of wines. It is not as easy to grow great Merlot as people thought, leading to overplanting and poor quality wines. A Merlot wine is usually dry, medium- to full-bodied, moderately acidic, moderately to highly alcoholic, and with soft but visible tannins. As Merlot ages in oak, it takes on notes of clove, vanilla, and cedar, along with graphite, herbs, and blackberries.

What is the color of Merlot?

The red color of Merlot comes from its red-skinned grapes. In their youth, wines can be semi-opaque to opaque, and deep ruby red. Pinot Noir tends to have a lighter color than Cabernet Sauvignon. An indication that you have Merlot in the glass is the glint of brick/orange hues on the rim. As the color of Merlot ages, it loses pigment and turns garnet. Although it is not very common, Merlot is also used to produce both white and rosé wines.

Why did the movie Sideways make Merlot infamous?

Merlot sales have been a subject of debate within the wine industry for years. It is hard to measure whether Merlot became known for its bad reputation because of it. There are three camps of thought on the matter. It has been argued that rather than ruin Merlot's reputation, the movie inspired a new audience of Pinot Noir drinkers to switch from red to white wine. Secondly, it argues the movie did not influence the decline of Merlot since the grape was already on its way out due to overplanting and the proliferation of inferior wines on the market. The third camp argues that Miles' disgust for Merlot did, in fact, turn a generation of wine drinkers off of Merlot. Regardless of the movie's impact, the truth is that bad, good and sublime Merlot is out there, and because of the latter, Merlot is making a comeback.

How much alcohol does a bottle of Merlot have?

Merlot's alcohol content is affected by the climate where it's grown, as climate influences ripeness, which in turn affects alcohol content. In cooler climates like France, Merlot often has 13–14% alcohol by volume (ABV), but it can approach 14.5% in warmer climates like California, Chile and Australia.

Is Merlot sweet or dry?

Most Merlots are dry. It is important to remember that tasting ripe fruit flavors, such as cherries and plums, is not the same as tasting sweetness. The sugar from the grape must is converted to alcohol by yeast after the grapes are pressed. A fully dry wine is created when all, or nearly all, of the sugar is converted. It is possible to leave some sugar behind, known as residual sugar (RS). If the yeast didn't finish the fermentation, this might be to give the wine a hint of sweetness and richness. RS still qualifies as a dry wine if less than a few grams per liter are present.

How many calories and carbs does Merlot have?

Merlot is typically a dry wine. Sugar-free wine does not necessarily mean calorie-free wine. There are calories in alcohol. Merlot usually has around 125 calories per 5-ounce serving, or 625 calories per 750ml bottle. The wine will have a small amount of carbohydrates or carbs if there is a touch of residual sugar. Dry wines usually contain 0 to 4 grams of carbohydrates.

How should I serve Merlot?

You should serve Merlot at a temperature between 60 and 70 degrees. People's homes vary drastically in temperature, from cold in winter to hot in summer, so serving reds at room temperature is outdated. At 70-75°F, the average house is still too warm for red wine to be served. Merlot tastes bitter and hot when it is too warm. Colder temperatures make it taste muted. Merlot is best served at a temperature between 60-65°F, which can be achieved after 15 minutes in the refrigerator. You should replace the cork on a bottle of Merlot if you don't finish it. The flavors will remain fresh for two to four days. The wine will oxidize after that. Add it to a braised meat or vegetable dish at that point.

What foods pair best with Merlot?

Due to its range of styles and prices, Merlot is a popular wine because of its versatility. Fruity, easy-drinking Merlot is great with chicken, turkey, and pork, and with pasta, burgers, and pizza. A full-bodied, ripe and fleshy wine, often with a higher alcohol content, can be paired with full-flavored foods such as beef and lamb, hearty bean dishes, and game meats like bison and venison. With roasted meats, duck, and mushrooms, right bank Merlot from Bordeaux pairs well. Matching the wine's weight and flavor intensity with the dish is key.

Merlot versus Cabernet Sauvignon: What’s the difference?

You might ask. Even though Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are different grapes, they can be difficult to distinguish in blind tastings, especially in cooler climates. How come? They share the same parent grape, Cabernet Franc. The wines from this family contain pyzrazines, an aromatic organic chemical compound that produces bell pepper and herbal notes that are more noticeable in cooler climates. Merlot in cooler regions like its homeland of Bordeaux develops firmer tannins, more structure, and savory characteristics than in warm climates, making it easier to confuse with Cabernet Sauvignon. These two grapes are often blended together in red Bordeaux wine, Cabernet for its cassis, herbal undertones, and tannin structure, and Merlot for its supple texture and ripe fruit. Cabernet is generally more expensive, fruitier, and softer than Merlot, and is often perceived as less complex.

What’s the difference between Pinot Noir and Merlot?

Both are red grapes. The thin-skinned variety Pinot Noir produces wines of moderate color, alcohol, acidity, elegance, and perfume of red fruits (cranberries, raspberries, red cherries). Wine lovers have long been captivated by the haunting styles of Pinot Noir made in Burgundy, a style embraced by mainstream American wine drinkers after the success of Sideways. From the right bank of Bordeaux, Merlot is a grape with more tannin, body, alcohol, and a darker hue that has been made famous by the wines of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion.