Variety
RedMerlot
The softest of the great Bordeaux varieties – round, plummy, velvety. Dominates the right bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol) and ripens ever more reliably in the Pfalz.
Portrait
Merlot is a cross of Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes and is first mentioned in the 18th century in the Bordeaux area. On the Right Bank of the Gironde and Dordogne, in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, it is the dominant variety and the most planted grape of Bordeaux; worldwide it is among the most important red varieties.
The vine buds early, which makes it prone to spring frost, and ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon. It prefers cool, clay-rich soils and is susceptible to coulure and rot. In the atlas it is represented in Bordeaux, Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Western Australia, Muntenia & Oltenia, Dobrudja, Romanian Moldavia and Banat. The wines are soft and fruit-driven with plum and cherry, with moderate tannin.
Merlot is made on its own or blended with Cabernet and goes with roasts, poultry, pasta and mild cheeses.
Taste profile
Six axes — acidity, sweetness, body, tannin, aroma intensity and depth — on a 0–5 scale, based on typical style. Real wines vary by region and producer.
Typical aromas — Merlot
These 6 aromas typically define Merlot. Actual taste experience varies by region and style.
Plum
Black cherry
Chocolate
Truffle
Cedar
Violet
Merlot aroma families
These aroma categories are characteristic of Merlot. Other varieties have different focuses.
Fruit aromas are the most common and come directly from the grape, ranging from citrus through stone fruit to black berries.
Spicy aromas often emerge from oak aging (vanilla, clove) or with maturity (black pepper).
Wood and toast aromas emerge from aging in oak barriques or larger wooden barrels.
Tertiary aromas that develop with bottle aging – typical of mature top wines.
Key regions
Merlot is grown in the following regions of our atlas. Click to see wineries.
Wineries with Merlot
449 curated profiles in our atlas grow Merlot.
449 wineries
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~70%, Merlot ~25%, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot ~5%
Château Latour
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~76%, Merlot ~22%
Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~80%, Merlot ~16%, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot
Pétrus
Pomerol · Pomerol
Merlot ~100%
Château Ausone
Saint-Émilion · Saint-Émilion
Merlot 50 %, Cabernet Franc 50 %
Château Cheval Blanc
Saint-Émilion · Saint-Émilion
Cabernet Franc 58 %, Merlot 42 %
Château Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan · Pessac
Merlot ~44%, Cabernet Sauvignon ~46%, Cabernet Franc ~10% — plus weltberühmter Weißwein
Château Margaux
Margaux · Margaux
Cabernet Sauvignon ~75%, Merlot ~20%, Petit Verdot & Cabernet Franc
Le Pin
Pomerol · Pomerol
Merlot ~100%