W3 Wine School

Merlot (France)

Merlot is a red wine grape from Bordeaux in France.

New to red wine? Start with Merlot!

Merlot Flavors

Raspberry, Black Cherry, Plum, Tobacco and Vanilla are typical Merlot flavors.

Raspberry
Raspberry
Black Cherry
Black
Cherry
Plum
Plum
Blackberry
Blackberry
Blueberry
Blueberry
Violets
Violets
Herbs
Herbs
Pepper
Pepper

Tertiary Flavors from Aging:

Vanilla
Vanilla
Coffee
Coffee
Chocolate
Chocolate
Tobacco
Tobacco

Merlot Profile

Merlot is a medium wine with medium tannins and acidity:

BODY:Medium - Plus
TANNINS:Medium
FRUIT:Medium
ACIDITY:Medium - Plus
ALCOHOL:13-14%
Temperature Serving temperature:
14-15°C (57-59°F)
Oaked 16-18°C (61-64°F)

Merlot Food Pairing

Merlot goes well with a wide variety of food.

Sipped alone is a wonderful meditation wine.

Antipasti
Finger Food
Pizza
Pizza
Hamburger
Hamburger
Ham
Ham
Soup
Casseroles
Pasta
Pasta
Mushroom
Mushroom
Chicken
Chicken
Rabbit
Rabbit
Pork
Pork
Lamb
Lamb
Veal
Veal

Excellent Pairing

French Cuisine. Italian Dishes (Tomato Based).
Pizza. Baked Pasta. Lasagna.
Spaghetti Meatballs. Hamburger.
Fried or Grilled Mushrooms.
Casseroles. Beef Stew.
Veal Chops. Wiener Schnitzel.
Meatloaf. Beef Wellington.
BBQ. Chicken. Pork. Rabbit.
Roasted Lamb. Lamb Chops. Lamb Shank.
Red Meat Dishes.

The Ideal Glass for Merlot

The Bordeaux Glass was designed for enjoying fuller-bodied, tannic red wines. They are taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.

The tall size allows the bouquet of the wine to develop, smooth out rough edges, play down tannins, and allow the wine to achieve balance.

The slimmer bowl directs the wine to the back of your mouth for a maximum taste.

Bordeaux Wines

Bordeaux is the most famous wine region in the world.

The region is dominated by red wines (90%).

The river Gironde splits the area in the Left Bank and the Right Bank:


Alcohol can be addictive. Always drink in moderation.

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