Red grape 🇫🇷 Bordeaux, France

Merlot

/ mer-LOH /

Soft, round and generous — plums and chocolate with velvety tannins.

Merlot ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon and gives rounder, plusher wines. It dominates Bordeaux's Right Bank, where Pomerol and Saint-Émilion turn it into some of the world's most sought-after reds — and it's the easy-drinking crowd-pleaser on countless wine lists.

Serve at

16–18°C

Glass

Bordeaux glass

Decanting

30–60 minutes

Climate

Moderate

Structure

How Merlot typically feels in the mouth.

BodyMedium+
AcidityMedium
TanninMedium
AlcoholMedium+

Aromas & flavours

What to look for in the glass.

Fruit

PlumBlack cherryRaspberry

Oak

ChocolateVanillaClove

With age

LeatherTruffleCedar

Where it grows

The regions to know on a wine list.

Food pairing

Classic matches that work every time.

  • Roast pork
  • Duck breast
  • Lasagne
  • Burgers
  • Mushroom dishes

Say it at the table

“Soft and round, with plums and a touch of chocolate — smooth tannins, nothing harsh. An easy favourite.”

How Vinosoma trains your staff →

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