Merlot

Merlot is a red grape variety, famous for its use in the great wines of Pomerol and St-Emilion on Bordeaux's right bank and now of immense popularity the world over, competing with Cabernet Sauvignon as the most planted black grape. It is used both as a single varietal where it produces wines of a fruit-driven nature, with soft and ripe black fruit flavours and gentle tannins, or as part of the traditional Bordeaux blend where it partners with Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc to produce wines in the style of the Bordelaise - in such blends it plays the role of bringing softness of fruit to the sometimes austere and lean Cabernets. Outside of France, it is grown in all wine-producing countries, but is most well known in Chile, Australia and California.