Merlot is a variety of red wine and is very popular since 19th Century. Merlot is basically a name of the grape that is black in color and mostly planted in the Bordeaux city in South Africa. It has derived its name “merlot” from the name of a bird that is also black in color. Now days it is widely used in variety of wines which results in rapid increase in its plantation throughout the world. France is the region which is popular for almost two third production of Merlot all over the world. In Italy it is the fifth most planted fruit in the country covering rest of the Europe and some parts of United States like Washington.
During 18th Century, the researchers from California University believed that it is produced from a black colored grape. So, it was labeled as a wine made from grapes. But later they gave it a name of the “young blackbird” – “merlot”. The name was given either because the grape’s dark blue color or due to the bird’s affection towards the grapes. By 19th Century, this wine gains popularity and the plantation of these grapes were started at different regions. These grapes are generally identified by their slack bunches of berries. These are dark blue or black, having thinner skin and tannins. Tannin is a group of chemical compound which is commonly found in grape’s stem, seed and skin. These chemicals are somewhat responsible for the taste and the sensible properties of wine. Merlots have low content of malic acid but are higher on sugar content.
Merlot grows well in cold soil especially ferrous clay. This plant buds early due to which it can be at a certain risk of cold frost and has higher chances of rot. It will lead to failure of grapes growth if bad weather occurs during flowering. Proper irrigation of the plant is also very necessary.
Merlot wine is a soft and velvety wine with different flavors of plum, blackberries, blue berries and cherries. There are mainly three types of Merlot –a very little tannins flavored fruity, soft and smooth wine, a fruity wine with more tannins flavor and last with highly tannin style. This wine has various features which makes it the most special wine.
- Appearance – Merlot are larger in size in comparison to the other wine making grapes. Merlot is a black fruit rich in color which may range from red to ruby, purple, dark blue and black.
- Aroma and Taste – It is a dry and medium bodied wine having smooth tannins. Merlot is a mixture of fruits, vegetables, herbs, floral and aromas. It reminds you of a grape juice as it is one kind of wine that smells exactly likes grapes. Sometimes it is mellowed in oak to give a smoky flavor.
- Pairing Foods – Merlot wine is the one which you can pair with variety of foods. You can have it with pizzas, salads, beef and lamb dishes. This wine is not as heavy as other wines so many of you can like it with frequent serving snacks like chicken, pork, lamb and mushroom based dishes.
- Flavor Profile – Merlot being a varietal wine has a wide range of fresh fruits flavors like cherries, blackberries, plums and blueberries. These are generally mixed with cocoa and black pepper tones. Earthy and vegetables notes include olives, leathers, mushrooms, tobacco, bell pepper and cola nut. Apart from this there are herbs also which includes mint, pine, green tea, black tea, sage, oregano and rosemary.
- Versatility – Merlot being a rich wine with so many flavors can compliment almost all kind of food items. Along with this, you can also use Merlot in your kitchen as an important ingredient while preparing food. It is a preferred ingredient by many of the people who makes recipes that also requires red wine. So it reflect its versatility that you cant only have it as a beverage with food but also use it as an ingredient while preparing various recipes.
