| Merlot is a dark blue grape used for varietal wine and as a blending grape. The name Merlot probably comes from the word merle, the French name for blackbird, probably a reference to the color of the grape. |
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| origin |
Probably Bordeaux, France |
| ancestry |
Natural crossing of Cabernet Franc and an unknown variety |
| Global Vineyard Area |
267,169 Hectares / 5.81% |
| other names |
Alicante, Alicante noir, Bégney, Bidal, Bidalhe, Bigney, Bigney rouge, Bini, Bini Ruzh, Bioney, Black Alicante, Bordeleza belcha, Crabutet, Crabutet noir, Crabutet noir merlau, Hebigney, Higney, Higney rouge, Langon, Lecchumskij, Médoc noir, Merlau, Merlaut, Merlaut noir, Merle, Merle Petite, Merleau, Merlô, Merlot noir, Merlot black, Merlot blauer, Merlot crni, Merlot nero, Merlott, Merlou, Odzalesi, Odzhaleshi, Odzhaleshi Legkhumskii, Petit Merle, Picard, Pikard , Plan medre, Planet Medok, Plant du Médoc, Plant Médoc, Saint-Macaire, Same de la Canan, Same dou Flaube, Seme de la Canau, Seme Dou Flube, Red Semilhon, Red Semilhoum, Red Semilhoun, Red Semillon, South of Graves, Vidal, Vini Ticinesi, Vitrai and Vitraille |
| bunch of grapes |
Loose to compact, round, bluish-black berries |
| Blatt |
Seven lobed with a U-shaped base |
| maturing time |
Mid to late season |
| ideal floor |
Deep, sandy loam or well-drained soils with good moisture-retaining properties |
| wine characteristics |
| Merlot is known for its exuberant black cherry flavors, smooth tannins and chocolaty finish with undertones of coconut, vanilla and various earth tones. |
| wine regions |
| France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Algeria, Romania, Australia, Argentina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Greece, New Zealand, South Africa, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, Slovenia, Mexico, USA, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovenia , Ukraine, Russia, Portugal, India, China, Japan |
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