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Merlot

Beyond its spiritual home in Bordeaux, Merlot is suited to a variety of climates, estimated to be the third most grown variety globally. Wine makers have done a good job educating the public into believing that Merlot equals "soft" and "velvety" but that need not be the case! In Australia, Merlot is now produced in a range of styles, from 'joosy', plummy reds filled with the variety's trademark mulberry fruit flavour, through to 'old world' expressions where earth & truffle notes are integrated with the fruit. More often, it's partnered with Cabernet.

Merlot: Like Cabernet but different...

Merlot tends to be naturally lower in tannin and acid than Cabernet, ripening first in the Cabernet family - sometimes up to ten days earlier, but usually one week. That's a big advantage in a cool year, as it provides viticultural insurance to the Cabernet grower. Merlot also likes cool damp soils (not the well drained type that Cabernet demands) and is particularly suited to soils with some clay to retain Summer moisture. Merlot yields slightly higher than Cabernet and is more approachable as a young wine - a big plus for winemakers who want their wine out on the market with instant drinkability. For blenders it's also a boon, traditionally used to fill the "Cabernet doughnut hole" - that is to say, Merlot adds mid palate fruit, filling out the tannic framework of young Cabernet.

Buy Merlot wines online...

Any questions about our products or shipping? Please feel free to get in touch by calling us directly on 1800 069 295 or by emailing [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Browse and buy Merlot online, spend more than $200 and you'll qualify for free delivery to most of Australia.