Deep color, medium to full-bodied, high alcohol, and soft tannins are the characteristics of wines made from the Merlot grape. The aromas and flavors can be plum, berry, currant, chocolate, and even sometimes tea leaves. In my opinion, Merlot is definitely the most underrated grape variety grown and is the one international grape variety that has the most value. If you find that you prefer Merlot to Cabernet Sauvignon, you will save yourself considerable money in the long run.Some wine drinkers find Merlot more approachable than Cabernet Sauvignon because it's less tannic; but some winemakers feel that Merlot is not satisfactory in its own right, and thus often blend it with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, or both. Merlot makes both inexpensive, simple wines and, when grown in the right conditions, very serious wines.
Merlot is actually the most planted grape variety in France's Bordeaux region, where it excels in the Right Bank districts of Pomeral and St.-Emilion. Merlot is also important also important in Washington, California, and Chile, among other regions.
Merlot is incredibly food friendly (more so than Cabernet Sauvignon) and generally pairs well with: beef, chicken, duck, lamb, pork, turkey, and veal, to name a few.
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