red grape · major international
Merlot
Libournais, Bordeaux, France
Say it
mer·loh
Final 't' is silent; name derives from Gascon Occitan 'merlau' (blackbird), likely referencing the bird's fondness for the sweet berries.
On the palate
How you spot it blind: velvety soft tannins and ripe plum; rounder and more approachable than Cabernet Sauvignon
The story
First written down · 1784, Libournais, Bordeaux, France (as 'Merlau')
DNA analysis confirmed Merlot as a natural cross of Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes; it appears in Bordeaux official records as 'Merlau' as early as 1784.
Family tree: Cabernet Franc × Magdeleine Noire des Charentes
Where it lives
Pomerol, Bordeaux, France · Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France · Napa Valley, California, USA · Columbia Valley, Washington, USA · Tuscany, Italy · Central Valley, Chile