red grape

Merlot

Cool climates give herbal, structured Merlot; warmer ones produce plush, jammy wines.

Known as: Petit Merlot, Merlot Noir

Merlot is the most planted red grape of Bordeaux and among the most loved on earth. Its plush, soft fruit and approachable tannins make it the wine that charms beginners and comforts connoisseurs.

On Bordeaux's Right Bank - in Pomerol and Saint-Émilion - it reaches magnificent heights, from the velvet riches of long-lived grands vins to everyday bottles of genuine pleasure.

For the buyer, Merlot is the approachable red: silky, fruity and food-friendly, equally at home at a casual dinner or a grand occasion.

Flavour & Aroma Profile

Aroma

plumblackberrycedarviolet

Flavour

plumblack cherrychocolatesoft spice

Food Pairing

· beef burgers
· roast pork
· mushroom risotto
· duck
· soft cheese

Notable Merlot Wines

All wines →

Curated top picks first, then other wines made from Merlot.

★ Top Pick

red

Château Pétrus

Bordeaux · 2024 (representative vintage)

Château Pétrus is an red wine from France, in the Bordeaux region (Southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.), made principally from Merlot. The world's most revered Merlot, from the blue-clay plateau of Pomerol.

$2500–$4000 est. retail

★ Top Pick

red

Screaming Eagle

Napa Valley · 2024 (representative vintage)

Screaming Eagle is an red wine from United States, in the Napa Valley region (Northern California, a valley in Napa County, north of San Francisco Bay.), made principally from Cabernet Sauvignon. The cult Napa Cabernet that started the modern collector frenzy — allocated, minuscule production, impossibly sought-after.

$2500–$4000 est. retail

★ Top Pick

red

Château Latour

Bordeaux · 2024 (representative vintage)

Château Latour is an red wine from France, in the Bordeaux region (Southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.), made principally from Cabernet Sauvignon. The monumental Pauillac First Growth, long famed for its dense, age-defying Cabernet power.

$800–$1500 est. retail

★ Top Pick

red

Masseto

Tuscany · 2024 (representative vintage)

Masseto is an red wine from Italy, in the Tuscany region (Central Italy, around Florence and Siena, stretching from the Apennines to the Tyrrhenian coast.), made principally from Merlot. Ornellaia's legendary 100% Merlot from a single clay-soil hillside — one of Italy's most valuable wines.

$800–$1500 est. retail

red

Château Margaux

Bordeaux · 2024 (representative vintage)

Château Margaux is an red wine from France, in the Bordeaux region (Southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.), made principally from Cabernet Sauvignon. The grand vin of the First Growth estate — a benchmark of Bordeaux elegance.

$700–$1200 est. retail

red

Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux

Bordeaux · 2024 (representative vintage)

Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux is an red wine from France, in the Bordeaux region (Southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.), made principally from Cabernet Sauvignon. The second wine of Château Margaux — early-drinking Bordeaux elegance at a fraction of the grand vin.

$180–$320 est. retail