Merlot

Bordeaux's Right Bank lives on Merlot. Pomerol's iron-rich clay yields plush plum, black cherry, and truffle; Saint-Émilion's limestone adds elegance, cigar box, and length.

In the high Val d'Agri, Merlot ripens slowly at 600 metres into fresh, firm mountain reds far from its plush lowland style.

Widely planted red, producing softer styles than Bordeaux

Used in Super Tuscan blends, notably Masseto

Fresh, mineral Merlot from cooler sites. Less extraction than New World.

Soft, approachable Merlot in warm Stellenbosch conditions

Occasionally blended with Garnacha and Cariñena for softness and fruit

Widely planted since the 1980s, used in varietal wines and Bordeaux-style blends

A Somontano staple for supple, plummy reds and the softening half of its Cabernet blends, ripening comfortably in the dry foothill climate.

A Ticino specialty: white wine vinified from Merlot grapes; fresh, off-dry, aromatic. The canton's signature since 1906; ~80% of vineyard area, from juicy Merlot del Ticino to oak-aged single-vineyard Riservas

Small share on the warmer central Valais slopes

Washington's Merlot rivals Napa's best: plush, with plum, chocolate, and a velvety texture.

Rich, fruit-forward, chocolatey. Warmer climate produces opulent, ripe styles.

Long Island's flagship red. Maritime climate produces ripe but balanced Merlot, often blended in Bordeaux-style cuvées.

Medium-bodied Merlot with plum fruit and soft tannins from mountain sites. A smaller but notable part of the region's diverse plantings.

Plush, fruit-forward Merlot from Napa and Sonoma. Ripe blackberry, plum, and mocha lifted by vanilla and soft tannin, with a full-bodied generosity that drinks young.

Washington's quiet star. Black cherry, currant, and sagebrush with chocolate and herbal lift, ripening on basalt and gravel between the Columbia Valley and Walla Walla.