Merlot is a dark blue-coloured wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines.
Merlot pairs beautifully with most food and is versatile when it comes to food pairing options, from poultry, beef, game, and pork to flavourful cheese like Stilton, Cheddar or Camembert. This is a wine you can experiment with and fearlessly combine with almost any recipe.
The 2018 Rosendal Merlot has a deep crimson red colour. Aromas of fragrant plums, oak-spice and mint attracts the nose and prepares the palate for entry of plush red berries and brooding mulberry deliciousness. The wine is medium-bodied with juicy tannins and a soft dry finish.
Here are some interesting Merlot Facts
- The Merlot grape originated from the Bordeaux region of France and is currently the most planted grape variety in France.
- Merlot is the offspring of Cabernet Franc (the father) and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes (the mother)
- Merlot is a thin-skinned grape that is very sensitive to its environment. Merlot grapes do have one benefit over Cabernet, they ripen up to 2 weeks earlier. On a rainy harvest, one week can make a big difference!
- The name Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the colour of the grape.
- Because Merlot wine is so sensitive to light, Merlot-based wines tinge orange on the rim. The orange rim is the telltale sign of Merlot versus Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Merlot typically produces a soft, medium-bodied red wine with juicy dark fruit flavours.
- In South Africa, plantings of Merlot have focused on cooler sites within the Paarl and Stellenbosch regions.