Merlot - wine grape variety

Merlot is the principal black variety of the Bordeaux area and is now also recommended in the south of France. The area planted in France increased from 16 800 ha in 1958 to 60 000 ha in 1988. The variety has been introduced into other European countries and is tending to replace local varieties in eastern Europe. In Italy it is now recommended in more provinces than any other single variety although it is far from surpassing Italian varieties such as Bar-bera and Sangiovese in area or production. In California, from almost no plantings before 1970, the area of Merlot increased to 870 ha by 1982 and to 4050 ha by 1992, of which 1400 ha were still not bearing. It is a minor variety in Chile and Argentina. So far no early introduction into Australia has been traced. There were 739 ha of Merlot planted in Australia by 1993, of which 127 ha were not yet bearing.

Merlot is a vigorous variety although it seems to be one of the most sensitive to salinity. It has medium, 3- to 5-lobed leaves often with a tooth at the base of the lateral sinuses, with scattered tufts of hair on the lower surface and a U-shaped petiolar sinus. Bunches are medium, cylindrical, sometimes winged, and loose with small, round berries. Production is usually good, but under unfavourable conditions at flowering, setting may be very poor.

The wine of Merlot has a distinctive character clearly related to that of the Cabernets. It has good colour but it is softer and ages more quickly than Caber-net wines. Although it may not be used alone, it may be blended with the Cabernets in the finest of the wines of controlled appellation of the Bordeaux region.