#Merlot red wine full#

Modern Merlots have so many interesting characteristics and can have wonderful length,” explains Adam Walls, Wine Selectors Tasting Panel Co-Chair, Wine Show Judge and 2019 Len Evans Tutorial Dux.Ĭoming in shy of full-bodied Shiraz, but carrying more weight that Pinot Noir, Merlot skirts a middle ground. “It’s a favourite amongst many wine drinkers, purely because it is so easy to drink. Today’s Merlots are better than ever with our winemakers being able to tease out more structure and length of flavour than ever before. It is a classic medium-bodied red variety, loved for its smooth texture and ease of sipping. While sharing a similar flavour profile to their warm climate cousins, different varietal characters emerge – white pepper instead of black pepper, and red fruits rather than black – with more subdued herbaceous characters, resulting in wines are considered more restrained and even elegant in texture. Due to the grapes being exposed to less heat, their skins are thinner, reducing or softening the tannins in the wine. Such styles are considered the ‘classic’ expression of Australian Shiraz, made famous by Barossa Valley Shiraz – big-flavoured, plush and fruit-forward.Ĭool climate Merlot on the other hand ripens more gently, leading to wines that are generally more medium-bodied and savoury. Since Merlot grown in warmer climates ripens more readily, the resulting wines will tend to feature fuller, riper dark fruit flavours and be more full-bodied and luscious.

The essential distinction between warm and cool climate Shiraz manifests in their differing textures, weight and flavour profiles. One of the most sensational aspects of Australian Merlot is that, when it comes to style, there are expressions for every taste. With its moderate-to-warm climate, the Hunter Valley produces Merlot that is medium-bodied and spicy (like its Shiraz), likewise Barossa’s climate brings out characters of cassis and plum.īEST AUSTRALIAN MERLOT REGIONS Moderate-to-warm climate Merlot regions The style of Merlot varies from region to region, with the climate and terroir a having huge influence on its characters. Today, Merlot remains one of the most popular red varieties with 8, 477HA planted to across Australia, however, it is mostly enjoyed as a blend. The Aussie wine scene saw tremendous growth and the influx of winemakers began expanding into new varietals.īy 2016, Australia was crushing 112,000 tonnes of Merlot grapes, growing from just 1000 tonnes crushed in 1987. Merlot kept a low profile for decades until the early 1990s. Merlot is rumoured to have first been planted in 1923, although its story officially kicks off in 1965 when Merlot grapes were imported from California, not France. Mouth-watering Merlot dates back to 1784 France, with the earliest reference coming from a note written by an official who used the term 'merlau' to describe the best wines from the famed Bordeaux region. In 2011, a Château Petrus from the 1961 vintage sold at auction for a record high of AUD $189,000. Made from 100% Merlot grapes since 2010, this Bordeaux-produced wine is outstanding, with prices beginning at around $2,700 a bottle. Merlot is responsible for one of the most expensive wines in the world – Château Petrus.

#Merlot red wine full#

Tasting Highlights' wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors' most recent ratings-including scores and full tasting notes-to members.WHAT ARE THE PROFILE CHARACTERS OF MERLOT?Īustralian Merlot is considered medium-bodied with medium tannins and is usually about 13% to 15% alcohol. Get our score and full tasting note for this recently rated wine and seven others, including this selections's two top scorers! This week's lineup includes Nine Hats' Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2021, a structured red with refined tannins and cherry and spice notes. These wines just happen to be great values, but the Evergreen State also produces luxury bottlings with these two popular grapes. However, this week's selection of new releases shows Washington can quite handily hang its hat on Cabernet and Merlot. That gives consumers a broad palette of options, but leaves Washington without a signature wine, like Napa with Cabernet and Oregon with Pinot Noir.

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling thrive there, and do Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Few winegrowing regions are successful with such a diverse range of wines. Versatility is a blessing and a curse for Washington state.