Winebuyers best-buys: Merlot 

Discover our top Merlot picks to celebrate National Merlot Day this November, or simply to sip through your week. 

Merlot in a nutshell 

Merlot can be many things depending on the climate and winemaking but you can generally expect generous amounts of dark stone fruits and supple tannins. 

With a lush, velvety texture alongside its distinctive plummy character and its mellow smoothness, it’s easy to see why Merlot is often the bottle of choice and loved by so many. 

To blend or not to blend?

Throughout its history this humble grape has played an important role as a blending partner to Cabernet Sauvignon, and sometimes Cabernet Franc. 

Because Merlot has less tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon, it is ideal to soften out the often austere and tannic young Cabernets. It also matures quicker, helping to make young Bordeaux wines more palatable in their youth. 

But don’t be mistaken, Merlot is also capable of making top quality single varietal wines. One word: Château Petrus. 

6 best Merlot wines to buy:

Love the wine but don’t know how to choose it? Here are five wines for you to enjoy - all hand-curated by the Winebuyers team. 

Wakefield Wines, Estate Merlot, 2016

A soft and velvety Merlot with aromas of ripe berry and rich fruitcake on the nose. French and American oak impart dark chocolate, coffee bean and vanilla characters.

The Taylor family believe great wines are made in the vineyard. The Estate wines are crafted with care and seek to capture the essence of the vineyard site and the pure varietal expression of the vineyard site and the pure varietal expression of the grape.

Terra Tangra, Organic Winemaker's Selection, Blend, Bulgaria, 2016

This dry red wine is richly flavoured with aromas of red cherries, blackberries and plum. Flavours of vanilla spice are also present from an oak-ageing process which adds complexity, and the tannins are smooth and silky. 

This pairs beautifully with game pie, sausage and mash, smoky lentil stews or venison and chicken liver terrine. For cheese, try Brie or Camembert. 

Merlot IGP Emilia, Box Wine, Italy, 2017

Plummy and rich, this Merlot has a great depth of flavour, real intensity and excellent grape typicity. This wine is not for the faint hearted. Pair yours with BBQ, charred, or roasted red meats.Suitable for vegan. Try with chargrilled mushrooms or roasted aubergines. 

Knights' Cellar, Merlot Red Dry Wine, Greece, 2016

Knights’ Cellar is an exceptional Merlot dry red wine, produced by CAIR Winery in Rhodes Island, from grapes grown in the all-year-around sunny vineyards of Rhodes. This Merlot has a deep ruby colour with sweet aromas of red fruits, cinnamon and vanilla. 

Viu Manent, Estate Collection Reserva Merlot, Chile, 2018 

Ruby red in colour with abundant ripe red fruits such as plums, cherries and blackcurrants, this Merlot is medium-bodied, well balanced and juicy. 

The Estate Collection Reserva range represents the purest expressions of each grape variety and are characterised by vibrant aromas and flavours. This Merlot is a blend of 98% Merlot, 2% Malbec from the Colchagua Valley. 

Vignano Vineyard, Merlino, 2015

This award-winning Merlot wine comes from an outstanding organic vineyard in the hills of Tuscany. Dry, with an intense and deep ruby red colour, this wine is smooth and silky in the mouth, with notes of strawberry and white chocolate that linger on the palate.

Ready for more? Browse our fantastic collection of over 1700 Merlot wines on Winebuyers.com. That’s enough to celebrate Merlot Day, isn’t it?