Shop Merlot Wine Online: Napa, Pomerol and Everyday Reds

Merlot wine is a dry red made from the Merlot grape, the most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and the backbone of the Right Bank around Libourne. It ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, which is why it gives rounder, softer wines in the same climate.

Where Merlot comes from

The grape was first recorded in the late 18th century in Bordeaux's Libournais, spelled "Merlau". Today it covers about 266,000 hectares worldwide, and it is the main grape of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. For the classic source, we'd start with our Bordeaux wine.

Merlot's family tree

DNA research published in 2009 showed that Merlot is a cross of Cabernet Franc and a rare grape called Magdeleine Noire des Charentes. That makes it a half-sibling of Cabernet Sauvignon, which explains why the two share a table so often in Bordeaux blends.

Merlot after Sideways

In the 2004 film Sideways, the main character refuses to drink Merlot. A 2009 Sonoma State University study found Merlot sales fell about 2% after the film, while Pinot Noir rose about 16%. The damage was to the grape's image, not to what is in the glass, and that gap is why serious Merlot is one of the better values on any wine list today.

The irony is that the main character ends up drinking his bottle of Cheval Blanc, and Cheval Blanc has Merlot in it.

Leo, Founder & Curator

Merlot tastes of ripe plum and black cherry, often with cocoa, vanilla or spice from oak. It is dry, medium to full-bodied, with softer tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon. Warm regions make it plush and fruit-forward; Pomerol and cooler sites make it more savory and structured.

Napa Merlot vs. Pomerol: two bowls of plums

Imagine two bowls of plums. The Napa bowl is filled with beautiful, ripe, dark plums, black cherries and blackberries, with chocolate, vanilla or a little sweet spice. It feels plush, round and velvety, almost like biting into a perfectly ripe plum.

Now take those same plums into an old stone cellar, with damp earth, dried leaves, mushrooms and a little tobacco. That's closer to Pomerol, with something like black tea, cedar or freshly turned soil.

How the two styles open up

Napa Merlot often feels more immediately generous. Pomerol can feel a little more restrained at first, with the fruit, tannins and savory character unfolding gradually. It isn't necessarily lighter or less powerful. Producer, vintage and age change the picture too: the Napa bottles in this collection are four different readings of the same grape, not one taste.

Napa Merlot welcomes you with its fruit. Pomerol invites you to discover what's hiding behind it. Neither approach is better.

Merlot's style is set mostly by when it is picked, how much oak it sees and what it is blended with. Picked early it stays fresh and red-fruited; picked late, in warm sites, it turns plush and dark.

Oak and blending with Cabernet

Serious Merlot often spends a year or more in oak barrels, which adds cocoa, cedar and vanilla. In Bordeaux it is rarely alone: Château Bonalgue in Pomerol is roughly 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc, aged about 18 months in French oak.

What a Merlot label tells you

In the U.S., a wine labeled Merlot must contain at least 75% Merlot under federal rules. Oregon asks for 90% on most varietal labels, but Merlot is one of the grapes exempt from that rule. In Bordeaux, the label names the place, not the grape: a Pomerol or Saint-Émilion is Merlot-led, even if the word never appears.

The best Merlot comes from Bordeaux's Right Bank, Napa Valley and Washington State, with good value from Chile, Argentina and northeast Italy. Each region changes the same grape in a way you can taste, so we go place by place below.

Pomerol and Saint-Émilion

This is where Merlot is at its most savory. Pomerol has never had an official classification, so the names that matter, like Petit-Village, Beauregard or L'Évangile, earned their reputation bottle by bottle. Saint-Émilion, next door, ranks its estates and adds more Cabernet Franc. Browse the full range in our Bordeaux wine collection.

Napa Valley and California Merlot

Napa Merlot is the ripe, generous side of the grape: Raymond, Darioush, Shafer and Chappellet all sit here, at different levels of richness. See more in Napa Valley wines and California wine.

Washington and the Columbia Valley

Merlot is Washington's second most planted grape, with more than 9,000 acres in 2017. Cool nights keep the fruit bright, which is why bottles like Powers or Andrew Will feel juicy rather than heavy. Explore Washington wine.

Chile and Argentina

In 1994 an ampelographer found that many Chilean vines sold as Merlot were really Carménère; the two are now kept apart. South American Merlot is soft and easy to drink young. Start with our Chilean wine.

Tuscany and northeast Italy

Some of Italy's most famous reds are pure Merlot, including Masseto and Tua Rita's Redigaffi, while Friuli's Collio makes fresher, lighter versions. Find them among our Tuscan wine.

Good Merlot starts around $15, the best value sits between $30 and $80, and above $80 you start paying for reputation and scarcity as much as for the wine. This collection runs from $12.50 to a Pétrus magnum, so we cover every level here.

Everyday Merlot

Between $15 and $30 you should expect a well-made, honest wine with good fruit, balance and enough freshness. You don't need to spend a fortune to drink good Merlot. The B&G Reserve Merlot from Pays d'Oc and Powers Merlot from Washington cover this level.

Step-up Merlot from Washington and Napa

$30 to $80 is where things become particularly interesting: more serious expressions from Napa Valley, Washington State and Bordeaux. This is often where I find the best balance between quality and price. Four of the five Merlots in the picks below sit right here.

Merlot for the cellar: Right Bank Bordeaux

Above $80 or $100, some Merlots can be extraordinary, especially from top Napa producers and the great estates of Pomerol. But at that level you're also paying for reputation, vineyard prestige and scarcity.

How to choose the best Merlot for your table

If you're discovering Merlot, I wouldn't start with the most expensive bottle. I'd show you a good everyday example, then compare a serious Napa Merlot with a Pomerol.

Merlot pairs best with roast poultry, mushrooms, braised beef and duck, because its soft tannins don't fight lighter meats and its fruit holds up to richer ones. Match the style to the dish: Napa for richness, Pomerol for earthy plates.

How to serve Merlot

I like to serve Merlot slightly cool, around 61 to 64°F, or 16 to 18°C. One of the biggest mistakes is serving it too warm, especially in Miami: the alcohol becomes more noticeable and the wine loses some of its freshness. For a young Napa Merlot, particularly a concentrated one, I might give it 30 minutes or more in a decanter, but I always taste it first. I take the same approach with Pomerol. An older Pomerol is a different story: I'd handle it gently, check for sediment and avoid leaving it in a decanter for hours.

Serve Merlot cool enough to preserve its freshness, and let the bottle tell you how much air it needs.

How long does Merlot last after opening?

Recorked and kept in the fridge, an opened Merlot usually stays good for 3 to 5 days. Take it out about 30 minutes before pouring so it comes back up to serving temperature.