This black grape variety is associated with the great wines of St-Emilion and Pomerol and is Bordeaux's most planted black grape variety. In Bordeaux, the well drained soils of the Medoc and Graves can sometimes leave the Merlot grapes undeveloped while in damp cool soils, such as those of St. Emilion and Pomerol that retain their moisture the grapes can reach full maturity. Merlot is perhaps the constant companion to the more austere, aristocratic and longer-lived Cabernet Sauvignon and now enjoys phenomenal growth as allocations of wines and the scarcity of grapes and bulk wine can attest.

Grape Attributes

This grape buds, flowers and ripens at least a week before Cabernet Sauvignon, making it more sensitive to frost
and coulure. Merlot produces wines lower in color, acid and tannin and its thinner skin may also make it more prone to rot. The plump luscious grapes will typically yield more tons per acre and often result in a smoother, softer, fruitier, more accessible wine. The grape is larger and has a lot more juice to skin ratio than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Climate Considerations Requires a narrow heat range, cooler region makes for vegetal underipe wines, region II is ideal and region III will yield wines lighter in body and color with lower acidity.

Soil Types This grape does well on clay, sandy loam, and soils with good water retention properties.

Clonal Selections There are 10 different clones in California with Clone #3 being the most popular, St. Francis uses Clone #6.

Canopy Management This can increase quality tremendously and can also add to the quantity. A more open canopy is prefered and leaf pulling may be employed.