Merlot: taste, styles and the dishes that match
48 styles and 616 dish scores from our sommelier database
Say Merlot and you say a red wine with recognisable traits. But there is no single Merlot: acidity, body and aromas shift by region and style. That is why we work with Wine DNA profiles per style, scored against real dishes — with Saddle of venison among the strongest matches.
Taste profile (Wine DNA)
Averaged across the styles in our database, Merlot shows fresh acidity, is medium-bodied and exuberantly fruity, with soft tannins.
Well-known Merlot styles
- Saint-Émilion & Pomerol · Bordeaux — full-bodied, fresh acidity, soft tannins, subtle oak notes
Supple, plush Right Bank Bordeaux led by Merlot, with ripe plum and cherry fruit and velvety texture. - Fronsac & Canon-Fronsac · Fronsac — medium-bodied, fresh acidity, firm tannins, subtle oak notes
Characterful Right Bank Bordeaux led by Merlot, structured and well suited to roasted meats. - Merlot Oregon & Washington · Oregon & Washington — medium-bodied, fresh acidity, soft tannins, subtle oak notes
Entry level qualities of (predominantly) merlot based red wines from the cooler climates of Oregon and Washington. - Merlot · California — full-bodied, fresh acidity, soft tannins, subtle oak notes
California's middle qualities of red wines produced from (predominantly) the merlot grape variety. - Merlot Tuscany · Italy — medium-bodied, fresh acidity, soft tannins, generous oak ageing
Made in Bordeaux style and aged on new oak, elegantly ripe with great refinement and length. - Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur · Bordeaux — medium-bodied, fresh acidity, soft tannins
Entry to mid market level of fruity red wines from cabernet sauvignon and merlot based blends with light tannins.
Price-wise Merlot covers the full range: of the 48 styles in our database, 44% sit in the entry segment, 38% mid-range and 19% at the top end. You will find both a weekday bottle and a cellar-worthy wine in this grape.
The best-scoring dishes with Merlot
The dishes below come from our expert scoring: every combination was scored by sommeliers using the Wine DNA of both dish and wine. These are the strongest matches for Merlot styles, from classic to surprising.
- Saddle of venison — best style: Merlot Toscana
- Tagliata di manzo — best style: Merlot California
- Duck à l'orange — best style: Merlot Oregon & Washington
- Duck breast — best style: Merlot Oregon & Washington
- Goose — best style: Merlot Oregon & Washington
- Calf's liver — best style: Merlot Toscana
- Navarin d'agneau — best style: St. Emilion and Pomerol
- Abondance — best style: St. Emilion and Pomerol
- Comté — best style: St. Emilion and Pomerol
Want to know if a specific bottle of Merlot matches your dish? Scan the label in the SommelierX app and see the match instantly.
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Frequently asked questions
- What does Merlot taste like?
- Averaged across the styles in our database, Merlot shows fresh acidity, is medium-bodied and exuberantly fruity, with soft tannins. It varies by style: see the overview above.
- What food goes with Merlot?
- The highest scores in our sommelier work: Saddle of venison, Pizza Quattro Stagioni, Roasted Thick skirt, Gravy, Boiled Polenta, Boiled White asparagus, Blanched French beans, Thyme. The full list is above.
- Is Merlot a red wine?
- In our database Merlot is mostly made as a red wine (48 linked styles); regional exceptions exist.