merlot

noun, often capitalized mer·lot \ mer-ˈlō , mər- \

|Updated on: 2 Jul 2018

Definition of merlot

: a dry red wine made from a widely grown grape originally used in the Bordeaux region of France for blending; also : the grape itself

Recent Examples of merlot from the Web

Strolling through the vineyards, Kluge plucks a ripe merlot grape and discusses sugar content and the excellent prognosis for the 2011 vintage.

— marcia desanctis, Town & Country, "The Strange Saga of Trump Winery," 14 Oct. 2016
For an introductory red from Bergerac, Total Wine also stocks the Chateau Belingard 2015 Rouge ($11), a blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon.

— mike dunne, sacbee, "A French wine mystery: Where's the Bergerac?," 6 June 2018
These aren’t your common chardonnays, merlots or cabernet sauvignons.

— emily spicer, San Antonio Express-News, "The top 10 Hill Country Wineries," 4 June 2018
The keg holds about 26 bottles of white merlot, sauvignon blanc, a red blend, chardonnay or rosé, Delish reported.

— natalie dreier, ajc, "Wine kegs are real; find out where they’re sold," 18 May 2018
The Aney and Moulin de Tricot are both dominated by cabernet sauvignon, grown on gravel soils, supplemented by merlot.

— eric asimov, New York Times, "Come for the Values, Stay (or Leave) for the Vintage," 1 Mar. 2018
Most wines in this category come from California, such as this tasty, easy-drinking merlot.

— marnie old, Philly.com, "Great Wine Values: Black Box Merlot," 23 Apr. 2018
This is a smoky, cherry-scented red blend composed of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and shiraz.

— bloomberg, Fortune, "Kosher Wines You’ll Want to Drink After Passover (Yes, Really)," 29 Mar. 2018
Built with cabernet sauvignon and merlot, the wine hits all the right Bordeaux notes without requiring you to age it for 20 years to appreciate it.

— dave eckert, kansascity, "A handful of wine recommendations as winter ends and spring begins | The Kansas City Star," 26 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'merlot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of merlot

French

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First Known Use: 1926

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