Merlot: the little black bird

Named after a little black bird in France, merle or merlau, it was only fitting this dark blue-colored wine grape variety the little bird enjoyed dining on would be referred to as “merlot.”

As early as 1824, the name merlot referred to the second most popular grape grown in the Bordeaux region of France - following after its cousin cabernet sauvignon - a heartier and richer grape than merlot. In Bordeaux, the Left Bank region blends cabernet sauvignon as the dominant wine joining its cousin merlot, and at the Right Bank merlot is the featured wine blend.  

            

This French grape with notes of cherries, violets, and cigar box finally arrived in California in the mid-nineteenth century where it was shown off as a single bottled varietal instead of being traditionally blended with its French cousin cabernet sauvignon.

Continue...