Merlot Day: 15 top award-winning wines to try

Merlot’s signature combination of plush fruit and silky tannins has helped it win millions of fans across the globe. That broad appeal allows it to effortlessly climb every rung of the wine ladder, from supermarket shelves to auction rooms, where the finest bottles command eye-watering prices.

From the clay soils of Pomerol to the coastal hills of Bolgheri and the sun-soaked valleys of Chile, Merlot adapts to its surroundings with remarkable ease. It’s the second most planted wine grape on the planet, behind only Cabernet Sauvignon, and it thrives on every wine-producing continent.

Why is Merlot Day on 7 November?

International Merlot Day has no official founder, but fans have been toasting the grape on 7 November since the early 2010s. What started as a flurry of social media posts has grown into something far more substantial, with wineries and retailers hosting tastings, building displays and championing Merlot in person.

In the US, 7 November is also the grand finale of #MerlotMe. A Napa Valley winery launched this month-long campaign in 2013, and it has grown steadily ever since.

Early November is the season of roaring fires and hearty meals, so Merlot’s supple fruit is in its element. If you’re joining in online, the hashtag is #MerlotDay.

Merlot’s Bordeaux roots

Merlot’s name is thought to come from ‘merle’, the French word for blackbird. It may be a nod to the grape’s blue-black skins, or perhaps to the birds’ fondness for raiding the vines at harvest time. The earliest written record dates from 1784, in Bordeaux.

DNA profiling indicates that Merlot is the offspring of Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes, an obscure variety from western France. That makes Merlot a half-sibling of Cabernet Sauvignon, the grape it so often partners in Bordeaux’s famous blends.

Merlot is now Bordeaux’s most planted grape, as it offers several advantages over Cabernet Sauvignon. The grape ripens earlier, giving growers a head start before the autumn rains set in, and it also copes far better with the region’s cooler, damper clay soils.

On Bordeaux’s gravel-rich Left Bank, Merlot usually plays a supporting role, softening Cabernet Sauvignon’s firm tannins and adding fleshy fruit to the blend. On the Right Bank, the roles are reversed. In Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, Merlot leads the blend, often alongside Cabernet Franc, producing wines prized for their richness and perfume. Pomerol’s Petrus, made entirely from Merlot, is among the most sought-after wines on earth.

Merlot’s American rollercoaster

Merlot enjoyed a huge boom in the US during the 1980s and 1990s, as drinkers fell for its soft, approachable style. Plantings soared to meet demand, and not all of the resulting wine did the grape justice.

Then came Sideways. In the 2004 film, Paul Giamatti plays Miles, a divorced, Pinot Noir-obsessed aspiring novelist embarking on a road trip through California’s Santa Barbara wine country. As he and his friend Jack head out to dinner with two women they’ve met, Miles lays down the law: “If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am not drinking any f***ing Merlot!”

The joke is on Miles. His most treasured bottle, saved for a special occasion that never arrives, is a 1961 Château Cheval Blanc from Saint-Émilion. It’s a blend of Cabernet Franc, another grape he dismisses earlier in the film, and Merlot. He ends up drinking it from a polystyrene cup in a fast-food restaurant.

The film’s impact became known as the Sideways effect. A Sonoma State University study found that US Merlot sales fell by around 2% in the years after the film’s release, while Pinot Noir sales jumped 16%. However, the damage was mostly confined to bottles under $10, the end of the market where Merlot’s image had already suffered.

In hindsight, the backlash did the grape a favour. It weeded out producers who had cashed in on the boom with mediocre wines, leaving those committed to quality. Less Merlot is made in the US today, but what remains is far better, with Napa Valley and Washington State leading the charge. The stigma has largely faded, and Merlot remains one of the best-selling grape varieties in the country. The #MerlotMe campaign has helped too, and it’s been credited with reviving the grape’s image among a new generation of drinkers.

Merlot around the world

Bordeaux may be Merlot’s spiritual home, but the grape has put down roots in almost every corner of the wine world.

Italy has embraced it with particular enthusiasm. In the northeast, Friuli and the Veneto turn out light, juicy Merlot for everyday drinking. On the Tuscan coast, it’s a key ingredient in many Super Tuscans. These bold blends broke with local tradition from the 1970s onwards, and they now rank among the most coveted wines in the world. Some of the most celebrated are made from 100% Merlot.

Just across the border, the Swiss canton of Ticino has made Merlot its signature grape. It covers around 80% of the region’s vineyards, and local winemakers even use it to make a crisp white wine, Bianco di Merlot.

Further afield, Chile’s Central Valley produces generous, fruit-packed Merlot that offers terrific value. New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay, the country’s red wine heartland, turns out elegant Merlot-led blends with a Bordeaux-like balance of ripe fruit and freshness. South Africa’s Stellenbosch uses Merlot in its acclaimed Bordeaux-style blends, while in Bulgaria, Merlot is one of the most widely planted grapes and makes soft, fruity reds at gentle prices.

Wherever it’s planted, Merlot keeps its generous dark fruit and soft, rounded texture, while picking up a local accent along the way.

However you choose to celebrate International Merlot Day, the grape rewards exploration. Try a style or region that’s new to you, and you may well find a fresh favourite.

Scroll down to discover 15 award-winning Merlot dominant wines from DWWA 2026

Argentina

Rutini Wines, Apartado Gran Merlot, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2023
Gold, 95 points
Giddy with fragrant bramble fruit, eucalyptus, coffee bean and tobacco aromatics and glowing with elegant vanilla oak, silky tannins and redcurrant acidity. Long and smoky. Alc 13.8%

France

Château L'Enclos, Pomerol, Bordeaux 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
There's just one Bordeaux in our Best In Show selection this year, but it's a cracker. It’s actually the fourth Pomerol to feature at this level, and comes from the 2023 vintage – when those prepared to work hard keeping mildew at bay over the summer made beautiful wines in soft and comely style for mid-term drinking. Our judges felt this was a ‘high class’ wine whose style combined the innate generosity of this appellation (the world benchmark for Merlot) with considerable finesse and restraint, perhaps due to its relatively elevated percentage of Cabernet Franc – and there's even a dash of Malbec in here, too. It's an opaque black-red in colour at this stage with cherry and blueberry fruits, shimmering with a classical cedary sheen. The tannins are prominent, tender and savoury, and there is ample fruit-bonded acidity to give the wine lift and grace; the finish is dry and appetising rather than sweet and cloying. Needless to say, it'll age beautifully over the medium term. Alc 13.5%

Château de Rauzan, Augey Bordeaux 2023
Platinum, 97 points
Fervent florals, spiced damsons and juicy black plums submerged in an ample cedar oak core. Tactile tannins weave their way through the compelling texture, deftly sustained by the lively acidity. Primary fruit garnishes the finish. Alc 13.5%

Château De Rochemorin, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux 2023
Platinum, 97 points
An authoritative air of appeal; prune, cassis, damson and dark chocolate aroma builds the tension whilst the impressive oak frame and fine graphite tannins provide the bedrock. Bracing acidity refreshes and enhances the lengthy finish. Alc 14%

Maison Ginestet, Grand Vin, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux 2022
Platinum, 97 points
A wonderful typicity of black cherry, cassis, damson and cedar with an injection of lavender and violet perfume that cascades over the focused tannins and exuberant acidity. Creamy and textural with a sapid saline length. Alc14.5%

Château Cazenave, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux 2023
Gold, 96 points
Vivid red plum leaps from the glass joined by spicy, floral notes. A long standing vibrancy enriched with graphite tannins and a long grippy ending. Alc 14.5%

Château De Pressac, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux 2023
Gold, 96 points
Packed with charisma and charm, unveiling blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco and grilled meat aromas that fortify the youthful tannins and heady concentration. Classy and very long. Alc 14.5%

Château Moulin De Bernat, Cuvée De La Viticultrice, Bordeaux 2025
Gold, 96 points
Laden with dark bramble and hedgerow fruit that embellishes waves of broad cacao tannin and firm black cherry acidity. Lengthy and saline at the end. Alc 13%

Dassault, Château La Fleur, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux 2019
Gold, 96 points
An all-consuming evolution of prune, liquorice, date, fig and coffee aroma, with big muscular structure and a sleek core of tannin. Not for the faint hearted. Alc 15%

Château Bourdieu, N°1, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2024
Gold, 95 points
Tempting dark cherry and floral notes embed in the seductive structure with cushioning tannins and a lingering saline undertone to flatter. Very long and saporous. Alc 14.5%

Château Palais Cardinal, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux 2022
Gold, 95 points
Enticing bramble, plum and chocolate notes offset by a charcuterie twist. Opulent and full with firm tannins, a fine acid backbone and long savoury finish. Alc 13.5%

Château Tour De Yon, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux 2023
Gold, 95 points
Bounding aromas of morello cherry, plum and blackcurrant with touches of fresh tarragon and thyme. Fine structure, chalky tannins and directing acidity ensure a bright future. Alc 14%

New Zealand

Pask, Merlot, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay 2021
Gold, 95 points
A carpet of black cherry, sweet tobacco, perfumed florals and mint chocolate threads into the dusty tannins and leafy acidity. Admirably evolved with more to come. Alc 14%

Romania

Crama De Matei, Patima Merlot, Dealu Mare, Muntenia & Oltenia 2020
Gold, 95 points
Bountiful plum and cherry fruit enriched with a balsamic lift that enlivens the muscular structure, sinewy texture and voluminous tannins. Bold, complex and impressively long. Alc 14.5%

South Africa

Steenberg, Merlot, Constantia, Cape Town 2022
Platinum, 97 points
Whispers of cassis and maritime herbs breeze across the nose displaying the bracing freshness of Constantia perfectly. The youthful, tightly wound palate with smooth, velvety tannins and vibrant acidity draws to a savoury spicy conclusion. Alc 14.5%

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