A dark blue-colored wine grape variety used to make red wine, known for its soft, mellow flavor. Also refers to the wine made from these grapes.
From French 'merlot,' a diminutive of 'merle' meaning blackbird, possibly referring to the grape's dark color resembling a blackbird's plumage. The name first appeared in Bordeaux wine records in the 1780s.
Merlot was nearly extinct after the 1956 frost in France destroyed most vines, but it made a remarkable comeback to become one of the world's most planted grape varieties. The movie 'Sideways' famously caused Merlot sales to plummet temporarily due to a character's disdain for it.
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