Wine grapes: Merlot

Origin
It's considered a Bordeaux grape and was already entrenched in this region by the mid 19th-century. It is one of the traditional grape varieties used in making the wines of the great Bordeaux châteaux. Among others, Merlot makes up 95% of the great Château Pétrus.

Definition
Merlot is a grape from the Bordeaux region, part of the Cabernet family. It's a sensitive grape that dislikes dry and cold conditions. 

The merlot stalk bears vigorous hanging foliage. The mature leaves are large and highly indented with marked "blistering." The bunches of grapes are large, loose, often winged, with small round grapes that are blue, tending towards black. 

Wine and aromas 
Black currant, blackberry 
Wine made from Merlot is usually characterized by an attractive fruitiness (red and black berries) and is refined, round and fairly full-bodied, often with a touch of ivy. However, when it is made from insufficiently ripe grapes, herbaceous notes predominate. 

Gastronomy
Merlot is a fine food wine that pairs well with meats that are not too strongly flavored: poultry (duck confit, quail, guinea fowl, chicken, capon). It is also appreciated with beef tournedos with morels, beef Wellington, hare civet or simply with a nice cheese tray. It is often said that merlot is the wine best-suited to a mushroom dishes. 

French Terroirs
Pomerol, Saint Emilion, Cahors, etc

Swiss Terroirs
Merlot has found a second homeland in Ticino where it makes exceptional wines. As it ripens later than the other main grape varieties, it is rarely found in other Swiss regions.