Merlot
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Good old Merlot, red wine for the ages. Compared to reds like Cabernet, Merlot is a rather smooth and friendly wine, containing soft fresh fruit and approachable tannin levels (that "dry mouth" feeling). This particular grape can display notes of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, plum and currant with more complex versions (now similar to Cabernet Sauvignon) producing flavors of chocolate, earth/herbs, coffee, and tobacco.
Merlot originated in France, specifically in the Bordeaux region around 1784. While most famous for being one of the Bordeaux varietals in France (home to some of the best red wines in the world), Merlot is planted in virtually every wine region in the world as well. The Merlot grape is adaptable to warm climate regions, but also performs well in cooler areas which enable it to retain fresh levels of acidity. Merlot is a wonderful blending varietal and is often interwoven with other grapes to create softness in a wine.