No Longer a Punchline, Merlot Is Shining Bright Around the Globe

• By WineBottleMag
• July 5, 2025
• Bright Globe Longer Merlot Punchline Shining
• With 0 comments

 

October 2024 marked the 20-year anniversary of Sideways, the cult comedy that followed two friends on a road trip through California wine country. While audiences remember it for the laughs, the wine industry remembers something else: the moment Merlot became a punchline.

After Paul Giamatti’s character, Miles, sneers, “If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any f**ing Merlot!”—sales of the grape plummeted.

But two decades later, Merlot is no longer the scapegoat. From the gravel soils of Pomerol to the sun-drenched hills of California, winemakers across the globe are reimagining what the grape can be and showcasing why it deserves a fresh taste.

“In Merlot’s hyper-critical post-Sideways reality, if you’re making one, and you’re not taking it seriously, then you’ll get laughed out of the tasting room pretty quickly,” says Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Matt Kettmann. “That means there is a lot of high-quality Merlot available up and down the price scale.”

Below, we’ve rounded up highly rated bottles from around the globe that highlight why it’s time to give Merlot another pour.

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Bordeaux

Merlot is the most widely planted grape in Bordeaux, but its true spiritual home lies on the region’s Right Bank—particularly in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol—where its tendency to ripen early is ideally suited to the area’s cooler clay and limestone soils.

The region’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Gironde estuary creates moderate temperatures and frequent rainfall leads to grapes with lower tannins and higher sugar concentrations. In blends, this thin-skinned grape contributes fruity notes (from strawberry and plum to blackberry) and a plush texture.

Though often labeled a workhorse variety, Merlot has produced some of Bordeaux’s most iconic and age-worthy wines. In fact, two of the most legendary Merlot-based bottlings in the world hail from the Right Bank: Château Pétrus and Château Cheval Blanc.

Wine Enthusiast recommends:

Tuscany

While many associate Tuscany with Sangiovese, the backbone of Chianti, Merlot has become a favored tool for winemakers looking to add softness and depth—particularly as international varieties gained popularity through the rise of the now-iconic Super Tuscans.

“Merlot has a very long and noble tradition in Tuscany and some of the best wines from the region—not to say some of the most coveted wines in the world—are made with Merlot,” says Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Danielle Callegari.

In regions like Bolgheri and Maremma, Merlot thrives in coastal, sun-drenched soils, producing wines with rich fruit, savory depth and a touch of Italian elegance. Though often used in blends, many producers now bottle 100% Merlot wines that highlight site-specific nuance—proof that Tuscany can deliver both power and polish.

“If people know Tuscan Merlot, they’re usually thinking of Bolgheri—and rightly so, with wines like Masseto—but bottles like Galatrona and Redigaffi show just how exciting the rest of the region can be” Callegari adds.

Wine Enthusiast recommends:

California

Merlot in California has had quite the renaissance. Many growers are focusing on cooler sites—from Sonoma Coast to mountain vineyards in Napa—where the grape retains moderate acidity, bright fruit aromas and the soft mouthfeel that makes it special.

The result is a shift away from overly ripe, oak-heavy styles toward fresher, more structured wines.

For example, Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Elaine Chukan Brown says one high-scoring bottle from a high elevation block above Napa boasts tannins that “melt in the mouth, balanced by juicy acidity that carries into a long finish with “flavors of blue and black fruits with pleasing spices” and an additional layer of earthy depth.

But even the warmer Golden State growing regions are upping their Merlot game, too. Another top-scoring bottle from the Livermore Valley is hailed by Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Tonya Pitts for its “rich, supple” texture, black-fruited and spice aromas on the nose, “dried herbs” and “espresso” palate and dry finish.

Whether plush and savory or bright and lifted, California Merlot is incredibly versatile.

Wine Enthusiast recommends:

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Washington

If Merlot ever had a safe haven, it’s in Washington State. Long valued for its consistency and structure, Washington Merlot benefits from the arid climate in the eastern part of the state.

“When National Merlot Day hits in November, I will always reach for something from Washington State,” says Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Michael Alberty, who reviews wines from the Pacific Northwest. “Thanks to warm days and cool nights, often with massive diurnal swings, the best Merlots from Washington are nicely balanced, delivering beautifully ripe fruit to go along with structure and natural acidity.”

In places like Red Mountain and Walla Walla, Merlot delivers wines that are bold, structured, and savory, often with hints of cocoa, black cherry, dried herbs and spice.

Here, Merlot doesn’t play second fiddle—it often steals the show. “I call these ‘Goldilocks wines,’ as everything is just right,” Alberty adds.

Wine Enthusiast recommends:

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• Better than Burgundy? Spätburgunder—a.k.a. German Pinot Noir—is making a splash.

The post No Longer a Punchline, Merlot Is Shining Bright Around the Globe appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

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