Merlot

American  

[mur-loh, mer-loh] / ˈmɜr loʊ, mɛrˈloʊ /

noun

1. a dark-blue grape used in winemaking, especially in the Bordeaux region of France and in areas of Italy, Switzerland, and California.

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Merlot British  

/ ˈmɜːləʊ /

noun

1. a black grape grown in France and now throughout the wine-producing world, used, often in a blend, for making wine

2. any of various wines made from this grape

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Etymology

Origin of Merlot

< French: literally, young blackbird, derivative of merle merle ¹, probably alluding to the color of the grape

Example Sentences

For a wine newbie looking for something to pair with chicken, he suggested a fruity Merlot.

From The Wall Street Journal

Most of the famous European wine grapes — cultivars of Vitis vinifera like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot — are too tender to be grown in Chicago-area gardens, as well as large swaths of the United States.

From Salon

The rest can be a mix of a limited number of grapes, such as native Italian grapes like Canaiolo or international varieties like Merlot.

From Salon

The Washington Merlot vinegar was a finalist in the 2021 and 2022 Good Food Awards, a competition that recognizes “outstanding American craft food producers.”

From Seattle Times

He has a brand-new, limited-release arak, distilled from a base wine of Merlot, which he made as a tribute to his Palestinian grandmother, who died last year from complications of COVID-19.

From Salon