a main , attached wing cluster of merlot grapes characteristic dark-blue color.
the earliest recorded mention of merlot (under synonym of merlau) in notes of local bordeaux official in 1784 labeled wine made grape in libournais region 1 of area s best. in 1824, word merlot appeared in article on médoc wine described grape named after local black bird (called merlau in local variant of occitan language, mèrle in standard) liked eating ripe grapes on vine. other descriptions of grape 19th century called variety lou seme doù flube (meaning seedling river ) grape thought have originated on 1 of islands found along garonne river.
by 19th century being regularly planted in médoc on left bank of gironde. after series of setbacks includes severe frost in 1956 , several vintages in 1960s lost rot, french authorities in bordeaux banned new plantings of merlot vines between 1970 , 1975.
it first recorded in italy around venice under synonym bordò in 1855. grape introduced swiss, bordeaux, sometime in 19th century , recorded in swiss canton of ticino between 1905 , 1910. in 1990s, merlot saw upswing of popularity in united states. red wine consumption, in general, increased in following airing of 60 minutes report on french paradox , potential health benefits of wine and, possibly, chemical resveratrol. popularity of merlot stemmed in part relative ease in pronouncing name of wine softer, fruity profile made more approachable wine drinkers.
parentage , relationship other grapes
cabernet franc, 1 of parent varieties of merlot.
in late 1990s, researchers @ university of california, davis showed merlot offspring of cabernet franc , half-sibling of carménère, malbec , cabernet sauvignon. identity of second parent of merlot wouldn t discovered till late 2000s when obscure , unnamed variety, first sampled in 1996 vines growing in abandoned vineyard in saint-suliac in brittany, shown dna analysis mother of merlot.
this grape, later discovered in front of houses decorative vine in villages of figers, mainxe, saint-savinien , tanzac in poitou-charentes colloquially known madeleina or raisin de la madeleine due propensity ripe , ready harvest around july 22nd feast day of mary magdalene. connection merlot became known, grape formally registered under name magdeleine noire des charentes. through relationship magdeleine noire des charentes merlot related southwest france wine grape abouriou, though exact nature of relationship (with abouriou potentially being either parent of magdeleine noire or offspring) not yet known.
grape breeders have used merlot crossed other grapes create several new varieties including carmine (an olmo grape made crossing carignan x cabernet sauvignon cross merlot), ederena (with abouriou), evmolpia (with mavrud), fertilia (with raboso veronese), mamaia (a romanian wine grape made crossing muscat ottonel x babeasca negra cross merlot), nigra (with barbera), prodest (with barbera) , rebo (with teroldego).
over years, merlot has spawned color mutation used commercially, pink-skinned variety known merlot gris. however, unlike relationship between grenache noir , grenache blanc or pinot noir , pinot blanc, variety known merlot blanc not color mutation rather offspring variety of merlot crossing folle blanche.
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