WineBuddMerlot vs Cabernet Sauvignon: tasting notes side by side
Both are dry reds, and neither is sweet. Cabernet Sauvignon is the fuller one, with higher tannin and acidity. Merlot is softer and rounder, with medium acidity.
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, line by line
These are the typical styles of each grape, not two particular bottles, so a wine in your glass may differ. Each line reads from our worked example for the grape.
| Line of the note | Merlot | Cabernet Sauvignon |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | Dry. Ripe fruit can give a sweet impression even when there is no sugar left in the wine. | Dry. |
| Acidity | Medium. Refreshing, but not high. | Medium-high. |
| Tannin | Soft and round. Guides rate it anywhere from low to medium-high, and it varies with climate and winemaking. | Medium-high. Decanter calls the tannins assertive. |
| Body | Medium to full. Warmer-climate wines are fuller. | Full. |
| Alcohol | Usually 13.5 to 15% ABV. Check the label. | Usually 13.5 to 15% ABV. Check the label. |
| Typical aromas | Red plum and cherry in cooler climates. Baked blackberry and fruitcake in warmer ones. When fully ripe it can also show blackcurrant, blueberry and chocolate. Vanilla and spice if it was aged in oak. A grassy or bell-pepper note can appear in cool-climate wines. Earthy, meaty and chocolate notes can develop with age. | Black currant and black cherry. Blackcurrant becomes cassis when very concentrated. Cedar, baking spices and graphite. Oak adds vanilla, tobacco and coffee. Mint or eucalyptus often shows in California and Chile. |
Read the full tasting note for each grape
Each page has a worked note written line by line and a free blank sheet to fill in.
Questions
Which is sweeter, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon?
Neither is sweet. Wine Folly lists both as dry. Merlot can seem sweeter because ripe fruit gives a sweet impression, even when there is no sugar left in the wine.
Which has more tannin, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon?
Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine Folly rates it medium-high in tannin, and Decanter calls the tannins assertive. Guides rate Merlot anywhere from low to medium-high, and Wine Folly says it is often softer and less astringent than Cabernet Sauvignon.
How do I tell them apart in the glass?
Check the palate lines first. Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied with medium-high acidity and tannin. Merlot is medium to full with medium acidity. On the nose, Cabernet leans to black currant and cedar, Merlot to red plum and cherry in cooler climates.
Sources
The typical aromas and structure above come from these grape guides.