Merlot tasting notes: a worked example
See what a structured Merlot tasting note looks like, line by line, then fill in the blank sheet for the bottle in your glass.
A Merlot tasting note, line by line
This is a worked example of how a note can read for the typical style of the grape. It is not a review of one bottle. Your wine will differ, so write what you find.
| Line of the note | What a typical Merlot note says |
|---|---|
| Appearance Colour and depth | Write what you see. Colour changes with the bottle and the vintage, so no grape guide can fill this line in for you. |
| Nose Fruit | 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. |
| Nose Other | 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. |
| Palate Sweetness | Dry. Ripe fruit can give a sweet impression even when there is no sugar left in the wine. |
| Palate Acidity | Medium. Refreshing, but not high. |
| Palate Tannin | Soft and round. Guides rate it anywhere from low to medium-high, and it varies with climate and winemaking. |
| Palate Body | Medium to full. Warmer-climate wines are fuller. |
| Palate Alcohol | Usually 13.5 to 15% ABV. Check the label. |
| Conclusions Where it is from | Bordeaux in France is its historic home, and it leads on the Right Bank (Pomerol and Saint-Émilion). Tuscany, California and Chile are also important. |
The same note in two sentences
Dry, with medium acidity and soft tannin. Red plum and cherry on the nose, with a little vanilla. Medium to full body. Smooth and round rather than grippy.
What to look for
- Merlot is often softer and less astringent than Cabernet Sauvignon, so give the tannin line a careful look. Soft is not the same as none.
- Fruit can make a dry Merlot taste sweet. Check sweetness on its own, apart from how ripe the fruit seems.
- Where it grew changes the note. Plum and cherry point to a cooler place. Baked blackberry and a fuller body point to a warmer one.
Now write your own
Fill this in for the bottle in front of you. It saves on your device only. Nothing is sent to us.
Questions
What does Merlot taste like?
Typically plum and cherry, moving to blackberry and fruitcake in warmer places, often with vanilla or spice from oak. It is soft in texture and usually dry.
Is Merlot dry or sweet?
Merlot is usually fermented to dry. Decanter notes that its rich fruit can give a sweet impression, but that is ripe fruit rather than sugar.
How do I write a Merlot tasting note?
Work in the same order every time: look, nose, palate, then your conclusions. Name the fruit, judge how soft the tannin feels, then rate acidity and body. The blank sheet on this page follows that order.
Sources
The typical aromas, structure and regions above come from these grape guides.