Merlot Wine and Cheese Pairings

Pairing Cheese with Merlot - Try Merlot with sheep's milk cheese, younger wash rind cow's milk cheeses and many of the Alpine-style cow's milk cheeses. The round, full-flavor of the Merlot grape does not pair well with goat's milk cheeses. Although not universally successful, try Merlot with blue cheese.

About Merlot - The Merlot grape has achieved elevated levels of success throughout the past few years. Much of this success lies in the versatility of the varietal. Merlots can the run the gamut from light and straightforward to deep and complex. Often less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlots are generally full-bodied, deeply hued, high in alcohol and feature notes of cherry, plum and chocolate. It is not widely know that Merlot is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to create some of the finest wines at the great estates of France's Bordeaux region. Merlot is also grown in northern Italy, California, Washington and Oregon.