Merlot is a grape variety, first mentioned in writing in the 14th century from the Bordeaux region. The exact origin of the variety was not known for a long time, now we know that it is a hybrid of the Cabernet Franc and Madlenka kralovská varieties. It was entered in the state variety book in 2001.
According to one of the theories, the name of the variety is derived from the French name blackbird (merle), which likes the small berries of Merlot, because they turn blue earlier than other varieties grown in the Bordeaux region.
A typical Merlot is ruby to dark garnet in color. The aroma is delicate, with notes of overripe black currant. The taste shows a low acid content, fullness, softness, suppleness, long finish. In the aroma and taste we can look for black cherries, plums, blackberries, compote, figs, roses; after a long time on the bottle, notes of tobacco, truffles, coffee, chocolate or even dense fruit cake appear. As it matures, Merlot acquires a cream-vanilla tinge. The variety is suitable for the production of barrique wines and for long-term aging in the bottle.