Today is the perfect day to get reacquainted with Merlot. Merlot is one of the most widely planted grapes on the planet- and for good reason- it’s delicious! It’s originally from the Bordeaux region of France where it’s blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Merlot is a fruity and lush wine that goes great with lots of different foods across the spectrum. Read on for a complete Merlot food pairing guide, what cheeses go best with Merlot, an quick-reference list of foods that pair with Merlot, and some technical elements about the grape to help you make perfect food matches.
- Characteristics of Merlot to consider when pairing with food
- Understanding the difference between cool climate vs warm climate Merlot
- A list of foods that pair with Merlot
- Merlot cheese pairing
- How to make your own Merlot food pairing
Characteristics of Merlot to Consider When Pairing with Food
Let’s break down the elements of Merlot and figure out how those elements affect Merlot food pairings.
Aromas and Flavors of Merlot: Merlot is very fruit forward and has lots of plum, cherry, and blackberry aromas. Plum and chocolate are the dominant flavors of Merlot.
Body: Merlot is medium to full body. Pair Merlot with foods that are heavier and more complex like red meats, stews, and roasted poultry.
Acid: Merlot isn’t known for having a ton of acidity. Acid is a very important element in food and wine pairing. Aim to pair Merlot with foods that aren’t tart which includes the sauces. Avoid vinaigrettes, tomato sauces (unless it’s a meat based tomato sauce), or any lemon-butter sauces as well. Instead opt for fruit-based sauces like cranberry or plum sauce.
Tannins: Merlot has a good amount of tannins. Foods with protein and fat are best to cut through the tannins of Merlot. Steak, lamb, chicken thighs, and cheeses will accomplish this.
Alcohol: I dig into this more in the next section but real quick: where Merlot is grown will affect the alcohol levels. Generally speaking, Merlot is medium to high in alcohol. Pair Merlot with foods that aren’t too spicy because alcohol (and tannins) will enflame the spice of the food.
Because Merlot grows all over the world, there are two distinct styles to consider: cool climate and warm climate. Keep reading to see what makes a great Merlot food pairing.
List of Foods that Pair with Merlot
All of these foods will pair with Merlot, this is just a cheat sheet guide to make the match even better by differentiating the different styles of Merlot. Read on for the differences in cool climate and warm climate Merlot.
Cool Climate vs Warm Climate Merlot
Merlot grapes can adjust to many different climates which is why it grows all over the world. Merlot styles can be divided into cool climate and warm climate. The weather during the growing season affects the acidity and alcohol levels of a wine which play into what foods are a good match with Merlot. The cooler climate Merlots of Bordeaux, northern Italy, and Chile, tend to be lower in alcohol, tannins, and maintain good acidity. Warm climate Merlot from Paso Robles, Napa, and warm areas of Australia are fuller bodied, velvety, and higher in alcohol. These “modern” Merlots are reminiscent of Cabernet Sauvignon (they are brothers after all).
Cool climate Merlot will can have a bit more of an earthy character and pairs great with root vegetables and mushrooms. Warm climate Merlot is a bit of a fruit bomb and pairs great with heavier dishes and fruit sauces.
| Cool Climate | Warm Climate |
|---|---|
| Filet Mignon | Prime Rib |
| Grilled Chicken | Grilled Lamb Chops |
| Pork Chops | Beef Stew |
| Roasted Vegetables | Cheeseburgers |
| Veggie Pizza | Bolognese |
| Turkey | Sausages |
| Meat Stuffed Ravioli | Meat-Lovers Pizza |
| Mushrooms | Blue Cheese |
| Cranberry Sauce | Roast Duck with Plum Sauce |
| Bitter Chocolate | Mac and Cheese with Bacon |
| Proscuitto | Salami |
Merlot Cheese Pairing
Merlot is a good match with lots of different cheeses. Think of it this way: on a cheese board isn’t there always some kind of fruit like raisins, grapes, or strawberries? Well think of Merlot as the fruity element that makes the pairing pop. The best cheeses with Merlot are aged, blue, stinky, and pungent cheese. Pair Merlot with aged Cheddar, aged Gouda, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Parmesan, Camembert, and Brie.
For a complete guide to Wine and Food Pairing, download my new eBook today!
Tips for Pairing Food with Merlot
When deciding what food to pair with Merlot consider the follow. Merlot is medium to full bodied so the dish you prepare should match the weight of the wine. Meat dishes, stews, and heavy sauces will pair well. Merlot has a fair amount of tannins. Tannins are neutralized by protein. Pair Merlot with dishes with proteins of either meat or cheese. Merlot doesn’t have a ton of acidity so pairs best with leaner cuts of meat. Dishes that have a fruit component are great matches with Merlot. The fruits or jams will bring out the pleasant fruitiness of Merlot.
Does Merlot pair with dessert?
One of the best Merlot food pairings I ever had was completely unexpected. A sommelier friend invited me over for dinner. She was excited to pop open a bottle of Bordeaux (right bank Bordeaux is Merlot based) with the beef stew she prepared. Beef- check. Mushrooms- check. Heavy dish- check. Should have been the perfect Merlot food pairing. For some reason, it just didn’t work. Wine should make the food taste better and food should make the wine taste better. This did neither. We had more than half the bottle leftover when we finished eating the main course, unheard of for two sommeliers! We both agreed the Merlot food pairing was unsuccessful for reasons that didn’t add up.
Defeated, we continued on to dessert. Her daughter is lactose-intolerant so she made a dairy-free chocolate cake with homemade strawberry sorbet. I had a bit of wine still in my glass and took a sip after a few bites of dessert. Oh em goodness! I said to her, “Holy shit, try the wine with the cake and ice cream!” It was a marvelous pairing. The chocolate cake wasn’t particularly sweet so the wine didn’t appear bitter, and the strawberry ice cream brought out even more of the berry flavor in the wine. I’m not usually a fan of red wine and chocolate but this worked marvelously. Click here for more tips for food and wine pairing.
Frequently Asked Questions about Merlot Food Pairing
What snacks go with Merlot?
Merlot is very versatile. It’s a great wine to drink while nibbling on some meat and cheese. Trail mix with some bits of chocolate is great with Merlot as well.
Does Merlot pair well with pizza?
A resounding yes! Merlot is pairs well with meat-lovers pizza, quattro formaggi pizza, and pizza with roasted vegetables. See a full list of wine and pizza pairings. 
The Sideways Effect
In 2004, the movie Sideways came out. The setting is California’s Central Coast wine region. It was a movie about a lot of things but the take away from it was that Merlot sucks. Miles screams “I am not drinking any fucking Merlot!” This started a snowball effect of epic proportions. Merlot became blacklisted and sales of Merlot plummeted. In response, vineyards of Merlot were ripped out and replaced with Pinot Noir, the wine that Miles loves. Here’s the problem. Merlot and Pinot Noir should not be grown in the same areas! Merlot is warm/cool climate grape and Pinot Noir is cold climate grape. Pinot Noir became extremely popular after the movie. Amateur wine lovers declared they also hated Merlot. The irony is that the wine that Miles calls his gem, the ’61 Cheval Blanc, that he drinks alone from a Styrofoam cup with fast food at the end is a blend of Cabernet Franc AND MERLOT!
Give Merlot another chance on International Merlot Day on November 7th!
International Merlot Day is celebrated on November 7th. This is a great time to pick your favorite Merlot food pairing and grab a great bottle of Merlot. Use hashtag #merlotday on your social media posts. For a complete list of wine holidays click here.
Super helpful and interesting post! I love wine and I can’t wait to learn more about it!
Stick with me! I’ll make it as easy and fun as possible 🙂