{"id":13879,"date":"2017-01-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-01-02T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.invinic.com\/what-exactly-is-white-merlot"},"modified":"2017-10-05T14:44:38","modified_gmt":"2017-10-05T12:44:38","slug":"what-exactly-is-white-merlot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.invinic.com\/en\/what-exactly-is-white-merlot","title":{"rendered":"What exactly is white Merlot?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Merlot<\/strong> is one of the world\u2019s best known red wine grapes. Alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is a key component in the <\/span>Bordeaux blend<\/span><\/a>, particularly in regions like Saint Emilion and Pomerol where it is the dominant grape in some of the world\u2019s finest wines. Red Merlot wines are also very popular throughout the world in Spain, the USA, New Zealand and Australia.<\/span><\/p>\n

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White Merlot<\/strong><\/h2>\n

That\u2019s fine, then. Merlot makes red wine, and that\u2019s that – or is it? You may have heard the term \u201cwhite Merlot<\/strong>\u201d before, and it may have been a little confusing. Worry not, we feel your pain and we are here to clear things up for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What exactly is white Merlot?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

White Merlot is an unofficial term used to describe ros\u00e9 wines that are made from the red Merlot grape<\/a>. There is no distinct grape called \u201cwhite Merlot\u201d, other than <\/span>mutant strains<\/span><\/a>. You can think of white Merlot somewhere along the lines of white Zinfandel – a ros\u00e9 wine produced from the red Zinfandel grape that gained its popularity largely thanks to strong marketing and distribution from large California wine brands. The name \u201cwhite Merlot\u201d refers to the wine style and not the grape.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How is white Merlot made?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Red wines get their colour from extended contact with the grape skins during winemaking. A red Merlot from Bordeaux or Australia may have several weeks of skin contact and a dark colour to show for it. The tannin in the grape skins also contributes more structure to the wine and gives it a more distinctive sensation of one\u2019s mouth being dry when drinking. With white Merlot, skin contact is considerably shorter after the grapes are crushed and so the colour and tannic structure are both a lot lighter: Instead of dark red, white Merlot will be a light pink or salmon colour<\/strong>, and will be considerably lighter in the mouth and easier to drink.<\/span><\/p>\n

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White Merlot wines to try<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ros\u00e9 is often thought of as a summer drink, and white Merlot surely fits that bill. We have compiled a list of light and fresh Spanish white Merlot wines<\/strong> for you to enjoy, whether that\u2019s on a hot summer\u2019s day or a wistful winter evening longing for the summer Sun!<\/span><\/p>\n