The Best Merlot Food Pairing Ideas (With Wine Styles & Taste Notes)

Merlot is the second most planted grape variety globally and features in many wine styles - from everyday wines to the prestigious Bordeaux Blend. 

Hailing from Bordeaux, Merlot’s softer tannins and delicious flavors make it easy to pair at any food and wine pairing event.

In this article, discover some amazing Merlot food pairing ideas, wine styles, and tasting notes.  We also have some awesome tips for pairing your favorite Merlot at your next dinner party.

The Best Merlot Food Pairing Ideas  

Whether you’re serving a white Merlot wine or a Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot - serving it with the right dishes will completely elevate your experience! 

Try out these delicious Merlot food pairing ideas at your next dinner party:

1. Pairing Merlot With Meat Dishes

Merlot and lean meats are an excellent combination. You can also try a Merlot pairing with pork tenderloin, roast beef, steak, or a filet mignon. 

Merlot pairs brilliantly with chicken and pork, but not so much with fish. Try to include lightly spiced meat (like a pork chop or barbequed steak) that won’t overshadow the fruity notes of this red wine. 

2. Pairing Merlot With Cheese

The salty, savory, and fruity profile of cheese balances the dry palate of Merlot. It pairs best with gouda cheese, but you can also try cheddar, parmigiano-reggiano, or goat cheese. 

Pair full-bodied Merlot wines with blue cheese for a rich flavor profile.

3. Pairing Merlot With Savory Snacks And Appetizers

Merlot pairs particularly well with roasted vegetables and mushrooms. 

For example, a well-structured Merlot from Pomerol may go well with savory dishes. Its vanilla and woody flavour blends well with a pasta dish or other cheesy snacks.

Serve the red wine with tomato-based pasta or sauce, or other gravy-based dishes to balance the low acidity usually associated with Merlot. 

4. Pairing Merlot With Desserts

While Merlot may not be a dessert wine, it pairs well with desserts with low sugar content.

Try pairing Merlot wine with chocolate cakes, tarts, or pies with dark fruit flavors. 

Warm-climate Merlots like a Duckhorn Merlot may pair well with desserts that balance their dry finish. 

To make things easier for you, here are four general thumb rules to follow:

4 Essential Tips For The Perfect Merlot Food Pairing 

Here are a few tips to achieve the perfect Merlot food pairing for your next dinner party:

• Consider the texture of your red wine. Medium to full-bodied Merlot should be paired with heavy dishes like a steak with heavy sauce to balance the powerful flavors.

• Tannins are often balanced by protein. Pair a tannic Merlot with hard cheese or meat. 

• Since it isn’t very acidic, Merlot also pairs well with lean meats or white meat. It will pair well with dishes you’d pair with a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Chardonnay.

• Consider where your Merlot was produced. Hot climate Merlot pairs well with fruit salads and the like. Cool climate Merlot will handle sauce based dishes like pasta and pizza better due to their robust palate. 

Let’s also take a look at the different Merlot wine styles, so you’ll know better which dishes to pair with them.

The Classic Merlot Wine Styles

In general, Merlot wine can be classified into two main styles: 

• “International” style uses fully ripe grape varieties and results in full-bodied, highly alcoholic wines.
• “Traditional” or Bordeaux wine style produces medium-bodied wines with a strong red fruit flavor. 

The taste of the Merlot grape red wine also varies depending on the region and climate.  

Cool climate Merlot includes grape varieties produced across France, Italy, Chile, etc. These regions have wines with rather earthy flavors of tobacco and tar, similar to those of Pinot Noir grapes.

Merlot wine produced in hotter regions like Australia, California, and Argentina is a rather sweet wine with fruity flavors and a fine structure. It is often given an oak treatment that brings out its red fruit flavors with a stemmy note. 

Add A Merlot To Your Collection!

Merlot wine pairs well with white meat and lightly spiced dark meat, along with vegetables and appetizers. If you’ve run out of dessert wine, you can serve it with your chocolate cake as well.

But what if you wanted to invest in a bottle of this food-friendly wine?

If you wish to get your hands on a delicious Pomerol or a Napa Valley Merlot, check out the Vinovestwebsite. This world-class wine investment platform will help you buy, store, and sell any investment-grade red or white wine easily.