Merlot is a velvety-purple grape with a rich, complex taste, producing wine of a medium body, heavy tannins, and a broad, well-rounded range of flavors. It is also a hardy and predictable grape, easily cultivated all over the world, so that it has gained a foothold in almost every major wine-producing country in the world.

Wine made from the Merlot grape is capable of a surprising range of characteristics. In cool climates, the grapes are imbued with tones of berries, plum, or tobacco. In medium climates, the grapes take on a more defined berry or plum taste. In hot climates, Merlot becomes a sweeter wine with flavors of chocolate or perhaps cheesecake. Additionally, when Merlot is made in the same profile as a Cabernet, it may have aromas and flavor notes hinting of anything from mint to olives.

Merlot is both a popular varietal wine in its own right and one of the world's most frequently-blended wines. Merlot blended with Cabernet Sauvignon combines two of the world's most popular varietal wines into an even better wine. It can be used to stabilize Shiraz, mellow out Sangiovese, and add some nip to a Grenache .

In dining, because Merlot is so versatile, it is typically recommended for the standard red-wine foods. However, specialized variations of Merlot also make it suitable for unexpected things like seafood, mushrooms, prosciutto, and salmon.

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