Merlot is a dark blue-colored
wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for
varietal wines. The name
Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of
merle, the
French name for the
blackbird, probably a reference to the color of the grape. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its
earlier ripening, makes Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening
Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in
tannin.