Cabernet Merlot is without doubt, one of the most famous wines in the world. It is a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes which are some of the most grown grapes in the world. This is believed to have originated from Bordeaux hence its nickname the Bordeaux blend.
The Cabernet Merlot red wine blend has literally taken the world by storm; it’s clear it has established itself as a popular wine in almost every major wine country on the earth including France, Italy, Australia, Chile, and the US, but it has also bloomed in unexpected areas in the world like Africa, Argentina, New Zealand, Canada, and Israel. The great thing is that it seems to taste a little different depending on the region which makes trying it from all different wineries a little bit exciting. In Australia, Coonawarra, Margaret River and Yarra Valley have a unique and flavorful blend, while South Africa also makes some great earthy and savory versions of this blend.
Cabernet Merlot red wine blend generally has dark fruity flavours and is considered to be a full bodied red wine with the most common notes being black cherry, black currant, blackberry, black pepper, tobacco, licorice, vanilla, and violet but when comparing old world and new world wines, the taste differs.
Cabernet Merlot from the old world is rare, but if you do get your hands on a nice one from Bordeaux the tastes that will come through are graphite, violets, tobacco, and some herbal flavour more than any fruity flavours. The smell is quite pleasing with a hint of black cherries, licorice, and earthiness. It will remind you of picking cherries in a field, how delicious. Despite the bold flavour and full body titles, it is actually quite light but does have strong tannins and acidity that seem to linger in your mouth. If you want to try it try getting a bottle of Bordeaux if you can find a bottle from 2009, 2008 or 2005. The new world countries seem to have a bit more of a fruitier blend than the old world with the most prominent flavours being black cherry, licorice, black pepper, with a small hint of vanilla. While these new world blends seem to have fewer tannins and acidity, they also have a stronger alcohol content so don’t let it catch you by surprise.
This wine is considered to be complex (with the flavours layered with black pepper and tobacco), so pair it with fatty foods. Most people think that to bring out the fruit flavours, they should try it with some chocolate. You don’t want to do this. Some great dishes to pair Cabernet Merlot red wine with include mushroom pizza with a rich tomato sauce for a lazy night in, a marinated ribeye steak, braised short ribs (if you’re going out), maybe a hearty mushroom stroganoff, sauteed shitake mushrooms, slow cooked beef is always a winner or for something a little more worthy, some seared venison rump with red wine and rosemary butter. This is a great pairing for a dinner party you might be planning or even for a night in with a good book – a good hearty, fatty meal with some nice protein is sure to match this wine and bring out those fruity flavours perfectly.
You can easily try your local store and see what variety of Cabernet Merlot red wine they carry and pick one out there, or if not satisfied with the selection, you can easily jump online and search, compare and buy a bottle or two at any time and have it delivered straight to your door.
