Merlot
Where merlot exactly originates from is unknown. It is thought to come from Bordeaux and it was accurately described there in the middle of the 19th Century. It is in fact one of the most popular vine varieties traditionally used in all the great chateaus in Bordeaux. 95% of the famous Pétrus Château's grape production consists of merlot. Merlot was introduced in Tessin in 1907. It has gradually replaced the less interesting native vine varieties. It was more recently introduced in Valais.
Merlot is a very productive vine variety. It matures about ten days later than chasselas (2nd period) and buds rather late and irregularly. It is a vine variety which doesn't need much water and therefore thrives in dry soil. In Bordeaux, it is planted at the bottom of hills in soil which is rich in clay and chalk. Merlot is said to suffer from grey rot, mildew and it is very sensitive to frost when it blossoms, so much so that if the blossom freezes, the vine will not produce any grapes.
Merlot's branches are heavily leaved. The adult leaves are large, very jagged and blistered. The bunch of grapes is large, loose, often winged and contains small round grapes which are blue-black in colour.
The wine made from merlot has a fruity character (black and red berries) and has a delicate, full-bodied flavour with a hint of ivy. Herbaceous flavours take the upper hand if the grapes used to make the wine are not ripe enough.
Merlot is the third most cultivated vine variety in France. In 1999, there were 100,000 hectares of it. 60,000 of them were to be found in Gironde (Bordeaux) alone. It is also very popular in other vine growing nations. There is an estimated 200,000 hectares of merlot world-wide. In Tessin there are one thousand hectares of vine yards, 85% of which are used to grow merlot. It has recently started to make progress in Valais. In 1991, there was only one hectare of it! There were 7 hectares of it in 2000 and 16 two years later.
Merlot is a wine which goes well with gastronomy and meats which are not too strong such as poultry (duck, quail, guinea-fowl, chicken or capon). It is also appreciated with tournedos with morels, a Wellington beef fillet, jugged hare or simply with a selection of cheeses. It is also often said that merlot is the best wine to be drunk with mushroom dishes.