Ultimate Merlot Food Pairing Guide [Food Pairing Perfection]

Merlot, second only to Cabernet Sauvignon in its popularity, is a versatile and approachable wine.

It can wear many hats, acting as an ideal blending partner or standing on its own as a fruity, plush, and complicated wine. 

All of these characteristics of Merlot make it a perfect food pairing wine, capable of dazzling the palate and accentuating anything it’s served alongside. 

This guide covers everything you need to know about making the perfect Merlot food pairing. With tasting notes, regional differences, pairing tips, and tons of recommendations, we’ve got you covered!

What Does Merlot Taste Like?

Before discussing which foods to pair with Merlot, it’s helpful to go over what Merlot tastes like and how regional differences affect its flavor.

Merlot is a dry red wine with medium to full body, medium acidity, and medium to high tannins. It’s a highly fruit-driven wine, with notes of plum, black cherry, blueberry, and often mineral or graphite notes. 

Merlot is always barrel-aged, producing wines with velvety soft tannins and mouth-coating oak flavor. Due to Merlot’s popularity, it grows worldwide, usually alongside Cabernet Sauvignon. 

In cool climates like northern Italy and Bordeaux, Merlot can have sharper acidity and lower alcohol. In warmer climates, such as the United States and South Africa, Merlot tends to be lower in acidity, with higher alcohol and flavors of cooked fruit.

Bordeaux Merlot

Merlot originates in Bordeaux and is - without a doubt - its premiere growing region. Over 90% of French wines are made from this grape (usually blended with Cabernet) and make up some of the most expensive wines in the world.

Bordeaux wines are usually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet, with Merlot adding brightness and reducing aging requirements and Cabernet adding complexity.

Expect Merlot (and Merlot-dominant blends) to have bright acidity with flavors of plum, fig, black cherry, and blueberry. 

Tuscan Merlot

Second to Bordeaux, there is Tuscany. Here, it is the second most produced wine in all of central Italy, behind Sangiovese.

With a cooler climate, Merlot is brighter in acidity and has notes of cherry, blueberry, plum, and chocolate. Merlot is often blended with Sangiovese to add complexity.

Chilean Merlot

Chile has created a reputation within the new world for producing approachable Merlot, especially within the Apalta region in the Colchagua province.

Here, the moderate climate makes for Merlot with bright acidity, young red fruit flavors, and a touch of graphite and smoke once aged. 

South African Merlot

Emerging, but a great bang-for-your-buck region that is putting out some delicious Merlot and Bordeaux blends.

Within the Stellenbosch coastal region, Merlot accounts for roughly 20-30% of South African blends. This region produces warm climate Merlot with pronounced jammy and dark fruit and delicate acidity.

United States Merlot

California and Washington state produce exceptional Merlots and Bordeaux blends, with California producing the most by volume. 

In California, Napa and Sonoma are known for producing fruit-forward and moderate tannin Merlots easily suitable for blending. Washington state’s Columbia Valley is warmer, making wines rich with dark fruit flavors and plush tannins. 

Related: Get some great wine recommendations in our guide to Merlot for all budgets.

How to Pair Merlot

Merlot is versatile, playing the supporting role in a blend or standing out independently. Either way, it is an exciting wine that is easily pairable with a variety of dishes. 

Factors to Consider When Pairing Foods with Merlot

Merlot, similarly to Malbec, is a red wine with moderate acidity and tannins. These characteristics make it a suitable wine for richly flavored dishes such as prime rib or bolognese. That said, both cool and warm climate Merlot will have ideal pairings. 

Cool climate Merlot, such as in Bordeaux or Italy, is best suited for leaner proteins and high-acid tomato-based dishes.

Warm climate Merlot, such as in Washington state or South Africa, are better suited for hearty proteins and richly flavored dishes such as stews and meat roasts.

One rule of thumb for what to avoid when pairing food with Merlot is to avoid delicately flavored or cream-based sauces, as Merlot will be overpowering.

The Best Merlot Food Pairings 

Now that we’ve sorted through the details, it’s time for the fun part! Whether as a single varietal or a blend, Merlot is a versatile and exciting wine that pairs with all sorts of dishes.

Here are some of our absolute favorite food pairings when Merlot is at hand.

Merlot Meat Dish Pairings

Merlot Vegetarian Dish Pairings

Merlot Appetizer Pairings

Merlot and Cheese Pairings

Merlot and Snack Pairings