Merlot
Think of Merlot as the friendly red wine. It’s smooth, with soft tannins and ripe berry flavors that are easy to enjoy. With a diverse climate, Washington Merlots can show a lot of fruity notes (think cherry, blackberry) or give you great chocolate and jammy notes. The most easygoing of the noble red grapes, it delivers rich flavors without being heavy. Making it a great choice any time. (Read more about not having to save your lovely wines for a special occasion).
Washington Merlot: Merlot is the second most planted red grape after Cabernet Sauvignon, with 14,557 tons harvested in 2023. It’s the 4th most planted grape in Washington. Riesling and Chardonnay rank as 2nd and 3rd respectively. This is even after 2023 saw a reduction in total grapes harvested from 2022. This means Washington wines are even more focused on quality and small production winemakers than they were previously. It’s one of the grapes that first announced Washington wine to the world, through high-end wineries like Leonetti.
Washington wine statistics from the Washington State Wine Commission
About Wine Grapes
Welcome to our glossary. Here we share a bit about wine grapes that we mention on our site and in our social media. Washington has wines representing each grape. There is a lot more to learn, and we encourage you to do as much as you want. Have some fun with learning just enough to enjoy wine more.