French Origins
From Bordeaux to the World
The earliest reference to Merlot (then called Merlau) comes from Bordeaux in 1784, when a local vigneron wrote, “Merlau makes a black and excellent wine and is productive in good soil.” By 1824, the name Merlot (which is believed to be a diminutive of merle, the French word for blackbird) became the common name, and is likely a reference to the black color of the grape and the fact that blackbirds liked to eat the grapes.
Merlot is the most widely planted grape in France and is the primary variety in most red wines from St-Émilion and Pomerol on Bordeaux’s famed Right Bank. One of the five red Bordeaux varieties, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, Merlot is an early ripening grape that thrives in clay and limestone soils. A cross-pollination between Cabernet Franc and the little-known Madeleine Noire des Charentes grape, Merlot is the source for many of the world’s most expensive and sought-after wines. As Merlot evolved into being the most widely planted grape in Bordeaux, it began rapidly traveling the world and today it can be found in Italy, Chile, South Africa, Australia and China, as well as throughout the United States, most notably in California and Washington State.
As Merlot has spread around the globe, different styles have emerged. In sunny California, where the grape can ripen to perfection, winemakers tend to pick later, producing deeply colored wines with higher alcohol, smooth tannins and luscious fruit, while more traditional “Bordeaux-style” Merlots are picked earlier with higher acid and showcase the wine’s fresh, red-fruited complexity.
Napa Valley Merlot
From Blending Grape to Superstar
By the late 1960s, Cabernet Sauvignon was quickly establishing itself as the dominant red grape in Napa Valley. While several wineries planted the other Bordeaux red varieties in the region for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the first Napa Valley Merlot was made by Winemaker Ric Forman at Sterling Vineyards. In the years that followed, several other passionate champions of the grape, including Dan Duckhorn of Duckhorn Vineyards and our founder Bruce Markham, also produced a Napa Valley Merlot.
With its silky tannins and lush, easy-drinking appeal, Merlot quickly gained a devoted following within the emerging American wine culture of the day, and plantings in Napa Valley and throughout California and Washington State skyrocketed. Merlot quickly established itself as the second most popular red grape in the US after Cabernet Sauvignon—a position it firmly held until the rise of the American Pinot Noir boom in the 2000s.
Crafted with Passion
Markham's Acclaimed Merlots
In 1980, Markham Vineyards helped to pioneer the variety when we became just the fourth winery to produce a Napa Valley Merlot. Crafted using grapes from the celebrated Fay Vineyard in the Stags Leap District by our founding winemaker, Robert Foley, our debut Merlot quickly became a hit with our customers. In the years that followed, Markham quickly gained a reputation for its mastery of Bordeaux varietals, most notably Merlot—a reputation that was cemented when our 1990 Markham Merlot was honored as “Merlot of the Year” by Wine Spectator. Markham’s star continued to shine bright, and in 1997—the same year we acquired an additional 150 acres of estate vineyards—Markham was again featured on the cover of Wine Spectator along with our award-winning Merlot.
Today, our long-time winemaker, Kimberlee Nicholls, does upwards of 30+ individual Merlot fermentations each year, sourcing grapes from as many as seven appellations to produce eight to 10 unique expressions of Merlot. While our Napa Valley Merlot has earned acclaim for the beautiful way it embodies the diversity of Merlot in our region, Kimberlee also loves to explore different regional expression of the grape through District Series wines like our Oak Knoll and Oakville Merlots.
Because Kimberlee possesses such an intimate and insightful understanding of every block of our estate vineyards, she also produces Merlots as part of our small production Marked Parcels collection, including our Marked Parcels Hopper House Merlot and our Marked Parcels Yountville Ranch Merlot. “These are some of my favorite wines to make,” says Kimberlee. “They are about being in tune with the vineyards, recognizing the very best blocks, and making wines that have a deep and nuanced sense of place.”
Finally, our pinnacle wine, The Character, is made as a block and barrel selection of the most alluring and majestic wines from our estate vineyards. This Merlot-driven red blend features all five red Bordeaux varieties and is aged for 30 months in 100% new French oak barrels. A wine of power and place, this limited-production treasure is available exclusively in our Tasting Room or through our Markham Vineyards Wine Club.
“As one of the early pioneers of Merlot in Napa Valley, we understand that the grape needs to be treated differently depending on where it is grown if you want to achieve the highest levels of quality,” says Kimberlee. “At the same time, with almost half a century of experience and wisdom under our belts, very few people understand Napa Valley Merlot like we do. Whether it’s the bright raspberry flavors of Carneros, the lush sour cherry and plum flavors of Oak Knoll, the cherry pie and Satsuma plum flavors of Oakville, or the luscious blackberry fruit of Calistoga, each region has its own signature qualities that shine through in our Merlots.”