Merlot
This is one of the three classic Bordeaux partners in crime that include the aforementioned Cabernet Sauvignon and the lesser-known Cabernet Franc. There's currently a Merlot mania sweeping the globe, and part of the reason is that it is the principal grape variety used in two of Bordeaux's most famous communes, St-Emilion and Pomerol. Nearly everywhere else in Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is usually the dominant grape variety in any blend. In St-Emilion and Pomerol, Merlot's the daddy. And the softer, more luscious, immediately appealing wines from these two communes have shown the world that Merlot has as much character as its partner, Cabernet.
The problem with Merlot is that it is a little more fragile than Cabernet, and not as suited to such a wide variety of climates. This means that, while the world has attempted to re-create its success in St-Emilion and Pomerol, the results have not always been quite what they should have been.
But, when it's on form, it's a winner, which is why it's also beginning to find popularity in places such as Italy and Spain - two countries that have traditionally shunned France's grape base in favour of their own. Again, however, it can be prone to the same 'greenness' that Cabernet can suffer if picked too early. And, like Cabernet, it's usually at its best with a little help from its friends. Even the tiniest drop of Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc can add that extra bit of life to a good Merlot.
Pronunciation: Mer-low.
Where do I find it? Bordeaux is the homeland, but it's grown across France, South Africa, Australia, California, the Pacific Northwest, Chile, Italy, Spain.
What does it taste like? We're talking delicious blackberry and dark cherry fruit flavours, which often have a lovely vein of milk chocolate underpinning them, making a good juicy Merlot a rather naughty indulgence. More often than not it is wood-aged, like Cabernet, so you get quite a smoky, oaky, savoury edge to it.
Tell me something I didn't know: Château Petrus, reputedly the most expensive top-class Bordeaux red, is made with mainly Merlot - which is nice.