Cabernet Sauvignon Vs Merlot: What's The Actual Difference - Tasting Table

"Both cabernet sauvignon and merlot are Bordeaux varietals native to Southwest France. This famous wine producing area is comprised of six winemaking regions, each with its own terroir. This climate and soil diversity has helped cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes adapt and thrive in vineyards all over the world, adding to the widespread availability of the wines and the diversity of profiles from one winemaker to another."

"Both wines are dry, have deep dark color, and do well when aged in oak. More famously, they play together extremely well, and winemakers combine them in various percentages - sometimes including other grapes like cabernet franc, malbec, petit verdot, and sangiovese - to create beautiful Bordeaux blends and Super Tuscans."

"As much as they have in common, cabernet sauvignon and merlot have subtle differences in taste, structure, body, acidity, and amount of tannins, which affect their aging potential and dictate the best food pairings for each. Here we'll give you a basic guide to distinguish the two varietals, so you can get to know them better and decide how each will best fit the occasion at hand."

"In a survey conducted by Tasting Table in 2022, merlot placed as the favorite red wine with nearly 30% of respondents choosing this ruby-colored, medium-bodied, fruit forward red wine over all others. Merlot is more approachable than cabernet, with a smooth velvety texture, and juicy flavors of plum, blackcurrant, blackberry, and bl"

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are widely available red wines descended from Cabernet Franc and native to Southwest France’s Bordeaux region. Both are dry, deep in color, and benefit from aging in oak. Winemakers often blend them in varying proportions, sometimes adding Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Sangiovese to create Bordeaux blends and Super Tuscans. Despite similarities, they differ in taste, structure, body, acidity, and tannin levels, which influence aging potential and food pairing choices. Merlot is described as approachable, smooth, velvety, and fruit-forward, with flavors such as plum, blackcurrant, and blackberry.

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