{"id":20166,"date":"2020-07-30T00:00:45","date_gmt":"2020-07-30T00:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/signaturecellars.com.au\/?p=20166"},"modified":"2020-07-30T00:00:45","modified_gmt":"2020-07-30T00:00:45","slug":"differences-between-malbec-and-merlot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/signaturecellars.com.au\/wine-blog\/2020\/07\/30\/differences-between-malbec-and-merlot\/","title":{"rendered":"The Differences Between Malbec And Merlot – Two Classic Red Wines"},"content":{"rendered":"

Malbec and Merlot are two classic wines that are popular throughout the world. Many people that consume these wines aren’t sure about the differences and believe there aren’t too many. However, these wines are not only different in flavour and body, but their origins and other aspects too.<\/p>\n

Where Are These Wines Produced?<\/h2>\n

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Malbec<\/h3>\n

This wine comes in certain variants based on which region it\u2019s been grown. Malbec wine produced either in France or Argentina is the most prized. France is originally where Malbec was grown. Though it\u2019s grown in Bordeaux, it has a more complex history. Before the start of this millennial, Malbec was primarily used in Bordeaux wine blends. The grape itself is much older and was first planted well before the 1800s.<\/p>\n

But tending to this vine was quite a challenge, and the series of crop failures ensures that Malbec never earned the recognition it should have. It became more known only when it spread through trade routes to Argentina, and the country’s climate is perfect for growing this grape. Today, you can find Malbec in France and Argentina as well as many other regions throughout the world including California, Central Valley in Chile, and some regions of Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Canada, South Africa, Mexico, and Bolivia.<\/p>\n

Merlot<\/h3>\n

This wine too has a long history in France that dates back to the 19th century. It was introduced around the same time that Malbec was introduced and the grape had a dark outer skin that earned it the moniker \u2013 \u201clittle blackbird”. This grape too was largely used in wine blends rather than on its own. Merlot<\/a> blends continue to be popular even today, but it has become a popular wine just as Malbec has. The Merlot crops were almost wiped out by blight, similar to what happened with Malbec.<\/p>\n

The government imposed a ban on growing this grape; it just wasn’t grown at all between the late 1950s to 1975. However, during this period, Merlot found its way across the globe and is arguably the most widely grown grape variant in the world today. It is grown in France in the Bordeaux region, Italy, South America, South Africa, California, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Europe and Asia.<\/p>\n

The Main Differences<\/h2>\n

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