Merlot 101

What is the difference between wine brands and merlot or other wines?

Public Comments

1. My favorite is lambrusco/ framboise.
2. Either by or get "The Dummies Guide to Wine" from the library. This question cannot be answered briefly here!!!
3. i also enjoy lambrusco. the differences are how they are made and processed. also how old they are. typically the older the better.
4. Merlot is a grape variety. A brand is a name used by a company selling wines. You can have a Merlot sold under a brand name. All wines are sold under brand names -- even if the wine comes from a single vineyard, like Ch Mouton Rothschild, that name is their brand. Usually though, we consider brand names as those name owned by middle men who buy wine and package and market under a name. Names such as Red Bicyclette or Fat Bastard. Their wins are made from different grape varieties. So Merlot is a grape variety, and a wine with Merlot on the label is made from that variety. A brand name is a name given to a range of wines, they don't refer to one particular grape variety.
5. Merlot is a varietal, or a wine main from one specific type of grape. There are almost one hundred different grapes and therefore, varietals. Some of the most common varietals (or types) of wine are chardonnay, syrah, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, riesling, cabernet sauvignon, white zinfandel, and the list goes on. A brand of wine is the marketing image, created by the winemaker to sell their specific wine. An example is Essence, by S.A. Prum. Prum is the winemaker, and they also happen to grow their own grapes, Essence is the brand, and the varietal in this case is Riesling. Not all wines are varietals, though, because many are blends, like South African Pinotage, which is a blend of Pinot Noir (a varietal on its own) and another local grape. If you're looking for a wine, I suggest picking the type or varietal (or blend) first. Then think about the "brand," or more generally the winery that created this brand of merlot. If you're not familiar with any of the top producers in your price range, you're probably best off finding a wine store with a sommeliere or wine specialist, and telling them what kind of wine tastes best to you. Good luck! :)